Resistance to technology is nothing new, but with the onslaught of options appearing in ever-increasing amounts, it’s hard to make a compelling argument against pursuing digital transformation.
Regardless of what your business does or who it serves, moving your processes into the digital realm is crucial for ensuring your long-term success and relevancy. This statement might seem obvious, but the reality is that there are still many small businesses whose operations are grounded much more so in the world of paper than in the various digital tools that now exist to streamline and invigorate the process of getting the job done. Resistance to technology is nothing new, but with the onslaught of options appearing in ever-increasing amounts, it’s hard to make a compelling argument against pursuing digital transformation.
One of the greatest lessons to come out of the pandemic years was that businesses need access to their records and operating processes, even in situations where it might be physically impossible to be in the office. Many were caught off guard by that realization and found themselves struggling to figure out how to carry on with business. Others may have entered that period still using paperwork and performing operations by hand but quickly availed themselves of whatever tools were at their disposal as they were struck with the sudden necessity of learning how to work remotely.
As with any aspect of tech, there actually is a happy balance lurking in there somewhere, because very few businesses have the luxury of completely eliminating paperwork and manual processes. The key to moving in the digital direction is to acknowledge that doing so will provide you with myriad options that simply can’t exist in the old tried-and-true methods you may have relied on for years. One of the most constructive attitudes to have when you consider moving your business forward with tech is recognizing that you really stand to gain more than you’re likely to lose. The only time you’ll definitely experience losses is if you stubbornly stay entrenched in your existing methods, which will cause you to underserve your clients or customers and make you appear as a second-best option to the paying public.
A common inhibiting factor for small businesses thinking of taking the plunge into digital conversion is the associated cost. One of the most prudent things you can do as an entrepreneur is to very carefully weigh the potential benefits of any new investment before you commit. But, the reality is that taking steps toward digitizing your processes will almost always be a sound course of action. You certainly don’t want to allocate critical funds toward new technology at the expense of something else that’s necessary to operate, but keeping your business aligned with contemporary tech trends should always be a priority.
Instead of simply investing in something random, take the time to make thoughtful and specific observations of where your processes could be bolstered through digitization. One of the most common areas is in the sphere of paperwork and documentation. If everything in the daily operations of your business is still done entirely on paper, the time is long overdue to streamline your processes. Digitizing might seem simple in theory, but it can be quite a conversion process if your business has hundreds of folders jammed into filing cabinets, each one containing dozens of pieces of paper. Nevertheless, doing so is an attainable and worthwhile goal, and moving beyond your dependency on paper will help you immensely.
It’s in situations like this that you need to first ask yourself: what would help me the most? To answer this question, you’ll need to find one or two key areas of focus so that you have some grounded logic for making changes. Maybe you’re looking to improve the efficiency of your operations, or you need a robust way to court new clients or customers and further develop the relationships you already have with your existing base. Having clear goals like those will help you make the best choices about what you invest in and how you implement it.
Although there are a seemingly endless amount of options, some fundamental, overarching categories can still give you clarity about what to pursue. Cloud computing, which truly came to the forefront during the pandemic, is one of the most beneficial tools for the employer due to its providing instant access to every document used by the company, from any location, at any time. If you’re used to being limited by needing to access paper files at the office, you’ll be amazed at the hands-on approach that cloud computing brings. You’ll also have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that there are automatic backups of all your work being kept off-premises, so the risks of losing all the documentation of your business in a fire or theft situation are greatly reduced.
Another significant impact of digitization is in the realm of Customer Relationship Management software (CRM). The goal here is to transform your approach to cultivating and sustaining relationships with those you serve. Salesforce, monday CRM, Zoho, and Pipedrive are just a few of the more common options, and these can enable you to track and develop sales leads to a degree that would be very difficult to attempt in a completely manual capacity. The upfront cost and associated learning curve for a CRM can be high, but the net benefits can completely transform the approach you take when it comes to business development.
One of the greatest challenges you’ll face when you start the digitization journey is getting the buy-in of those on your staff. Especially if someone has worked for the company for years, it can be a tough sell when you try to convince them that completely changing how they do their job is actually a good thing. Most people are naturally resistant to change, so it’s not unheard of to get pushback from even your most loyal employees. The key is to find ways to show your team just how beneficial this new journey will be and what it will bring to the nature of the entire business.
If you’ve had no or very little technology at the core of your operations up until now, it’s unrealistic to expect people to suddenly jump in head-first when you begin to digitize. One of the most effective ways to help people embrace this change is to ensure that training is a central component of everything you do. People who are being confronted with new technology for the first time need to have a solid introduction to not only what it is and what it does but also to the reasoning that prompted you to pursue it. From there, careful attention needs to be paid to providing quality training and reference materials, not just initially but throughout any of the inevitable changes you’ll face as you implement the technology in your processes.
Another attractive byproduct of digitization is that it can really help to foster collaboration. Even if people are initially suspicious of tech, their entire perspective will change once they’re shown how using it can help them to share ideas, work together to solve problems, and tackle new challenges. Once your team accepts this positive benefit, it can begin to flavor the entire culture of the business. People who are reluctant at first to use new tools will later be much more apt to reach for them if it means that doing so will improve the quality of experience they personally have on the job.
Particularly in regard to CRM, your staff will also come to appreciate how much more fluid your customer or client interactions become. Through the use of automated processes and shared databases, the whole task of seeking out and keeping in touch with prospective customers can be dramatically streamlined. This will also help the company to remain much more competitive than it could through ordinary manual processes. Although your team might balk at how long it takes to learn how to use new tech, they’ll eventually become proficient with it through the experience of using it each day, and the savings of employee hours will free them up to pursue other tasks there would’ve never been time for.
Market conditions are unpredictable and ever-changing, and the digitization of your business can be a catalyst for ensuring that you can still have a relevant presence in the market, no matter what. Customers or clients might have the tendency to want to take their business elsewhere if they feel that you’re no longer capable of meeting their needs, so embracing the necessary technology to serve them well and long-term will always be a solid strategy.
Ready to embark on your digital transformation journey? At ValorExcel, we specialize in helping small businesses streamline their processes and enhance their customer relationships through a tailored approach to technology solutions. Don’t let outdated methods hold you back—contact us today to discover how we can support your transition to a more efficient, digital future! #DigitalTransformation #SmallBusinessSuccess #TechSolutions #CloudComputing #BusinessEfficiency
Comments