When it comes to growing a business, innovation is the key. This means keeping up with modernization and utilizing the latest technologies. These actions are imperative for your business to adapt to the changing business landscape, meet consumer needs, and ensure your overall business success.
Digital transformation is one key aspect your business must prioritize. It is all the more necessary during this COVID-19 pandemic. As both businesses and consumers have gone digital, implement digitalization in your business processes and applications.
For your business growth and innovation, here are digital solutions to incorporate:
Communication and Collaboration
Communication is always the key to success for any business. You must maintain consistent and effective communication, whether internally or externally. Along with this is ensuring constant and dynamic collaboration. Communication and collaboration are all the more necessary during the pandemic, as your workforce and consumers do business online in a remote location.
Thanks to digital tools and technologies, apps and software allow your employees to interact with their colleagues and other vendors. At the same time, they enable your employees to connect with the customers. A perfect example is the use of the Slack app for communication among employees working in remote locations. Even social media apps like Messenger and WhatsApp can make a world of difference in customer engagement.
Cloud-computing Storage and Access
There’s no denying how businesses deal with a massive amount of data and information. However, these data and information must be secured and protected at all times. At the same time, they must be accessed for continued business operations. That is where cloud computing comes into the picture.
Cloud computing enables the delivery of various types of services via the internet. It’s good that you can use digital tools and applications for data storage and easy access. No matter where your employees are in the world, they can perform their tasks and assist customers. As long as they have a personal device and access to the web, they are good.
Customer Relationship Management
Customer relationship management (CRM) is paramount for every business. It’s good to have a robust, unified platform that will allow your employees to manage customers’ data and process their requests. At the same time, this must enable them to record, track, and report task completion or successful sales.
There are CRM apps and software readily available in the market. Some of the popular CRM solutions are Salesforce, Zoho, and Hubspot. With one of these in place, you can expect improved accuracy, efficiency, and productivity in your business processes. Ultimately, your customers will end up fully satisfied, which will lead to customer retention and loyalty.
Network and Interconnectivity
The advent of modernization and advancement in technology have led the Internet of Things (IoT) in business. It appears that almost every physical device is interconnected via the web. As such, your business must harness the power of IoT in your industry, whether in retail, finance, education, or healthcare.
With that in mind, be sure to work with a highly reliable managed service provider for continuous business operation amid the pandemic. The same is true for hiring a chief marketing officer (CMO) and getting outsourced CMO services. Make sure they have a stable and robust network and interconnectivity for your sales and marketing.
Cybersecurity
Did you know that cybersecurity has become a growing concern during this pandemic? As businesses and consumers have gone digital, online crooks have become on the loose as well. These scammers and hackers are looking to steal data and information and commit fraudulent activities.
For this reason, you must set robust cybersecurity measures in place for your business. These include using digital tools like email security and encrypted Virtual Private Network (VPN) and practical solutions such as robust password creation, multi-factor authentication, and email security. All these will help protect your business from cyberattacks.
Digital Tools and Technologies to Utilize
If you’re looking to use digital tools and technologies for your digital transformation, here are some of these:
- Automation: Instead of letting your workforce perform manual work, use automation tools. In bookkeeping and accounting, for instance, invest in software for easy recording, instant computation, and fast reporting.
- AI: Take advantage of artificial intelligence (AI) in some of your business processes and applications. For example, install Chatbots on your website. They can assist your customers and answer their frequently asked questions (FAQs).
- ER: It’s about time to utilize extended realities such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in your business. In the e-commerce industry, you can tap ER to enhance your consumers’ online shopping experience.
Digital transformation has indeed spiked among businesses during the pandemic. As such, employ digital solutions for your communication and collaboration, cloud-computing storage and access, customer relationship management, network and interconnectivity, and cybersecurity. Plus, take advantage of the latest digital tools and technologies discussed above. With all these in place, you’ll grow your business amid the pandemic—and thereafter.