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Common Barriers to Digital Transformation Faced by Businesses and How to Overcome Them

Digital Transformation Faced by Businesses

A digital transformation is no longer an option but a must in today’s business world, but the challenges companies face on the path to digitalization can’t be ignored. 

Despite the wide range of tech innovations, solutions, and tools available today, digital transformation continues to pose numerous challenges for businesses of all sizes and in every industry. The pressure of going digital has taken its toll on numerous enterprises all across the world. We have countless examples of companies that have failed at digital transformation attesting to the difficulty of the process.

However, digital transformation remains the only viable option in a world where businesses and society as a whole are becoming increasingly reliant on technology. Besides, the advantages provided by digitalization can’t be denied. From providing data-driven customer insights and ensuring a better customer experience to increasing productivity and profits, digital transformation can benefit all business areas. All while helping companies remain relevant in a highly competitive business environment. But that can only happen if digital transformation is done right.

To ensure the success of their digital transformation projects, business owners have to be aware of the barriers they might face. So, if digitalization is the next logical step for your business, this guide will shed some light on the most common challenges that lie ahead and the solutions that can help you overcome them.

Inability to differentiate between digital optimization and digital transformation

For many business owners and entrepreneurs out there, digital transformation remains difficult to grasp. This concept is often confused with digital optimization. The confusion stems from the terminology and the fact that both these processes imply similar practices.

However, digital optimization and digital transformation are not the same things. While the first refers to using digital technology to improve certain business processes, the latter involves employing the latest tech solutions and innovations across all business areas to create a new business model. Digital optimization is more accessible and less risky, especially for smaller businesses. however, digital transformation is more difficult to achieve, but it also provides greater benefits.

Solution: It’s important to decide exactly what you want to achieve in your business. Whether that’s digital optimization or transformation. And the only way to do that is by gaining a good understanding of both these concepts. Fortunately, the online provides a wealth of resources, such as guides, case studies, or eBooks, that can help you expand your knowledge on these topics.

Lack of digital skills and resources

A successful digital transformation can’t be accomplished without the necessary digital skills and resources. Unfortunately, very few companies have in-house IT teams that can help them transition to a digitalized business model. As technology continues to evolve, building proficient IT teams becomes increasingly difficult. Therefore, the shortage of knowledgeable IT professionals within most companies stops them from even considering these types of initiatives.

Solution: When you don’t have in-house experts to support your digital transformation plans or when your IT department is under-skilled, investing time, money, and effort into building and training an IT team might not make sense. You might want to look outside your company for a solution. Thus, outsourcing to a digital agency in San Francisco can be smart. They can either take on the entire workload or collaborate with your team to help you achieve your transformational goals.

Resistance to change

A lot of businesses rely on outdated strategies and infrastructures to conduct their operations. This is because that’s what worked for them in the past. Come businesses never make the effort to modernize and improve their processes. That often leads to rigidity and resistance to change. Transitioning to a digitalized business model is already difficult enough as it is. However, when a company gets stuck in its comfort zone it becomes almost impossible to make this transformation happen.

Solution: Making organizational change management a priority can provide a solution to this problem. By providing the necessary knowledge, resources, and tools, you’ll be able to prepare your company for the changes that are about to happen and manage the transition effectively.

Changing consumer behavior and expectations

Consumer demands and expectations are changing faster than ever before. This puts companies in a difficult position. Especially, as they constantly try to keep up with what their clients need and expect from them. The increasing range of digital technologies isn’t making this process any easier. However, deciphering consumers’ minds and understanding what they expect from you before you start transitioning to a digitalized business model is an absolute must.

Solution: Assuming you already know what your customers are feeling and thinking, without having any hard data to rely on is one of the biggest mistakes you could make, as that can lead you in the wrong direction. The wisest thing to do is to conduct market research to eliminate the guesswork before making any major decisions.

Failure to build a clear strategy

Companies often embark on a digital transformation process without having a solid grasp of the concept. They aim to modernize and improve their processes. However, they don’t know exactly what they want to accomplish or how to get there. When a project’s goal is not clear, building an effective strategy is not possible either.

Solution: The obvious solution is to do your research thoroughly and figure out what digital transformation implies for your company. Then, you can build a strategic plan that will help you reach your objectives.

Budget limitations

Given its complexity, digital transformation comes at a price. Unfortunately, not all companies have the resources to sustain such a large-scale project. Others underestimate the number of resources required to achieve their digital transformation goals. None of these scenarios is likely to lead to positive outcomes.

Solution: If you want to avoid unpleasant surprises along the way, analyze your digital transformation plan carefully. Ensure you understand its financial implications. Only put things into motion once you are sure you have the resources to complete the transition successfully.

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