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You and your staff are primed and ready for a successful digital transformation in 2020. You have your business strategy set on the latest digital trends to spur growth and change in your organization and you just need to roll it out.
Maybe your business transformation effort involves new digital innovations like cloud computing in 2020, or perhaps artificial intelligence (AI) has commanded your full attention. Whatever your focus is, here’s how you can lead the change and carry out a successful campaign from start to finish in the digital age.
Steps to Achieve Your Digital Transformation Effort in 2020
Get everyone on board
According to a recent Entrepreneur article by executive coach Rebecca Livesey, a digital transformation initiative requires strong communication to gain employee buy-in. Employees need to know clear objectives as well as their particular role. Your leaders need to be constantly enforcing what needs to be done and how it should be done, says Livesey—and they should also emphasize the strategic reason behind the changes, such as expanding to new markets.
Focus on improving the customer experience
Customers are seeking a seamless digital experience. Simple digital solutions should be the focus of your digital transformation. Brainstorm with your team about how you can streamline internal and external people processes and eliminate the clutter for a more consistent and user-friendly experience.
Strive to include the entire organization
When organizations take an inclusive approach to digital business transformation, their efforts are more likely to be successful. According to an April 2019 report by McKinsey, winning digital transformations are 1.5 times more likely to target the entire organization rather than just one segment of the business.
Be prepared to make regular adjustments
Since tech innovations are rapidly evolving, you’ll want to equip your staff with the tools to make regular adjustments to the transformation approach. That may mean either weekly or monthly revisions to the plan. If certain initiatives are falling flat, you may need to reconsider their funding or moving funds around to different projects.
Encourage new ideas and innovation
The McKinsey study also reports that effective digital transformation campaigns regularly solicit innovative ideas and feedback from employees—and reward them for doing so. Risk-taking and collaboration are both ways to foster a healthy culture that supports the move toward digital transformation.
Form crystal-clear expectations on ownership and accountability
A plan might start at the executive level but move to a different business function for execution. Make sure your digital transformation strategy covers its entire life span, including which team will be responsible for the plan at each phase and what each phase of the operation will require.
Provide the education and training tools for success
Your digital transformation efforts may require some ongoing training and support for employees. Consider investing in ongoing education and training programs, which will boost your current staff’s digital skills. If your current staff has some gaps in its digital arsenal, consider seeking out some new talent with a background in the particular area you’re looking to add to your organization, such as AI.
Take the Next Steps
A successful digital transformation strategy demands a clear vision as well as the flexibility to adjust goals as time goes on. By involving your staff in each phase of the process, you can ensure your organization achieves all of the benefits that come with digital transformation.