If you’ve ever longed for things like just-in-time inventory or on-site pickup for your Florida business, it’s likely that you’re not the only one in your organization who feels this way. Perhaps you want to do away with landlines and instead use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones that can automate responses to most customer queries. Or maybe you’re tired of popping a blood vessel every time a staff member can’t get work done because their machine broke down and their files are locked.
You know that there’s already technology that would solve these problems for you, but somehow, your business is stuck in a rut. You need a digital transformation strategy, but you know that people have gotten comfortable with how things are, and that they’re likely to be resistant to change.
Here are tips on how you can implement positive and incremental technological change in your organization.
Get the C-suite behind your digital transformation strategy
There will be other managers and stakeholders like you who are tech-savvy and are problem-solvers but, unfortunately, don’t initiate change because they lack the authority to affect such change. What you need to do is get backing from higher-ups — and nothing beats the support of C-level officers.
Show them how investments in IT can save the company money, boost productivity, and increase revenue. With them granting you the power to make changes, you’ll dramatically reduce the resistance you’ll encounter from other people.
Begin with small wins
You’ll always meet three types of people at the onset of your digital transformation initiative. There are those who are with you, those who are against you, and those who’ll wait and see how things go before deciding how they feel about it.
One way to turn the tide and get organization-wide support is by showing positive results early on and preventing naysayers from ever saying, “This is going nowhere.” To do this, you need to identify projects that can grant you small wins. Maybe it’s the one where you replace old PCs that are still on Windows 7 with inexpensive thin clients. Not only will you stop paying for expensive extended support (which is now at $50 per machine), but you’ll enjoy greater security and more reliable performance from newer machines.
Enhance people’s relationship with technology
Get to know the pain points of users to ensure that the digital solutions you introduce actually address their needs. For instance, if remote workers are finding it difficult to to use VPNs because of network latency issues, then perhaps a shift to zero trust network access is in order.
Additionally, provide sufficient learning resources, such as training programs, video tutorials, FAQs, and online wikis, so that everyone, no matter their tech proficiency, can follow along and not be left behind.
Have your tech team work in close proximity to the rest of the organization
In connection with the point above, you’ll want the drivers of your digital transformation to be in close physical proximity with the people who’ll be adopting the new tech. This is because physical proximity has been found to directly increase collaboration, the natural development of shared initiatives between individuals and groups based on trust and personal relationships.
When confronted with a particular problem, people with diverse backgrounds can offer different perspectives, which in turn leads to the creation of innovative solutions. Thus, when digital transformation projects hit roadblocks, your tech team can immediately work with the stakeholders involved so that course corrections can be made quickly and with significant buy-in.
Provide everyone with progress reports
Transparency builds the trust necessary to gain greater support for digital transformation efforts. Create an online newsletter showcasing the latest milestones as well as what people can look forward to in the next phases of the plan. Present case studies wherein you clearly state problems and illustrate how technology solutions resolved the former. You can even include testimonials to drive your point home.
Turn to HERO Managed Services for your digital transformation efforts. Let our experts assess your IT needs and provide you with innovative and cost-effective strategies that are sure to drive growth. Drop us a line or schedule your free consultation today.
Leave a comment!