Kerridge Commercial Systems South Africa Blog

Digital Transformation And What It Means For Your Business

Written by Gaby Lipschitz | 16 Nov 2018 1:00:00 AM

When it comes to managing and running a business, it’s tough for decision makers to ignore the various buzzwords that become part of our everyday vocabulary. From Y2K and cryptocurrency to digital transformation, trends come and go. However, how do these trends and their influence affect businesses? Often, business managers become transfixed on following the trends instead of focusing their efforts on growing their business.

While digital transformation is not necessarily a new buzzword, it does have some merit when it comes to scaling a business. Ultimately, the concept of digital transformation came from ERP – enterprise resource planning – and has taken on a new form. Previous efforts to encourage paperless business practices are just a simple example of where the concept of digital transformation arose. However, the fundamental principles remain the same and can still be applied to growing businesses in an effort to expand their organisation and take it online.

Today, a reliable ERP solution can help businesses efficiently implement best practices, and mitigate any risks and red flags that may arise; and ultimately drive businesses towards their own digital transformation. Whether the task at hand is to digitise ledgers, transferring funds, or encouraging staff to use time management software, an ERP business solution will help you get to where you need to be without becoming too entangled in the buzzword of digital transformation.

While there is merit in the paradigm shift that comes with digital transformation, it is important to remember that a business has the opportunity to transform itself in an area that has been previously non-high tech dependent. This often translates into a website or online sales that customers previously did not have access to due to an organisation’s own limitations. As the world becomes increasingly digitally-orientated, and customer bases become younger and more technologically inclined, it is vital for businesses to critically evaluate their digital transformation and prioritise it as a strategic imperative. Not only will this ensure that businesses are able to stay ahead of the game, but it also gives them a noticeable advantage over their competitors and eliminates the risk of becoming obsolete.

The best way to evaluate whether or not your organisation has any traction on the scale of digital transformation is to take a look at your various processes, and deduce the efficiency that these processes encourage. Are your staff preoccupied with menial tasks that could easily be solved digitally? Are you struggling with stock management, or do you have clientele who cannot come into your branch because they’re based in another region? Often, the decision to embrace digital transformation is based on the decision maker’s realisation that business could run better if changes were implemented. Alternatively, finding a reliable ERP service provider can help identify certain areas of possible growth and can help drive progress.

Instead of latching onto buzzwords and hoping for the best, contact us today for a comprehensive look at how we can assist you in scaling your business through simple yet effective digital transformation. Contact us for more information