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.

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."

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#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.

Pieter: "You will never hear me say that it is important for every organization to be at the forefront. Not every organization has to be technically progressive. You can also just go with the crowd and make safe choices, for example, because you excel in other areas. But if you want to achieve something in general, to be future-proof, you can't afford to be overtaken continually. And you need a plan to at least not fall too far behind. You can also make very safe choices in transformation. That's why you develop a digital transformation strategy before you really need it, and before you're forced to make quick moves."

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#2: Successful digital transformation keeps you in control.

Are you forced into action by the market? Then presumably you are insufficiently prepared. Without a digital transformation strategy, you will not yet have the right in-house capabilities, and lack knowledge and experience. That means you are at the mercy of external parties, with a high price tag to match, which is a shame, because Grexx can certainly help you can avoid that situation.

Pieter: "I am a great advocate of self-directed execution. As far as I am concerned, you want to have all the necessary knowledge in-house and not be dependent on other parties to gain momentum. That is why I think low-code is such a strong choice for digital transformation. That may sound like preaching to your own parish, I realize, but it’s actually the other way around. Keeping the control is exactly the reason why we made the existing Grexx Platform into a low-code platform. We teach people to build themselves. So that they always have access to the disciplines in which they want to accelerate. And so that they can accelerate at any time. Because they can, or because they must.

If you start on time with a good strategy, you can gain experience and learn to recognize where opportunities lie. At least in a management role, but preferably also executive. I am sure that almost every department or business unit has ten, twenty, thirty different projects. Large and small processes or activities that you can digitalize or automate. Just start there, so you can master the skill of change. Try some, make mistakes, learn how it works. You can train your business-oriented people to start working on digitalization themselves. Taking some small steps each time helps you so much already in preparation for the really big steps when they are needed."

All beginnings are difficult. But let's face it, the head-in-the-sand method won't get you anywhere. Delving into the possibilities is a good first step. At Grexx we like to come up with solutions with you, together. If you would like a non-committal conversation, feel free to schedule a discovery call with one of our colleagues - they give honest advice on digital transformation for your organization, how to approach it and whether our low code platform offers what you are looking for.

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