How to get your business ready for digital workflows

With digital workflows being hailed as the solution to all business challenges, it’s no wonder that organisations across every industry sector are investing more money in technology than ever before. But this way of thinking misses the fundamental point that digital workflows can’t be implemented successfully without thinking about processes and people first. After all, even the most efficient technology solutions can’t make up for a general lack of productivity skills or proper training. That’s why switching from pen and paper to spreadsheets and then to modern digital platforms has always been a struggle. To achieve more, you need strategy.

Define your business culture

Digital transformation starts and ends with people. Many established businesses simply aren’t ready to move to digital workflows, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be. No one likes to have new ways of doing things foisted on them for the sake of innovation alone, and there’s no point in ‘innovating’ if all it’s going to do is keep you on the same level or even leave you worse off than when you started. Sometimes, it requires a culture change first. Team members need to be deeply involved from the outset, which means you need to enrol thought leaders who can communicate the benefits of workflow digitisation and drive a culture of innovation.

Put your customers first

Problems arising from the sudden and poorly planned implementation of new technology have become meme-worthy as far as customers are concerned. No one is interested in hearing the frustrating excuses about how your new applications are playing up and you can’t serve their needs. Any business exists for its customers, so it stands to reason that customer outcomes should be the driving force behind any workflow digitisation project. Sure, it’s about employees as well and increasing productivity and morale. But first, you need to think about how it would benefit your customers. Examples include more responsive support or easier ways to pay.

Empower your employees

You can’t expect to achieve desired customer outcomes if your employees are disengaged at work and spending a large portion of their time trying to find workarounds to otherwise trivial technology problems. For example, simply forcing them to use a shiny new CRM solution will likely only lead to a multitude of adoption problems as employees struggle to find their ways around the new system. Not only do they need to be empowered by proper training. They also need to have a voice in the direction of the project. Before you invest in any new technology, you need to learn how their workflows can function more effectively in the new platform. 

Invest in the right solutions

Workflow digitisation isn’t about boosting your technology budget and investing in the latest shiny new solutions just because that’s what everyone else is doing. It’s about strategically looking for ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Heavy spending doesn’t guarantee success, and there aren’t many one-size-fits-all solutions that work for every business and situation. The three main areas of digital transformation include big data analytics, the internet of things (IoT) and cloud computing. By dissecting these technologies, you’ll be better placed to figure out which ones make a good fit for your employees and customers alike.

Align strategy with business goals

As a part of the greater digital transformation process, workflow digitisation isn’t a project with a finish line. It’s an ongoing process that constantly adapts to the changing needs of the business. It’s all about making your business more adaptable to market shifts and the evolving habits of both customers and employees. It’s about strategy before technology and people before processes. That’s why digital transformation must become a driving force of business strategy, rather than just something that exists in a bubble in the IT department.

GuideVision helps companies like yours succeed in the digital age with expert guidance and modern business management solutions. Call us today to schedule a consultation.