TMI: Digital Transformation: Transitioning from Catchphrase to Reality

Disruption of any kind can be painful, but when it comes to digital disruption – or digital transformation – that pain is necessary. However, the term “digital transformation” can also be confusing; it has become so mainstream, such a catchphrase, that some experts fear it could become meaningless.

According to IDC, 40% of all technology spending this year will go toward digital transformation; with enterprises spending more than $2 trillion (yes, trillion – with a “t”) by the end of 2019. But what exactly does that mean, and where are those investments happening?

In reality, every organization defines and approaches digital transformation from its unique point of view – something we’ve become familiar with through our own clients’ varying definitions and approaches. However, we’ve started to notice some commonalities have emerged, and with that in mind we’ve rounded up five articles below that explore the meaning, impact and benefits of digital transformation.

• The Future of Digital Transformation: What Does it Look Like & How to Plan for It?: 85% of key decision makers feel they only have 2 years to get to grips with digital transformation. With the pressure on, what does the future hold for digital transformation efforts? Hint: it goes beyond just technology. Time is of the essence for leaders to prioritize the customer experience and enhance business outcomes across multiple channels.
• 6 Ways Organizations Have Launched into Digital Transformation: From IoT to predictive analytics and real-time location tracking, early digital transformation adopters have made significant strides. Their successes – and failures – can serve as powerful use cases for those that are getting ready to make the transformation a reality.
• What is Digital Transformation? A Necessary Disruption: Digital transformation is a foundational change in how an organization delivers value to its customers. Here is what transformation truly entails — and how to tell whether your organization is on the right path.
• Digital Marketing Transformation: A Revolution of Strategy and Execution: You’ve heard about digital transformation, but what about digital marketing transformation? Technology and a new way of thinking is taking standard marketing practices and revolutionizing them. From one perspective, it will help marketing departments attract the attention of other businesses in order to sell their products and services and gain a competitive advantage.
• How to Kick-Start Digital Transformation in your Enterprise: Six Steps: Digital transformation isn’t a tech problem, it’s a cultural problem. Most Fortune 500 companies are digital natives, but that doesn’t mean they can’t evolve their operations to create a generation of digital experience. Forrester set out to give immediate, actionable things to get digital leaders started on what can be an overwhelming multi-year journey: the first stage of which is a buy-in from critical C-level leaders.

Whether you’re creating an internal digital marketing transformation strategy, or developing messaging for a digital transformation solution that will help your clients evolve, we’d love to hear your stories and best practices. And, if you’re just getting starting on the path to defining what digital transformation means for your organization, we’d love to help you get to the finish line. Leave us a comment below or connect with us via Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.

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Author: Andrea Davis, VP, Message Development & Customer Validation Practice