Digital Transformation is essentially the proactive step of a business to improve their digital presence with the overriding goal to provide a superior user experience at every customer touch point.

This process and what it entails will be unique to an organisation. They will however, all share the desire to create a seamless and holistic solution for their customers via all digital channels, whether it be websites, social media platforms, iBeacon strategies or anything other digital offering.

Staying customer-centric is of paramount importance when undergoing digital transformation. Provide services that they want to experience, not what they have to experience.

Organisations need to understand their customers and realise the benefits of each element involved in a digital strategy. What is the reason for doing this and how will it help our customers? A great example of an organisation asking themselves such questions and delivering the answer, can be found when looking at the UK Government. They digitally transformed 25 major services, such as registering to vote, applying for VISAs and making an employment tribunal claim, in just 400 days.

What are the benefits?

There are many benefits to Digital Transformation. A recently conducted survey by the Altimeter Group, a specialist research company based in California, reported that customer engagement increased by an average of 75% amongst the companies that they spoke with. Customer satisfaction also increased by 63% but how did this effect the bottom line?

The survey reported that lead generation increased by 49% and conversions by 46%!

Why are companies resistant to adopting Digital Transformation?

Digital Transformation can be a daunting process for companies who have a history and a reliance on traditional practices. Often we encounter organisations that are suffering from a company culture that has not, and will not, embrace digital transformation. This stand point then negatively transcends throughout the business and there will inevitably be a lack of the necessary expertise to deliver a successful digital transformation strategy should there be a shift from the lack of willingness to embrace digital (normally as a result of knowledge gaps) from those at the top – the decision makers.

A more forward thinking company may still have difficulties. Even if they are fully enthusiastic behind embracing digital transformation, trying to find people with the needed skill set is no easy task. A recent study by Econsultancy found that a lack of staff to make the best use of digital investment was the 3rd major barrier to investing more in digital marketing. It was behind restricted budget (1st) and company culture (2nd).

How can companies take the first steps to implementation?

Companies need to know why digital transformation is necessary for them. They need to know their customers’ behaviours and current interactions with the business inside-out. This will involve “big data”.

They must then decide whether they have the required skills and resource in-house to successfully administer what is going to be an incredibly important operational shift. If they do not have the personnel needed, the next step should be to find a true specialist agency who will be able to work with them to deliver their business and marketing objectives.

We work closely with our clients from the very outset of a project to fully understand their business and their various customer segments in order to create a solution that satisfies user requirements whilst simultaneously delivering positive business results.