There are numerous benefits to embracing digital transformation, and leveraging the power of ecosystems within your industry… but that doesn’t mean the transformation is easy. As with all previous major industrial revolutions, such as the embrace of robotics in the 1970s-80s, there will be a substantial amount of adjustment necessary.
If you're considering a digital transformation, like many other organizations looking to adapt and innovate, keep reading as we discuss how to make the transition frictionless.
It’s easy to focus on the hardware necessary to achieve a digital workflow, but there’s also another element to consider: corporate culture. A digitally-focused operation, particularly one invested in ecosystems, requires a very different approach to doing business than traditional 20th Century style businesses. This new approach brings plenty of great new opportunities, but there’s still the issue of encouraging the mindset within your company.
Frictionless Change
Based on our own work helping companies embrace distributed ecosystems, and leverage the potential of digital workflows, these are some ways to help make that change happen smoothly:
- Enable easy communication.
As we’ve mentioned before, streamlined communication is at the heart of any digital ecosystem. A digitally-focused company will necessarily be one where lines of communication are broad and robust. - Encourage questions. Both in terms of pitching the digital transformation, as well as implementing specific policies, participation and discussion should be encouraged. Good communication requires all the parties involved feel relatively free to speak their mind or question the current situation. (Within reason, of course.)
- Encourage collaboration. Setups such as Jack Welch’s infamous “decimation” approach to employee management while at GE are not going to fare well in a digital ecosystem. Employees should see each other as partners working towards common goals, not as competition.
- Obtain plenty of feedback, internally and externally. One of the biggest benefits to digital ecosystems is that they can be custom-tailored to the needs of each organization. Not only is there not a “one size fits all” solution, but the implementation will go much better if you’re getting a lot of feedback from everyone involved so that the process can be fine-tuned.
- Don’t forget about people outside the traditional business model. Another fascinating element of digital ecosystems is that they can tie together literally anyone with any sort of connection to your product. Trade school representatives, independent repair contractors, even YouTube influencers… they can all be folded into the ecosystem and make positive contributions.
- Reduce or eliminate penalties for experimentation. Employees who are empowered to experiment with new ideas and processes are ones who will help improve your workflow. Employees should be encouraged to try out new ideas, whenever those ideas sound potentially reasonable, without fear of significant penalty.
- Prepare for plenty of training. A digital transformation will not be a “fire and forget” solution. Successful implementation will require significant training, both on the new technology, as well as the mindset needed to make the most of it.
FUSE Enables Your Digital Transformation
Based on years of experience building ecosystems within the indirect sales industry, we now introduce a revolutionary new approach to digital transformation: A fully open, free-to-implement ecosystem platform that allows businesses of any size to embrace and enjoy the benefits of a digital economy. Ecosystem-based business networks have never been easier to establish.
To learn more, just subscribe to become a member, or contact us for a more specialized consultation.
