Digital transformation: where to start?

I come across this a lot these days: Managing Director XY has realized that he needs to change something in his company. Although the company figures are okay, it’s clear that the market environment is digitizing and his company’s offering is slowly but surely no longer quite hitting the nerve of customers. A classic starting point for a conscious digital transformation of the business. But where to start? A few tips.

(Reading time: 5 minutes – English version here)

Yes… Where to start? The following tips are aimed at company managers.

Step 1: Start with yourself

Do a simple personal exercise. Lock yourself away for half a day and think carefully about whether you are ready to make comprehensive and fundamental changes in the company. Where do you personally stand? Do you want to seize opportunities and invest in them? Are you ready to lead your employees into new areas and take them out of their comfort zone? Do you still have the strength to drive change? These questions become more important as you get older. If you cannot answer these questions positively, you should not go any further. As harsh as it may sound, you are standing in the way of the company and, to a certain extent, you are putting your personal interests above those of the company. As you cannot delegate the digital transformation, it is time to fundamentally rethink your role and act accordingly. If you answer yes to the questions, you can move on to step 2.

Step 2: Corporate culture

How is your management team set up? Is digital competence and intrapreneurship present in the hearts and minds of your people? Are they eager to pivot and committed to your customers? If so, your management is just waiting for you to finally initiate the change. If not, it’s time to adapt your management team. Only a management team that is innovative and willing to change can establish an appropriate, future-oriented culture in the company. Avoid “feel-me-touch-me” seminars and simply set an example of how to do this. In communication, in the way and speed of action. After 3 months, most medium-sized companies have already achieved a great deal. Create a spirit of optimism. Most employees are afraid of change, but if it is positively annotated, there is also a lot of hope for improvement. This must be taken on board. Another option is to hire a Chief Digital Officer or purchase one as a mandate.

Step 3: Resist the temptations

Resist the following reflexive temptations:

• > We now have to sell online immediately.
  > Our website needs to be relaunched as soon as possible.
  > Facebook Page & Twitter Account, NOW!
  > We no longer need printed brochures.
  > Responsive Web Version for the win!
  > Multi- oh wait, omnichannel.
  > I know this web agency, they do everything for us and they can do anything (and the big brother says: “My colleague’s son can program really great things on the web”).

So much is written and “betrended”. The perfidious thing is that not everything is completely wrong. It’s just that these are all parts of the digital toolbox. However, before you choose and use a tool, you need to know exactly what you want to build. And a structured idea of the solutions would also be very helpful. I think and hope for you, your budget is limited and you need to invest the money in a targeted way.

Step 4: Listen to customers

When it comes to digital transformation, the adaptation of technology by users is crucial. It’s about finding out how YOUR customers use digital offerings. Not about what is technically available and usable. So go out to your customers. Talk to them. Specifically: What can be improved? Where could digital channels and tools be used? What do they like about the existing ones? Most customers are very open and helpful. Especially the long-standing ones. Evaluate the answers and create a list of priorities.

Step 5: Put these priorities on a timeline

Set these priorities on as short a timeline as possible. Add the dimensions of objectives, means and procedures to this timeline and the items. Try to keep everything to a maximum of 10 pages.

Step 6: Start with priority 1

Now start with priority 1. Depending on what this first task is, you may need an agency, an internal process change, a new product, etc. Try to implement this item quickly and in good quality, but consciously refrain from finalizing everything before you approach the customer again. Rather launch early, be accommodating if things go wrong and optimize continuously. Take small steps. Stay agile and nimble. Have the courage to fail and keep learning from it.

Many transformation efforts do not succeed because these 6 steps are not followed. Instead, projects are simply implemented half-heartedly and/or aimlessly and the wrong priorities are set. Occasionally, the completely wrong things are implemented with enthusiasm and passion. The buzzwording of the digital profession also contributes to this. Don’t listen to it too much. Listen to your customers. You can’t and won’t go wrong.