87% of businesses are currently on a necessary journey to digital transformation. Technology has created an environment where constant connectivity, fast access and multi-channel interactions are considered the bare minimum.
Digital tools are changing back-office operations; as non-strategic functions can now be outsourced to the cloud. They’re helping with procurement processes, as businesses can seek out more attractive products and pricing. Most importantly, these digital tools are improving the customer experience and identifying new sources of revenue.
But why is it now crucial that businesses update their processes to meet the change in consumer behaviour?
Increase sales
With 9.6% of sales being purchased digitally so far in 2017, it’s evident that consumers are moving away from traditional buyer journeys to a more convenient approach that gives them 24/7 access.
By providing customers with the opportunity to engage with the organisation digitally, you are enabling them to speed their own buyer’s journey along. They will have the ability to research, contact and compare your products. These components are key when making the purchasing decision.
33% of business leaders say by moving towards more digital approaches, it has delivered tangible benefits to sales and growth.
Accelerate growth
With no software or hardware to restrict businesses from moving forward and growing, they have the ability to expand their workforce accordingly with no restrictions. With traditional IT, if a new member of staff joined the team, the organisation would need to provide them with a full new workstation tailored to their role with the appropriate software and applications installed.
In addition to this, small businesses usually have an IT strategy that meets the requirements of an SME and not one that could support an organisation of 200+ staff. This is why a fully scalable and flexible approach to IT needs to be considered.
Services such as virtualisation and cloud computing are allowing this to happen. With technology now low-cost, on-demand and automated, businesses have the ability to grow, develop and explore further innovation.
Improve customer satisfaction
Any digital transformation project should have the common goal of improving customer needs.
With 80% of customers preferring an email when being introduced to a new product or service, it’s evident that digital channels are becoming the most convenient way to interact with customers. With 71% of IT decision makers say that they are losing the art of speaking on the phone.
It’s now crucial that businesses have the processes in place to monitor their leads journey and where they are making buying decisions. This needs to be monitored with effective tools.
However, a mistake organisations tend to make when undergoing digital transformation is the neglect of traditional methods. Instead of focusing solely on investing new, shiny technology, businesses must consider how enhancing their business communications infrastructure might drive customer-facing and internal business benefits instead.
By looking at how core business networks can be made compatible with a cloud-first future, organisations are able to provide a seamless customer experience. This includes providing a robust communication network. And crucially, it means that IT leaders shouldn’t forget to focus on the systems and infrastructure that meet the needs of the customers.
Organisations need to take control of their IT in order to keep up with the changing demands of customers. For more help on how to adopt the right technology to transform your organisation, contact us today.
