Enterprise digital transformation: from legacy systems to innovation

In today's business world, executives are facing many challenges. They must keep up with changing customer expectations, streamline operations, and stay competitive. Digital transformation can help businesses address these challenges and achieve their goals. Through digital transformation, businesses can improve customer experience, modernize existing legacy applications, and efficiency and develop new products. Consequently, 80% of CEOs are investing more in digital technology, according to Gartner 2023 research.

Let's look closer at the challenges solved by digital transformation, the types of organizations that need to be digitally transformed, digital transformation tools, and the value digital transformation brings to businesses. 

What challenges does digital transformation solve?

Digital transformation helps organizations overcome challenges related to outdated technology, suboptimal customer experiences, underutilized data, competition, inefficiency, compliance, and security. It empowers businesses to thrive in a digital-first environment by embracing innovation, agility, and data-driven decision-making. Let's explore how enterprise digital transformation addresses these challenges:

• Legacy systems and technical debt: Enterprises still reliant on outdated systems and manual processes struggle with inefficiency, errors, and high operational costs. Digital transformation helps modernize these systems and processes, improving productivity and enabling cost savings.  
• Customer experience enhancement: Customers expect seamless, personalized experiences across various touchpoints. Digital transformation enables businesses to enhance customer engagement through tailored services, user-friendly interfaces, and real-time interactions. 
• Data-driven decision-making: Many organizations need help to harness the full potential of data. Digital transformation integrates data analytics tools and technologies, enabling informed decision-making based on actionable insights. It is possible to utilize the full spectrum of data through data analytics services, from Data Science to Big Data to Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.
• Market competition: Digital transformation allows companies to innovate, create new business models, and respond quickly to market trends by leveraging technology. For instance, Mendix and Pega low-code solutions can help accelerate development up to 10 times the traditional methods, according to Forrester.
• Operational efficiency: Enterprise digital transformation streamlines workflows, automates repetitive tasks, and reduces manual intervention, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing errors. Using RPA can reduce manual processes, Excel files, and notifications.
• Scalability and flexibility: Traditional systems may find it difficult to accommodate growth and changing demands. Digital transformation provides scalable cloud solutions that can adapt to business needs. 
• Regulatory compliance: Organizations need to adhere to ever-evolving regulatory requirements. Digital transformation can help ensure compliance through automated processes and secure data management. For instance, an RPA-streamlined KYC process can optimize business performance.
• Innovation and product development: Digital transformation fosters a culture of innovation by providing tools and platforms for experimentation, prototyping, and rapid product discovery and development. 
• Security concerns: Businesses face various risks, including cybersecurity threats and supply chain disruptions. A Gartner report predicts that 45% of organizations worldwide will have experienced digital supply chain attacks by 2025, a threefold increase over 2021. Enterprise digital transformation can enhance risk assessment and mitigation strategies.  Utilizing the latest technologies, organizations can better understand their operations and automate the process of risk assessment.  

Which enterprises need digital transformation? 

Digital transformation is becoming crucial for organizations across various industries and sectors. Any organization that wants to stay competitive, enhance efficiency, improve customer experiences, and adapt to the rapidly changing technological landscape can benefit from digital transformation. Below are some examples of organizations that will significantly benefit from digital transformation:

• Large corporations: Established businesses, especially those operating traditionally for a long time, often need enterprise digital transformation to compete and keep up.
• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can leverage digital transformation to streamline operations, reach a wider audience, and compete with larger players. Adopting digital tools like marketing automation or web analytics can help them operate more efficiently and provide better customer experiences.
• Retail and e-commerce companies: The retail industry is rapidly shifting towards online platforms and personalized experiences. Retailers must adopt digital technologies to create seamless online shopping experiences, manage inventory, and analyze customer data for better decision-making.
• Healthcare enterprises: Digital transformation in healthcare can improve patient care, electronic health records management, telemedicine services, and medical data analysis. Data Analytics and AI can also enhance the accuracy and speed of diagnoses and treatments.
• Financial services firms: Banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions undergo digital transformation to provide online banking services, mobile payment options, and secure digital transactions. Automation and AI-powered tools can also improve fraud detection and risk management.
• Manufacturing companies: The manufacturing sector can benefit from smart factories, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and Data Analytics to improve supply chain management, production processes, and quality control.
• Educational organizations: Due to digital transformation, educational institutions can offer online learning platforms, virtual classrooms, and interactive educational resources. In the context of distance education and e-learning, this is especially relevant.
• Hospitality and travel businesses: The travel and hospitality industry uses digital transformation to personalize customer experiences, manage bookings, and streamline hotel operations.
• Energy and utilities companies: Enterprise digital transformation can improve the efficiency of energy distribution, monitor infrastructure health, and optimize resource utilization in the energy and utilities sector.
• Transportation and logistics firms: The transportation and logistics industry can benefit from digital transformation using GPS tracking, route optimization, and real-time delivery monitoring.
• Media and entertainment enterprises: AI, ML, VR, and AR are revolutionizing content creation, distribution, and consumption in the media and entertainment industry.

Any organization that wants to remain competitive, deliver better customer experiences, and make data-driven decisions should consider embarking on a digital transformation journey. It's about adapting to the evolving digital landscape and harnessing technology to drive growth and innovation.

