What is digital transformation?

Digital transformation is a buzzword that has been around for a number of years now. But what exactly is digital transformation and how can this process theory help a growing business?

Change and evolution can take time – especially in a small business where processes may have been in place for a long time. Digital transformation is simply a process of adopting modern technology and software to improve business operations.

The process of digital transformation can involve a wide range of activities and initiatives. It shouldn’t and doesn’t apply to just one project or process. For instance, cloud computing, business intelligence and even artificial intelligence are all areas that fall within digital transformation.

The benefits of digital transformation

There are many benefits that small businesses can gain from digital transformation. Here are some of the most important:

• Increased efficiency: Digital tools can help small businesses automate tasks, streamline processes and improve communication. This can lead to significant time and cost savings
• Improved customer service: Digitalisation can help small businesses provide better customer service. Rather than having to sort through paper records, an integrated system can empower customer-facing staff to instantly access customer records or track sales orders through a system
• Increased sales: Small businesses can increase sales by making it easier for customers to buy from them. Organisations can now attract new customers 24/7 with e-commerce and mobile solutions making it easier to process orders around the clock
• Reduced costs: Digital tools can help small businesses make savings by automating tasks, streamlining processes and improving internal and external communication
• Increased security: Digital tools can help small businesses improve their security by making it easier to keep their data safe, by detecting and preventing cyberattacks and by complying with regulations

If you are at the start of your digital transformation journey it may seem complex and a challenging process. But it will be a very rewarding one. By taking the time to understand the benefits of digital transformation and the right digital tools to implement, small businesses can reap the rewards of a more efficient, effective, and profitable operation.

Examples of digital transformation

Here are some specific examples of how digital transformation can be implemented in a small business:

• Cloud migration: Businesses of all sizes are now utilising cloud platforms to store data, run applications, and access files from anywhere. This can save small businesses money on hardware and software, and it can also make it easier to collaborate with employees and customers
• Business management: Still running your business using scraps of paper? Or do you have various systems across your business for different departments? An ERP solution provides integrated business management where companies can control, track and manage their whole operations from a single system
• Data analytics: Powerful business intelligence tools are no longer reserved for huge, global companies. Data analytic functionality can provide insight and agility to a small business by collecting and analysing large amounts of data to identify trends, patterns and insights to make smarter decisions.
• Artificial intelligence: AI has moved from science fiction into the workplace. It’s used to automate tasks, assist with forecasting and to personal experiences for your customers

Digital transformation is an ongoing process and important for small businesses to future-proof and to deliver long-term benefits. By implementing new technologies through digital transformation, SMEs are able to compete in the ever-changing digital marketplace – and to meet the different expectations of customers.

Digital transformation strategy

At SEIDOR we work with organisations around the globe to help customers deploy innovative and affordable digital transformation projects. If your systems are nearing end-of-life, or you’re still battling against badly managed spreadsheets, speak to one of our experts today on 01 697 1818.