In today’s world digitalization is the new hot term, everyone wants to be part of the new age of modern solutions. But digitalization is so much more than just a new software solution for the company.
At one point of development, businesses realise they need to find a new and more suitable solution to manage all the company’s needs. Unfortunately they start at the wrong end of the process by choosing a software and not knowing if it is suitable for their needs. In fact as the first and most important step when planning to digitalize, companies need to figure out where they are standing at the moment, why they feel the need to digitalize, what kind of processes need to be digitalized, are there any processes that work just fine, how will this affect the strategy of the company, how much will this cost and so on. It is crucial to answer all these questions before they decide to find a new software. Unfortunately most of the time it is the opposite, companies do not go over what it is that they really need, they just go and do research on possible software providers and usually make a decision based on the cost of the implementation. But this is definitely the wrong step to take.
Here are some steps to go over when planning to digitalize:
These are just some points to go through when deciding to start to digitalize. Good preparation and planning will prevent high costs and choosing the wrong software, that will never be used. Knowing these steps can save your company a lot of money.
The first steps will not be costly, so take the time, get people together and figure out if digitalization is something that your company needs. Find out what it is that you are trying to solve, what processes would benefit from digitalization. Have meetings with key persons to get their concerns and thoughts. Some people might not feel that they are ready for the change, so you need to get everyone to feel envolved, for this process to go smoothly.
After the analysis and meetings do deep background research on the softwares and their providers. You might consult with other firms and find out about their softwares and implementation processes. This step is crucial not to be rushed, because prior knowledge will save your company a lot of time and money.
When you have chosen your software provider, have a good implementation plan and take it slow so your company gets the most out of it. Also a strong Project manager is a must have to any successful software implementation. Remember that good communication between the provider and your company is crucial, but also internal communication is necessary to keep in mind. Everyone needs to understand why this digitalization is taking place, what is their role in its success and how this will help the company to grow.
