2020: the year of digital transformation?
Lucy Birtwistle from our B2B team has explored how digital acceleration and innovative business practices are the future - and how we can turn the ‘new normal’ into a ‘better normal’.
I think we’ve all come to accept the fact that, love it or hate it, working from home is here to stay. This has given companies an opportunity to evaluate and adapt the way they work, which could be as simple as looking at their day-to-day working style, all the way up to reviewing their digital processes.
What is digital acceleration?
Digital acceleration is generally defined as a business’ ability to effectively implement technology that will innovate and adapt their current working model1. COVID-19 has really given companies the wake-up call they needed to get these plans moving. According to BCG surveys, since lockdown restrictions were put in place, over 80% of companies are now thinking that accelerating their digital transformation plans is not only a desire, but a necessity2. That is compared with about 50% of companies prior to COVID-19.
Companies are choosing to innovate their processes for many different reasons, such as:
- to improve their customers’ experience,
- as a way to incorporate new digital offerings,
- and change up their way of working.
But what about the day-to-day?
Most companies this year have been ‘accelerating’ the use of their digital platforms since their staff have been working from home on a day-to-day basis. This has led to a reliance on online processes and platforms to stay connected and keep on top of work. Having a home set-up that can accommodate your work’s systems and processes is SUPER important. This will allow you to minimise downtime caused by technical difficulties and stay productive in this new environment.
A change in communication
As an international agency our clients are based all over the world so communicating with them digitally is something we have adapted as a workaround already.
But, in this ever more digital world, it’s easy for your email to get lost in the pile, meaning as marketers we need to start asking ourselves if we’re communicating with our clients in the most effective way.
We still need a human connection
Despite letting technology be part of our lives more than ever this year by bringing our offices into our homes, it is important to remember that platforms such as Teams or ON24 are a great way to keep in touch on a personal level as well as professional. For example:
- Having weekly calls with the whole company where you can get together and have a bit of downtime, whether that be through a quiz, a check-in with colleagues from around the globe, or a learning session about a new topic
- Having catch-ups with your team that replace the morning tea break and a quick chat whilst everyone is getting set up for the day
- Making a conscious effort with clients to add a personal touch to all communications
Because at the end of the day we are all still human.
Full-time office working seems like a distant memory, so the current working style is one to get used to. Which has led to digital acceleration being a hot topic for businesses this year as, for many companies, their future depends on them innovating their processes. As marketers we should be getting on board with this and encouraging the conversation of digital marketing initiatives to align with the ever-changing business landscape.
We’ve heard the term ‘new normal’ thrown around a lot in the media this year, but (in business at least) we need to strive towards a ‘better normal’ which digital acceleration can offer you.
References
https://www.bcg.com/en-gb/publications/2020/how-to-successfully-accelerate-digital-transformation