A comprehensive toolkit for enterprise digital transformation: tools and solutions for every stage

Developing effective transformation solutions requires diverse expertise and capabilities. Hence, finding a transformation partner who can generate a unified (integrated with the existing systems and processes of the business) solution through a technology-enabled and service-based (from consulting to support) approach is crucial. The tech partner you choose should have proficiency in the following disciplines and technologies:

• Software engineering: involves developing customized software solutions to address specific business needs. Software engineering is crucial in building and implementing new digital applications, systems, and platforms that enhance business processes and customer experiences during digital transformation.
• Quality assurance (QA) and software testing are essential to ensure the reliability and functionality of digital solutions. This process involves rigorous testing of software applications, identifying bugs, and ensuring that the software performs as intended before deployment.
• Experience and product design focus on creating user-centric and intuitive interfaces for digital products. This includes designing user journeys, user interfaces (UI), and user experiences (UX) that enhance customer satisfaction and engagement.
• Cloud transformation and advisory involves migrating on-premises systems and applications to cloud-based platforms. This shift offers scalability, flexibility, and cost savings. Meanwhile, advisory services guide enterprises in choosing the right cloud solutions and strategies for their digital transformation journey.
• Data and analytics are at the core of digital transformation. Enterprises can leverage data to gain insights into customer behavior, market trends, and operational efficiency. Advanced analytics tools help in making data-driven decisions for business growth.
• Machine Learning, AI & Data Science bring automation and intelligence to processes. In addition to predictive analytics, these technologies can be used to customize customer experiences, automate repetitive tasks, and optimize operations.
• Embedded software and the Internet of Things (IoT) enable the connection and control of physical devices over the Internet. This is valuable for industries like manufacturing and healthcare, where IoT devices can collect real-time data and optimize processes.
• Intelligent platforms provide pre-built solutions for specific business needs. These platforms often incorporate AI, data analytics, and automation to streamline processes, such as customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP).
• RPA (Robotic Process Automation) uses software robots to automate rule-based tasks and processes. RPA increases efficiency by reducing manual work, minimizing errors, and improving process speed.
• Low code/no code platforms allow rapid application development with minimal coding skills. These platforms enable business users to create digital applications and workflows, accelerating development.
• R&D (Research and Development) is crucial for innovation during digital transformation. Enterprises invest in R&D to explore new technologies, identify emerging trends, and develop unique solutions that give them a competitive edge.

These disciplines and technologies can be used in an enterprise's digital transformation strategy to enhance efficiency, enhance customer experience, and create innovative solutions for business problems. Choosing the right mix of tools is essential based on the organization's goals, industry, and existing technological landscape. In a survey conducted by the Cloud Industry Forum, 47% of enterprises plan to improve their business agility using digital transformation tools, 34% want to improve their organization’s ability to innovate, and 25% hope to empower their employees.

Value derived by enterprises from digital transformation 

In the long run, businesses that can effectively integrate new technologies while keeping the best traditions of the "old business view" will win. For instance, McKinsey reports that in the banking industry, digital leaders grew digital sales from 40% to 70%, while digital underperformers grew from 8% to 17% over five years. Consequently, digital leaders' average annual total shareholder return was 8.1% compared with 4.9% for underperformers. How does digital transformation help create this value? An enterprise's digital transformation has several impacts:

Keeping up with changing customer demands

As digital technology has evolved, customer expectations have changed. Customers now expect multichannel experiences. CRM software enables businesses to track customer interactions and preferences across channels. This information can then be used to personalize marketing messages and offers and to provide customers with the support they need. Using big data analytics to identify customers likely to churn can improve customer retention.

Increased efficiency

Through digital transformation, businesses can automate processes, reduce errors, and improve productivity. For example, cloud-based solutions provide employees with access to data and better collaboration tools wherever they are. Choosing cloud storage in a particular region can reduce latency times if you own an e-commerce store with a large client base.

Competitive advantage

Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Big Data, and the Internet of Things can help enterprises gain insights into customer behavior, optimize operations, and improve decision-making.  For example, a business can identify trends and patterns by using data analytics to improve pricing, marketing, and product development. 

Reduction of costs

Using robotic process automation and business process management software, enterprises can save costs by reducing manual labor, streamlining processes, and increasing productivity. Adopting cloud storage can reduce physical storage requirements and reduce hardware costs.

Better security

Through digital transformation, businesses can adopt advanced security measures such as multifactor authentication, encryption, and network segmentation, helping them improve their security standing. By doing so, businesses can protect their data from potential cyberattacks and minimize the risk of data breaches.

Improved agility

Enterprises can be more agile and adaptable with digital technology, allowing them to respond more quickly to market conditions and customer demands. Their ability to adapt quickly can give them an edge over slower-moving companies. Cloud computing, big data analytics, AI,

RPA, and IoT can help businesses become more agile by enabling them to scale their operations quickly and easily, make better decisions, automate tasks, and collect and share data.

Keep reading: Digital transformation: Top case studies

Wrap-up

Navigating the ever-changing landscape of customer expectations, optimizing operational efficiency, and maintaining a competitive edge requires more than conventional approaches. This is where digital transformation steps in as a game-changer. By embracing this holistic shift, businesses can elevate customer experiences, streamline operations, and foster innovation. It's not just about adapting but seizing opportunities and charting a path toward sustained success in the digital age.

References:

1. CIO Role in Digital Transformation | Gartner Insights
2. 47+ Key Digital Transformation Statistics (2023) | Exploding Topics
3. Digital Transformation Market Size & Revenue Forecast, Global Trends, Growth Opportunities | Markets and Markets
4. Rewired for value: Digital and AI transformations that work | McKinsey Digital
5. Cloud: Driving Business Transformation | Cloud UK, White Paper Twenty
6. Gartner Identifies Top Security and Risk Management Trends for 2022
7. Competing in 2020 | HBR