How do you deal with the new normal and digital transformation?
How are you coping with the new normal?
Are you fearful and apprehensive about the future?
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us in numerous ways, both on a personal and a business level. How are you coping with an uncertain future and the changes that have been forced upon us?
Many people in business are worried about how to deal with the change and grappling with how technology might help give them the edge in a highly competitive market.
Working from home is the new norm and businesses are reviewing their business model. They are looking at digital transformation to enhance their business performance in these highly uncertain times. The reality is some businesses will not survive the months ahead. What are you doing to be one of the survivors?
Technology evolves at a rapid rate, and in most of the cases, it makes our life easier. For most business the pandemic has meant a major review, often necessitating a review of IT systems and processes. Technology should help you instead of being a roadblock. When was the last time you reviewed you IT and workflow processes?
No matter what field you work in, IT has an important part to play in securing your future. Is your IT helping, or is IT a burden? How secure is your IT from cyber-attack?
Digital transformation can help as it is about adapting technologies that help you to improve your efficiency, protect your data and stay in the game. Are you using your technology to your advantage? Are there new applications that could further enhance performance and reduce costs? The answer is probably no to using technology and yes to new applications.
A 1982 Fiero will take you to your destination, just like a 2020 Camry, so why upgrade? Which is more comfortable to drive? Which is easier to park? Which is cheaper to run? Which is more reliable? You have had your Smartphone and computer system for years so why upgrade those?
Both a new diary and an Outlook calendar can have records of your meetings, but which can help you more? Can your booklet remind you of the upcoming activity? Does it allow you to easily reshuffle your entries when an unexpected change comes up?
Can you get job information into your accounting system faster and easier, so invoices get to your customers quicker, so you get your money quicker?
You get the idea.
So, what should you do?
- Analyse your environment, understand your workflows. Determine what is working and what is not working and why.
- Talk to experienced people to help design a system that meets your current and future requirements. It is paramount that your IT system can grow with you and it can adapt to your evolving needs. Discuss what IT is right for you to improve productivity and efficiency.
- Implement the system and bring it to life.
- Train the team so they can get the most out of the new technology (software and hardware) and at the end of the day, make your business more profitable
A key aspect when it comes to technology is managing mindsets – yes yours and your employees. It is not only about what technology is right for you, it means managing the change process to the new IT and its implementation.
Some key tips in managing the change in your IT system, or any system for that matter;
- Create a compelling reason for the change
- Involve your team
- Develop the vision of what it will be like with the new IT
- Build a project team to manage the change
- Communicate, communicate, and communicate some more
- Gain feedback
- Empower your people to remove barriers
- Look for short term wins that show you and your people you are making progress and are on the right track.
- Reward and show appreciation to those who are on board with the change and the implementation.
- Persist and persist some more. Do not give up.
- Make it stick. The temptation is to go back to the old ways. Resist and find ways to prevent that from happening
There you have it, some points to consider around digital transformation in your business and staying alive in a rapidly changing environment.