Don't get left behind: 2 reasons why you absolutely need a digital transformation strategy.
Perhaps digital transformation in your organization has not yet received the attention it deserves.
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Perhaps digital transformation in your organization has not yet received the attention it deserves. Because the focus is elsewhere, because you don't have the right people for it, or because it's just feels too overwhelming or complicated. And these are all valid reasons, until, of course, at some point you're so far behind that there's no way of avoiding change. Fortunately, you don't have to transform from 0 to 60 kilometers per hour in five seconds flat. You can take some first steps strategically and at your own pace.
Okay, firstly, that band-aid needs to come off. The reality is that the rate at which technology is evolving is a lot faster than the rate at which your organization can adapt. So, you're falling further and further behind. Ouch... But the good news is so are your competitors. And with a good digital transformation strategy, you make sure that - at least relative to your competitors - you're making the right choices.
Grexx CEO Pieter Hufen: "Digital transformation is complicated for many organizations, especially if IT is not your core business. First, you must see the opportunities, which is sometimes an art in itself. If you see opportunities, then you must be able to manage the change, assess what the risks are and whether it is worth it. Because it seems difficult, a lot of good opportunities remain. What I see very clearly in the surrounding organizations: perhaps twenty to thirty percent of all the opportunities that are available are utilized if you are serious about digitalization.
People choose the opportunities that are most obvious, but if you think things through, much more is possible. You can do a lot more, without going 'digitalizing to digitalizing'. There is still a lot of low and slightly higher hanging fruit to be found. Most companies are nowhere near halfway down that fruit tree, to continue to use that analogy. And that's just a shame, all those opportunities where nothing gets done."
#1: Successful digital transformation requires time and experience.
Pieter: "It almost always succeeds in identifying piles of opportunities for each organization where one could achieve great results with digitalization. But it depends on the context whether people are waiting for that. Is the margin good, and the market is growing? Then companies like to pick their own pace. Is competition cutthroat and you're being pushed out of the market? Then you have no choice, then you have to."
Are you not making a digital transformation until your competitor does? Then the question is whether you will be ready when the time comes. Or will you still need startup time by then? Successful digital transformation is a muscle you must train. You must learn how to drive change, how to identify opportunities, how to build proficiency. You start by experimenting, practicing, making mistakes. And that takes time. Do you see a competitor pull up at a furious pace, or even pass you by? Then you suddenly find yourself in a different situation: now you must do something. And that is a lot more complex if you must start from scratch.