Digital transformation is a sweeping trend that shows no signs of slowing down.
In fact, 85% of decision makers believe they have only two years to take serious steps towards a successful digitalisation of their workplace, or they risk falling behind their competitors, according to the International Data Corporation.
Without the correct use of analytics, your digital transformation efforts are doomed to failure. Let us show you why…
What is digital transformation?
Digital transformation can be defined as the integration of digital technology into all aspects of a business to benefit operational efficiency and improve experiences for staff and customers alike. However, it’s one thing to go through the motions of digital transformation as the latest trendy business practice, another to reap tangible rewards and another to still ensure the benefits continue down the track.
What are the challenges of digital transformation, and how can analytics help?
1. Delivering on customer expectations
It’s easy to get swept up in the processes of digital transformation and forget the key intended beneficiary – your customers. Your digital transformation needs to improve the experience your target market has when they interact with your business, which means collecting and analysing data on user experience (UX).
The key to deciding what metrics you need when it comes to UX, is to think back to the overarching goals of your digital transformation. For example, if a core objective is to improve the options customers have for communicating with your team, examine what you have on offer now, and compare it to the results of a survey where you asked your customers how they would prefer to contact you.
The emphasis here has to be on quality information that will allow UX designers to perform the vital optimisation role. In fact, a recent Gartner survey found that poor quality data can cost organisations nearly $22 million a year.
2. Digitalisation of systems and processes
The systems your organisation uses may have been in place for decades and bringing them up to speed with your new digital office is always easier said than done. Crucially, you need to avoid creating silos in which some areas are digitised and others are not.
Perhaps AIs most useful contribution is demonstrating what needs updating in the first place. An effective digital transformation will target the areas of greatest inefficiency first. This can be anything from improving document management to sales and marketing.
3. Employee engagement
Digital transformation isn’t only about the technology, but also the people using it. Buy-in from your team is critical to digital transformation, because they are the key to your data.
Businesses often employ digital change managers specifically to deal with the people side of digital transformation, ensuring employee buy-in at every stage of the processes.
While HR isn’t a traditional stomping ground for analytics, there has been significant progress in recent years in applying data to employee concerns. Prominent examples include:
Identifying and mitigating negative sentiment:
You should regularly engage your employees on how they’re adjusting to increasing digitalisation. Simple feedback forms will enable your HR team to target specific issues that employees may have and work with them to ascertain their concerns, and devise solutions. This process can also identify change ambassadors. Members of your team who are particularly supportive of the transformation, and who can help you evangelise.
Developing targeted training courses
Analytics can also reveal where to target development initiatives to help your team adapt better to your transformed office. Once the training is in place, you can continue to track its efficacy over the lifetime of your transformation.
Predictive models for turnover
While no business wants to think about losing team members, the truth is that digital transformation won’t suit everyone. Mining data on how well employees are coping with wholesale change can help you predict resignations, and put contingency plans in place.
4. Maintaining your transformation
Digital transformation isn’t a one-off process to to be ticked off and forgotten about. Your goal should be to continuously strive to give your customers the best experience possible with your brand while simultaneously reducing procedural wastage. This means consistently reviewing your progress, analysing what your competitors are doing and staying abreast of the latest technological innovations.
Among the success metrics you can track and analyse are:
- Percentage of revenue from digital channels vs. spend on digital marketing
- How much each department contributes to your digital initiatives
- How customers are interacting with your digital touchpoints
- Improvements to internal systems – for example, reduced decreased spend on consumables
- Reduction in time to market for new products and services
Hopefully, this article has shown you the importance of analytics in every aspect of your digital transformation. With hard data on your side, you’re giving your organisation the best possible chance of realising its objectives in the most efficient manner, and with the support of your team.
To find out how Brother can assist with digitalisation through our range of innovative printers and scanners, get in touch with the team today.
