Digital transformation is not a buzzword or a fad. It is a strategic imperative for any organization that wants to survive and thrive in the digital age. 

Digital transformation integrates digital technologies, talent, and techniques to create new or improve existing business operations, culture, and customer experiences to satisfy changing business and market requirements.

According to a report by IDC, the digital transformation market will reach $6.8 trillion by 2023, and 75% of organizations will have comprehensive digital transformation implementation roadmaps in place, up from 27% today. 

However, not all digital transformations are successful. A Wipro Digital survey found that over one-third of executives cite the lack of a clear transformation strategy as a critical barrier to achieving the business’ full digital potential.

So, how can organizations drive growth through enterprise digital transformation? What are the best practices and insights to follow? In this blog post, we will explore some key aspects of a successful digital transformation strategy and share some examples of how leading companies are rewiring for digital and AI.

1. Align on the Why of Digital Transformation

The first and most crucial step of any digital transformation is to define the business goals and value proposition. 

• Why do you need to transform? 
• What are the specific pain points or opportunities that you want to address? 
• How will digital transformation help you achieve your strategic objectives and create a competitive advantage?

A clear and compelling vision for digital transformation will help you align your stakeholders, prioritize your initiatives, and measure your progress. It will also help you communicate the benefits and value of digital transformation to your customers, employees, and partners.

Example

One example of a company that aligned on the why of digital transformation is Netflix. The streaming giant started as a DVD rental service but realized that the future of entertainment was online. Netflix decided to transform its business model and invest in digital technologies, such as cloud computing, big data, and AI, to deliver personalized and on-demand content to millions of subscribers around the world. 

Netflix’s vision for digital transformation was to become the world’s leading internet entertainment service, and it has achieved that goal by constantly innovating and adapting to changing customer preferences and market dynamics.

2. Prepare for Culture Change

Digital transformation is not only about technology. It is also about people and culture. Digital transformation requires a fundamental shift in mindset, behavior, and skills across the organization. It requires a culture that embraces change, innovation, collaboration, and customer-centricity.

Organizations need to foster a digital mindset among their leaders and employees to prepare for culture change. This means developing a growth mindset, a learning mindset, and an agile mindset. A growth mindset is the belief that one can improve and grow through effort and feedback. A learning mindset is the willingness to acquire new knowledge and skills and apply them to new situations. An agile mindset is adapting and responding quickly and effectively to changing customer needs and market conditions.

To foster a digital mindset, organizations must provide the right incentives, training, and tools for their people. They need to reward experimentation, learning, and risk-taking. They must offer continuous learning opportunities and platforms for employees to develop and update their digital skills. They must also equip their people with the right digital tools and platforms to enable collaboration, communication, and innovation.

Example

One example of a company that prepared for culture change is Microsoft. The tech giant underwent a massive digital transformation under the leadership of CEO Satya Nadella, who instilled a new culture of growth mindset, customer obsession, and empowerment. Microsoft invested in reskilling its workforce, creating a learning culture, and fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. 

Microsoft also embraced cloud computing, AI, and open-source technologies. It transformed its core products and services, such as Windows, Office, and Azure, to meet the evolving needs of its customers and partners.

3. Start Small But Strategic

Digital transformation is a complex and long-term journey. It cannot be done overnight or in one big bang. It requires a strategic and iterative approach, where organizations start small but think big.

Starting small means identifying and focusing on the most critical and valuable domains or areas of the business that can benefit from digital transformation. These could be customer journeys, business processes, or functions that greatly impact customer satisfaction, revenue growth, or cost reduction. Starting small also means breaking down the transformation into manageable and measurable steps or sprints and delivering quick wins and value.

Thinking big means having a clear and ambitious vision for the end state of the transformation and aligning the small steps with the big picture. Thinking big also means scaling up successful initiatives and solutions across the organization, and leveraging the synergies and network effects of digital technologies.

Example

One example of a company that started small but strategic is Starbucks. The coffee chain embarked on a digital transformation to enhance its customer experience and loyalty. Starbucks began by launching a mobile app enabling customers to order, pay, and collect smartphone rewards. 

The app was a huge success, driving customer engagement, loyalty, and sales. Starbucks then expanded its digital capabilities to include personalization, gamification, social media, and AI, creating a seamless and integrated digital ecosystem for its customers and partners.

4. Map Out Technology Implementation

Digital transformation is enabled and powered by technology. Technology is the key enabler and driver of innovation, efficiency, and differentiation. However, technology constantly evolves and changes, creating new opportunities and challenges for organizations.

