If the last year has taught us anything, it’s that your business needs to expect the unexpected. In 2020, many of our customers digital transformation roadmap took the same three steps:
- Enable remote working for all staff as soon as possible
- Improve hastily put-together remote working plans
- Implement fully optimised remote working policies and processes (e.g. remote onboarding and offboarding).
This may seem simple on paper but, **70 percent of digital transformations fail.**
With expert advice from the right partner, you can prevent your process from becoming just another statistic.
Here are the main ways your digital transformation can fail and our advice on how to avoid these pitfalls.
1. There’s no plan
We cannot stress this enough – without an effective plan, your digital transformation will fail.
If you don’t outline the scope and manage expectations, no one will know what you are trying to achieve. Without a clear purpose you run the risk of doing potentially expensive busy work that brings no real-world benefit.
A comprehensive plan enables you to get buy-in from your entire business. And if everyone is on the same page, you’re more likely to succeed.
To prevent any scope creep down the line, we also recommend appointing a transformation leader. This is an internal senior champion. They help to keep the project on track but reminding people of what you are trying to achieve and why.
2. Technical solutions overshadow business outcomes
Every activity you carry out should be aligned with overarching business goals. If technical solutions lead your digital transformation, rather than business outcomes, it will not succeed.
After all, digital transformation isn’t something you just ‘do’. You need to know the implications for you business.
For example, although getting 50 new laptops to your teams might be a vital step in your transformation efforts, that’s not the point. What you’re actually doing is enhancing customer and end user experience by using modern technology.
Establish what you want to achieve through digital transformation, then explore technical solutions. After all, technology is a tool, not an end goal.
3. Running before you can walk
We love ambitious businesses. But, it’s important you don’t get ahead of yourself when carrying out any workplace modernisation.
You may have a plan for your digital transformation, you may know what you want to achieve and why. But remember, this is a nuanced process, not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution.
So, before you take any steps in your digital transformation roadmap, you need to look inward.
Carry out a ‘pre-flight’ check on your technology. Check legacy systems, hardware, software and anything that may require attention during your process. See where your current pain points lie when it comes to your business technology. Then, codify these pain points and use them to inform your plan and the goals you want to achieve through your digital transformation.
This guarantees that you will always be addressing real needs in an objective, data-driven way.
Expert transformation requires expert advice
At HTG, we have more than 25 years of experience in planning and implementing effective digital transformations. So, we understand what’s required to achieve a smooth transformation that uses technical solutions to support business outcomes.
We hope that our insights help you in your transformation efforts. Avoid potential pitfalls; speak with our team of experts.
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