It’s long been the case that nimble businesses are the ones that come out ahead. And with the power of digital technologies and the modern age, this has never been more true. Indeed, just about any business today can benefit from digital solutions that can revolutionize how they do business.
After all, if the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that the businesses that leaned more on technology were able to absorb the quick changes that disrupted most businesses and if you look at the winners and losers in the time since, it’s easy to see how digital solutions and the adoption of technology can help you do more even if the world of work is coming to a standstill.
But digital solutions aren’t just about dealing with change. They can help your business do more while spending less in time and resources, thereby helping to make your business more efficient. Through modernizing your systems and increasing your capabilities, digital solutions can be a driving force behind your next great quarter or year.
Transform or Get Left Behind
For those that think you’ll have plenty of time to work out those kinks and inefficiencies, COVID-19 was a quick lesson in how things can be upended at any point. Those that had the capabilities to nimbly shift were some of the biggest winners of 2020, and digital solutions for your business can ensure that you’ll be able to meet the day’s demand, no matter what it happens to be.
But digital transformation isn’t a one-time event of minimal effort. You’ll need buy-in across departments and your organization to really effect the change and realize the benefits that can be had from digital solutions and services. In that sense, the meaning of digital solutions isn’t to check a box — it’s a holistic effort that can revolutionize how you get work done.
Let’s take a look at five digital solutions that your company can take on today that will help you get a handle on your processes and efficiencies.
1. Cloud Storage
The first place that most businesses will start when it comes to digital solutions is to leverage cloud storage solutions to help get all those documents and assets into a central location where they can be more easily accessed and used. Not only do digital solutions make it easy to collaborate in real time even if you have workers in different cities, time zones or even halfway around the world, but they can also help you better secure your important documents with permission-based systems that keep your documents from falling into the hands of those that don’t need to see them.
Most companies may start with a simple solution such as Google Drive, OneDrive or Box, though if you have more intricate needs you may need to graduate up to a more comprehensive solution that can be customized to your precise needs.
2. Communication and Collaboration
No digital solutions transformation would be complete without tools to help facilitate communication and collaboration. When you have workers on site, at home or checking in from anywhere in the world, you need a system that helps everyone communicate. Sure, there’s email, but there’s a lot that happens below the surface that may not be documented. With collaborative suites and powerful communication tools at your disposal, your workforce will be able to get work done while everything remains transparent and above-board.
Suites such as Google Workspace or Microsoft Teams can provide a useful toolset, allowing everyone to edit, manage and share documents with relevant stakeholders and resources. Slack and other messaging platforms can also help facilitate better communication among your workers, helping to streamline processes and get the most out of your resources.
3. Remote Project Management
While it’s certainly the case that no project will get done without adequate project management, things are even harder when you have remote workers or people checking in at different times of day. Digital solutions make short work of the confusion by mandating that projects must go through certain processes before the day is done. Not only does that give more insight into the workday from a management perspective, but it helps keep workers on track regardless of where they are and what they happen to be working on.
Basecamp, Slack, Jira, Trello, Atlassian and others all offer comprehensive project management suites to help you hit the ground running with powerful workflows and easy task management — and all the monitoring to match.
4. Cybersecurity
Many organizations may only worry about some sort of leak or breach if it happens. But if you’re trying to harden your organization’s assets against the multitude of cybersecurity threats without actively working on it, it’s not a matter of if, but when. Cybersecurity solutions run the gamut from simple access authentication to comprehensive VPN solutions and other network protections that ensure only the audience that you define can see your important assets and intellectual property.
Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all cybersecurity solution, and you’ll likely need to balance the demands of your workforce with the security you need to prevent unauthorized access. Multi-factor authentication and secure networks are a start, and the good news is that most digital solutions already take cybersecurity threats seriously and leverage powerful encryption for all communication and interaction.
5. Customer Relationship Management
The linchpin of just about any digital solutions transformation is comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM). Rather than a loose collection of paperwork or a couple of employees that have it all locked away in their heads, a powerful CRM can really supercharge your sales automation and streamline your sales cycles. On the analysis side, you’ll be able to see exactly what’s making you money, as well as what’s squandering your resources — all so that you can make the important decisions that have a net positive on your business.
Solutions such as Salesforce, Hubspot, Zoho and other CRMs can help you get control of and understand more about your pipeline and clients than ever before. They’re also great at helping to manage salespeople and workers that may not always be in the office, allowing you to focus more on the bigger picture.
Help Your Business With Digital Solutions
If you’re ready to transform your business with digital solutions, iTransform can help design a custom digital business solution just for you. Start your digital transformation today!