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Define your business objective. Companies have to clearly define problems that need to be solved before investigating possible technology solutions.
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Determine your data maturity. Data maturity and organizational transformation go hand in hand; an organization that gets better at harnessing data will see a transformation in its people, processes and overall business results.
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Assess your technology maturity. Technological maturity starts with diagnosing the need, followed by designing, purchasing, implementing and maintaining the solution
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Focus on your customers. Technology used to be considered overhead; many companies are now using technology strategically as a tool to better connect with and serve their customers.
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Consider the impact on employees and company culture. Bringing new technology into a company is a change management project, requiring proper communications with key stakeholders to understand their concerns, and the right training and governance procedures to ensure people know how to use the technology properly.
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Decide whether to host the technology or outsource. A company may consider moving certain functions to a cloud platform or enter into a managed services agreement for some business functions, so it can focus its core talent on what adds value for their customers.
Companies need clearly defined priorities, supported by leadership, to intelligently select the right technology platforms and digitally transform the company. Leaders must enable an innovative, digital culture focused on delivering exceptional experiences. Employees must be encouraged to share innovative ideas and understand the benefits these changes will bring to their role in the organization.
Looking to the future – “Where do we want to be?” – and then working backward can help businesses improve their product or service offerings while also building a more meaningful relationship with existing and new customers.
This article is adapted from the e-book Technology overload: A guide to making smarter decisions, available from Baker Tilly.