The importance of digital transformation shouldn’t be underestimated in today’s business world. Recent years have seen digital transformation transition rapidly from the latest buzzword to a business necessity with artificial Intelligence (AI) in particular presented as a pivotal element in shaping the modern business landscape. Businesses are increasingly looking to leverage AI to optimise their operations, derive meaningful insights from data, and offer unparalleled services.
The modern technological era has ushered in a range of innovations, among which AI and digital transformation stand out as the front runners of change. In fact, for 74% of organisations digitalisation is now a top priority in 2024, while 79% of businesses say they will be at a competitive disadvantage within three years without it. In fact, with UK companies currently facing the second-highest level of financial distress in Europe, the pressure to build efficiency through technology and achieve more with less has never been more critical.
However, while many businesses looking to digitise services, many are still facing barriers to successful transformation. Across many industries, teams are already stretched to breaking point so creating automated workflows, optimised processes and seamless experiences for employees and customers can often feel out of reach. Meanwhile, legacy IT systems are often complex and costly to replace. This makes the idea of orchestrating large-scale change can be intimidating and overwhelming – especially if you’re already frantically busy with day-to-day demands where time is a luxury.
Organisations can also be put off implementing digitisation efforts due to previous experiences with success. According to research, only 1 in 3 digital transformation projects are successful and this is often because of a failure to align the new tech with the strategic goals of the business. Investment in these projects can be costly for businesses, so ensuring a strong ROI is a key factor for consideration. Especially considering expectations that the price of wastage through digital transformation projects could reach $2 trillion by 2026.
Based on these factors, full-scale digital transformation can seem like an impossible dream for business leaders, with the efforts involved coming with their own set of drama and complexities. However, by working more effectively and profitably, businesses can embrace digital transformation to stay relevant and competitive.
But where do you begin? How do you create a digital transformation strategy that works?
Easy wins through utilising RPA
The digitisation journey can begin with small yet impactful steps and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) emerges as a beacon of hope in this scenario.
Software ‘robots’ can execute tasks in the user interface (or front-end) of applications in the same way as a human user – faster, at any time of day or night, and without error. The robots are ‘trained’ in an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that’s fast and simple to use. As you use them to automate manual and repetitive rule-based tasks, you free up your people for more rewarding and productive activities.
Simple real-life examples of how this can work include:
- Reconciling payment and invoice processing between ERP and finance systems
- Carrying out repetitive account update tasks for a call center advisor during a call – allowing the advisor to focus on the relationship
- Automating key admin steps around handling refunds for customers
RPA can also serve as a pathfinder. It shines a light on other key areas where workflow automation and optimisation can bring immediate relief. As each new robot gets to work, you advance your digital transformation, step by step.
Pressure begins to ease on your teams. And there’s more good news ahead…
Making use of low-code to capture opportunities
RPA is also a great entry point for low-code application development. Low-code platforms let you create apps quickly without huge expense and technical expertise. Especially as these tools are ideal for broader process optimisation and automation — that can’t be fully resolved by RPA alone.
Suddenly, business teams, customer-facing colleagues and IT can create custom apps that meet specific needs – without the cost and delays of using developers or waiting on IT vendor roadmaps. Everyone can use low-code to create apps that meet their needs.
Teams are empowered to bridge the chasm between legacy systems and the demands of modern business. Their apps can align unique workflows, enhance accuracy, build efficiency, and create greater satisfaction among employees and customers – while simultaneously providing a great opportunity to learn modern iterative and incremental business development processes.
Transformation without the stress
In the realm of complex digital transformation, it’s crucial to dispel the notion that large-scale change must happen all at once. It is far better to think of a digital transformation as an ongoing commitment than a huge standalone project. Think about the long-term plan rather than the short-term gain. By making refinements in manageable steps, businesses will start to derive value. As they do, they become more digitally enabled, thereby providing a more favorable launchpad for transformation projects to come.
Quick wins using RPA deliver immediate benefits. Leveraging RPA as a pathfinder and integrating low-code development as an enabler of larger opportunities will simplify the journey. Employees then become comfortable with automation – and the momentum behind transformation builds naturally. Low-code shifts everything up a gear and you begin to see a seamless, user-friendly digital ecosystem take shape. Businesses must continue to re-engineer their processes as technologies evolve, and enable new ways to interact with customers, employees, and business partners.
As industry and business evolve, digital transformation – converging the physical and the digital – will continue to be a critical part of business strategy to remain competitive, differentiate products and services, and drive efficiency. Now, the seemingly impossible dream of large-scale transformation becomes an achievable reality through strategic deployment, gradual refinement, and a commitment to innovation.