To map out technology implementation, organizations need to clearly understand the current and future state of their technology landscape and the existing gaps and opportunities. They need to assess their existing technology capabilities and infrastructure and identify the areas that need improvement or replacement. They must also scan the external technology environment and trends and evaluate the potential and feasibility of adopting new and emerging technologies, such as AI, cloud, IoT, blockchain, and quantum computing.

Based on the assessment and evaluation, organizations must design and implement a technology roadmap outlining the solutions and resources required to deliver the digital transformation. The technology roadmap should be aligned with the business goals and value proposition and prioritized based on the impact and urgency of the solutions. The technology roadmap should also be flexible and adaptive, allowing experimentation, iteration, and optimization.

Example

One example of a company that mapped out technology implementation is Walmart—the retail giant leveraged technology to transform its operations and customer experience. Walmart invested in modernizing its technology infrastructure, such as migrating to the cloud, upgrading its network, and deploying edge computing. 

Walmart also adopted new and advanced technologies, such as AI, robotics, computer vision, and blockchain, to improve its supply chain, inventory management, store operations, and e-commerce. Walmart’s technology implementation enabled it to increase its efficiency, agility, and innovation and compete with online rivals like Amazon.

5. Seek Out Partners and Expertise

Digital transformation is not a solo endeavor. It is a collaborative and networked effort involving multiple internal and external stakeholders. No organization can achieve digital transformation on its own. It needs to seek partners and expertise to complement and enhance its capabilities and resources.

Seeking out partners and expertise means building and nurturing a digital ecosystem comprising various entities, such as customers, suppliers, distributors, competitors, regulators, academia, startups, and industry associations. These entities can provide valuable inputs, feedback, insights, and solutions to help the organization achieve its digital transformation goals. 

Seeking out partners and expertise also means tapping into external sources of talent, knowledge, and innovation, such as consultants, freelancers, crowdsourcing platforms, and innovation hubs. These sources can offer specialized skills, experience, and perspectives to augment the organization’s internal talent and capabilities.

Example

One example of a company that sought out partners and expertise is BMW. The automaker partnered with various entities to accelerate its digital transformation and innovation. BMW collaborated with tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and IBM to leverage their cloud, AI, and IoT solutions. BMW partnered with startups like ChargePoint, Moovit, and Parkmobile to offer new mobility services and solutions. 

BMW also engaged with customers, employees, and researchers to co-create and co-innovate new products and features, such as the BMW iDrive system, the BMW Connected app, and the BMW i Vision Dynamics concept car.

6. Gather Feedback and Refine as Needed

Digital transformation is not a one-time project. It is a continuous and dynamic process that requires constant monitoring, evaluation, and improvement. Digital transformation is not a destination but a journey.

To gather feedback and refine as needed, organizations need to establish and track relevant and meaningful metrics and indicators that measure the performance and impact of their digital transformation initiatives. These metrics and hands should be aligned with the business goals and value proposition and reflect the outcomes and benefits of digital transformation, such as customer satisfaction, revenue growth, cost reduction, and competitive advantage. 

Organizations also need to collect and analyze data and feedback from various sources, such as customers, employees, partners, and competitors, to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their digital transformation efforts and identify the areas that need improvement or adjustment.

Based on the data and feedback, organizations must refine and optimize their digital transformation strategy and execution by making necessary changes, enhancements, or corrections. Organizations must also be open and responsive to new opportunities and challenges arising from the changing customer needs and market conditions and adapt and innovate accordingly.

Example

One example of a company that gathered feedback and refined it as needed is Spotify. The music streaming service used data and feedback to improve its digital transformation and customer experience continuously. Spotify collected and analyzed user data, such as their listening habits, preferences, and behaviors, to personalize and optimize its content and recommendations. 

Spotify also solicited and acted on user feedback, such as ratings, reviews, and suggestions, to enhance and update its features and services. Spotify also monitored and responded to market trends and developments, such as the rise of podcasts, video streaming, and social media, and diversified and expanded its offerings and partnerships accordingly.

Don’t Let This Opportunity Pass Your Organization By

Digital transformation is not a choice but a necessity for any organization that wants to grow and succeed in the digital era. Digital transformation is a complex and challenging process that requires a clear vision, a strong culture, a strategic approach, a robust technology, a collaborative ecosystem, and a continuous improvement mindset. 

By following the best practices and insights in this blog post, organizations can drive growth through enterprise digital transformation and create value for their customers, employees, and stakeholders.

If you want to learn more about how to drive growth through enterprise digital transformation, or if you need help with your digital transformation journey, get in touch for a consultation.