When we talk about digitalizing in business so many concepts come to mind; the use of bots, e-commerce, market automation, digital marketing in general all of which are elements of Digitalizing in business. But by definition, digitalization is taking information turning it into a digital form through suitable devices so that it can be stored, processed and transmitted through equipment and networks.
Now that you have an idea of what digitalization is, why should you do it? First because of scale, not only does it give your customers new channels to use such as email, social networks, and websites, it opens your business up to a potential new target audience that can increase your reach. Second, it is customer-centric. Opening up your business to digital channels gives you access to a lot more data giving you insight into the thoughts, wants, and behavior of your customers. When you have good quality data you are able to make better business decisions. Third, it encourages innovation because of all the possibilities that come with new technologies and the opportunity you have to co-create with your customers.
So, now that you know the opportunities made available by digitizing in business, how do you get started? Let me break it down for you;
- Plan
Like all business decisions, first think through it; Don’t just jump into it because your competition is doing it or because someone told you it’s a good idea and you can see all the benefits especially during this time of COVID-19. Think about your business’ strengths and weakness so when you go live with the different channels you choose (based on the research of which channels are most used by your audience) your business’ strengths are amplified and not the weaknesses.
- Get the right partners
Consider working with third-party service providers that can deliver on your business objectives. As the saying goes “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” – Helen Keller. You don’t have to do it alone, look at your business objectives, and what you want to achieve then lookout for the right partners that can help you achieve your objectives and advance your business.
- Train your team
Your company is going through a transition, so it is important to equip the team with the necessary skill set that they need to ensure that your end to end customer experience is made better and not worse. There is nothing more frustrating than dealing with an online customer service rep who has no idea what they are doing, it disrupts the entire experience a potential customer has with your business. I have lost count of how many online businesses that I have whose products I didn’t buy because the sales representative didn’t seem to know what they were doing. Don’t miss out on potential customers, train your team!
- Pilot
Start by putting out your digital solution to a limited audience so that you can get initial feedback and then launch. Keep the customer feedback channels open so whether it is through customer reviews, occasional surveys, and calls on your respective platforms keep the customer feedback coming through. Based on this feedback, you and your team can create an online experience based on what your customers want and not on what you think might be good for them.
Finally, keep in mind that digitizing your business requires an approach inspired by business goals and fueled by an enthusiastic team. Follow some of the steps I have highlighted above and you will successfully take your business digital.
In case you need help with this process, we encourage you to reach out for a 15 min no-obligation consult click here to book an appointment.
