‘Digital transformation’ is a phrase that’s uttered often in business. As technology evolves beyond imagination, much attention is paid to how businesses can adapt to work faster and better.

However, digital transformation is a significant change for any business. It means moving away from the processes everyone is used to in favour of modern, unknown solutions.

And if you’ve never done digital transformation before, it’s hard to know where to start and finish.

We’ve listed eight digital transformation steps to guide you through the process, including finding systems that will provide the results you need.

1 . Understand the signs_

The very first step to digital transformation is knowing where issues lie. For this, you’ll need to collect data across your operations.

In a non-digital business, it will feel like you’re constantly fighting fires with no time to solve the root cause. Before you can change things, determine where those fires are coming from.

Look for signs that highlight inefficiencies, failure to hit targets or team frustrations. Examples include staff expressing annoyance with systems, slow pursuit of creative ideas and rising customer complaints.

Once you understand the challenge in front of you, it’ll be easier to rectify.

2. Work out your KPIs_

KPIs are essential in your digital transformation. Once you understand your challenges, you need to think about what’s most important to your business. This should connect to the goals and values, set out by your organisation’s leadership.

Once you have confirmed your KPIs, you can direct your transformation to progress them.

3. Find you ideal solution_

Digital transformation is reliant on capable digital systems. You need a solution that caters to your needs and drives effective change.

Traditionally, businesses utilise a lengthy request for proposal to unearth best solutions. However, it is critical to focus on the questions that genuinely support your KPIs.

Instead of asking typical questions, spend time uncovering what is going to deliver the most impact. Use this to verify whether a solution is a good fit.

At Infinity Group, we conduct a Business Value Assessment to help organisations learn the key opportunities for impact given by our solutions. These can be incredibly useful in determining if a system will have the desired outcomes, so you might seek a similar assessment.

In any scenario, it is crucial that you choose a solution that will confidently move you closer to your goals.

4. Get the right team_

Internally, your team should include all relevant stakeholders. You also want to bring in the best external partners, which are often covered in the RFP process.

If you know the solution you want to work with, it may dictate any external suppliers you use. You need someone trusted to deliver the system and tailor it to your requirements.

There are several factors to consider when finding the best partner for the project, including:

• Experience in delivering similar projects in your industry.
• Ability to leverage powerful systems that suit your requirements.
• Strong technical expertise.
• Proven history of achieving your desired outcomes.
• A dedicated account manager and team to drive the project.
• Capacity to complete the project within your timeframe.
• Reliability, based on case studies and reviews.

A good partner should support you during the process, provide technical assistance and help you to run the project smoothly.

5. Get people on board_

Once you’ve prepared the project internally, you’ll need to get everyone on board. This is the difference between a successful transformation and one that never gets off the ground.

Communication is key. You need a strong comms plan that gets people excited.

Start by identifying your internal early adopters and offer them an exclusive chance to see the system first. This will uncover talent within your team, including those who are ready to innovate fastest.

Once your early adopters begin to gain value from the technology, word of mouth will filter into the rest of the team and encourage use.

6. Migrate data_

Once you’ve selected the new technology you’ll use, you need to transition your existing data to the new system. This may include documents, customer records, processes information and so on, depending what you are transforming.

Moving your data between your old and new system smoothly is crucial to avoid disruption. Due to this, you need to consider your data from the beginning of the project. It requires patience and technical know-how, so make sure you’ve got resource to assist.

7. Test_

Once you have migrated your data and configured the system, you must test it. This is your chance to check everything is working well and rectify any errors.

It’s also a great opportunity to give employees a view of the system and get their feedback.

At this point, check that the solution adequately suits your needs. Review whether your system is configured for your process, data has been migrated appropriately and that users can carry out all tasks without barriers.

Businesses rarely have the time to reconfigure their systems after they’re live, so be sure to thoroughly review it during this phase for longevity.

8. Roll-out_

The final stage of your project is to roll it out and experience the benefits!

The roll-out process means getting everyone ready across teams. You want to ensure maximum adoption of your new systems and processes, or you risk minimised results.

Your comms plan will come into play once again here, as you’ll want everyone to know what’s coming and how it affects them positively. You should also ensure timely access for required staff, including account set-up.

Remember to include suppliers and customers in your comms plan if they’ll experience the benefits of the change. Everyone needs to be on the same page.

You should also devote time to user training to ensure efficient use of the system.
By finessing your roll out and continuously selling the value, you are more likely to encourage usage and move towards your goal posts faster.

Kickstart your digital transformation today_

With innovative platforms and cutting-edge tech more available to businesses than ever before, there’s no better time to digitally transform.

By finding the right solutions and partners and carefully following the steps above, you’ll win evergreen results from the changes you make now.

Data shows that back-office teams typically fall behind when it comes to digital transformation, leaving them limited by legacy systems.

Our eBook explains how finance operations can evolve for optimised, long-lasting performance, using the power of Business Central.