Digital Transformation: What Is It? & What Does It Mean for SME’s?

Digital technologies are invading the work place, not least among small and medium enterprises. If you’re an SME, uncertainty, resource gaps and lack of awareness is probably making you feel like digital transformation is a far reach. However, the contrary is true; digital technologies are giving companies like yours, the opportunity to become more agile, expand and turn the tables on larger scale organisations.

What is Digital Transformation & why do I need it?

‘Digital Transformation’ (or DT as the cool kids call it) is the buzz word of the minute. But, what does it really mean? And, more importantly, what does it mean for your business?

If you do a simple Google search, you will be provided with the following definition “Digital transformation is the changes associated with the application of digital technology in all aspects of human society”. But this has little meaning without context. So, the important question to ask is, ‘why?’

Why do companies need to digitally transform? And who in your small business should lead the movement…

‘Doing Digital’ and ‘Digital Businesses’

Often the role of ‘digital transformation’ is passed on to the marketing department. After all they are the ones using digital platforms like Facebook, Twitter and E-Marketing tools. But really, they aren’t transforming the business in anyway, they’re simply just ‘Doing Digital’.

In reality, Digital Transformation is a journey which, like any business strategy, should be lead from the top down. It should be aligned to the wider business objectives- with data (digital) and technology used as enablers. So really, the company is not just ‘doing digital’ but are in fact ‘digital businesses.’

How can my Company Become a Digital Business?

Once you recognise that technology is an ‘enabler’ for digital transformation, you need to identify what you need it to ‘enable’. So, take a step back and figure out the challenges your business needs to overcome, in order to achieve its strategic objectives. From here you can explore the tools which will enable you to do it.

Digital tools and analytics have the power to help you empower employees, optimise operations and most importantly improve customer engagement. To put this into context, if you have the digital tools in place to measure customer data, you’ll have full visibility of what has and hasn’t worked. Only then will you be able to make smarter business decisions based on factual data, which align with your business aims.

Gartner predict that by 2025, every industry will be transformed by digital business. It’s really not as daunting as it may seem. Once you have a clear vision, and have embedded digital into your strategic plans, you’ll be well on your way to the start of a beautiful, digital transformation journey!

Want to find out more?

Register here for our upcoming event ‘Tactics for Digital Transformation’