Navigating Your
Way to Digital
Transformation
Services

Today’s CEOs know that agility, efficiency, innovation and brand advocacy are the drivers of organizational success. But while many know this, it’s the obstacles to successful business transformation that hold so many companies back. Although much of that transformation involves digital solutions, it goes beyond creating seamless customer interactions. It goes right to the heart of how we function, into the depths of our back offices and the inner workings of the systems that support every vital function.

Despite the various digital facelifts that organizations undergo, underneath it all lies archaic processes and platforms. Built on layer upon layer of old technology, many solutions of yesteryear now only serve as stumbling blocks to progress. How can organizations achieve digital transformations that are cost-effective and secure, while also developing customer experiences that produce brand ambassadors? Let’s explore the emerging digital transformation technologies that can lead to true transformation.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is on our doorstep. Technology, like 5G, will usher in an unprecedented pace of change and technological advancement. But to truly capitalize on this ground-breaking technology, organizations must achieve extraordinary innovation at every level of business. Those that fail to prepare now for what’s coming risk being left behind. 

Where are you on the digital transformation continuum? Are you leading the way or struggling to keep up? If you are in the latter camp, the first steps to achieving holistic transformation starts with identifying and assessing the obstacles to your own transformation and meeting them head on. Although every industry has its own set of headaches to deal with, we’ve identified four that seem to be plaguing everyone right now:

• Aging infrastructures – Cloud technology has necessitated much of this need. Staying connected to employees and customers, who are now scattered across the world, means businesses must to expand and evolve their networks to accommodate these needs.
• Increased competition – As the world becomes more connected, that means more global competitors will seek a piece of your market share.
• Advanced cyber threats – Increased connectivity has many advantages, but it also makes organizations more vulnerable to cyberattacks.
• Evolving customer expectations – Customers in both the B2C and B2B realms have come to expect immediacy, self-service and personalization when it comes to their interactions with nearly every brand.

Markets are crowded, customers want personalized experiences, employees need to connect, your network needs strong global security, and you may not know what you need to get it all done. Deep breaths. Here are some of the key pillars of a successful digital transformation strategy, that all organizations should consider, regardless of their industry or size.

Move from traditional to virtualized, programmable, on-demand networks

How you communicate with employees and partners, your customers, and your connected things, all depends on your network. Companies are moving more and more of their applications to the cloud and that’s created a new distributed eco-system that most traditional networks cannot handle well. Software-defined networking automates and virtualizes network operations so you can do more with better agility. The technology can help you manage MPLS and broadband so you can remain nimble and fast, while also managing cost more efficiently for less critical sites and simplifying your operating model. Application Enablement services can help you scale quickly and deliver applications where and when they’re needed, more efficiently and providing the end-to-end visibility you need. The right custom blend of these technologies can translate to a potent digital transformation solution that can reshape the way you do business.

Have a mobile-first strategy

Mobile device use continues to grow exponentially across all markets. More and more business is transacted over smart phones and tablets, and people want to engage wherever and whenever they want. It’s making the world a more connected place, but it also introduces new challenges. Customers demand immediacy and employees want flexibility. The intersection of cloud computing, mobility and security means you need a strong partner to help you manage these changing expectations and remain competitive.

Build security from the network up

Security incidents are continually on the rise. In the 2019 Verizon Data Breach Investigations report, we analyzed 41,686 security incidents, of which 2,013 were confirmed data breaches. More companies are using IoT, making them more vulnerable to cyber attacks while the addition of connected devices raises cyber espionage risks. Despite these drawbacks, the benefits of transformation far outweigh the inherent risks. When you implement a strong security program that mitigates your risk and increases visibility across your attack surface, you can have peace of mind as you move forward with your new business strategies. 

Focus on the end user

When organizations become employee- and customer-centric, everyone wins. After all, if the technology isn’t resonating with those it’s meant for, what use is it? That’s why it’s important to keep your finger on the pulse of what employees and customers expect. User expectations change constantly, and you need to stay ahead of that curve so you can deliver on time and on point. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all scenario. What works for one organization or industry might not work for another. Find the CX strategy and the relevant digital transformation services that work for you.