24 Jun 5 Steps To Help C-Suite Undergo Digital Transformation

If we take any customers from any industry, being digital for them has become second nature. Activities which were once labeled as innovative are labeled now as routine. Customers have become wiser and have gone digital. Customers have started using their smart phones to do a comparison while shopping or using Facebook to read up on product recommendations.

A deeper look in understanding how the executives have gone about their careers will reveal that they have mostly been chasing numbers. The executives in the process of chasing numbers may have turned a blind eye on the changing customer behavior.

The senior executives have started taking note of this and are making changes to their leadership style to ensure they’re not left behind. Some of the steps that can help them undergo digital transformation include:

1. Thinking Technical

Create a paradigm shift. Get your team involved (i.e. mostly decision makers) in a workshop setting. Ask them how ahead or behind the curve are we in providing digital value to our users? This could help set direction to the team in making the digital transformation. Some of the examples of setting direction could include:

• Understanding of the USP’s of the business, what can and cannot be replicated.
• Having knowledge on what could disrupt the existing business process, affecting the cash flow.
• Setting up multiple technical milestones in line with the overall business goals.

2. Keeping Up With Industry Trends

Creating a company culture that keeps up with new developments in the industry. A few examples may include:

• Setting aside time to invite innovators in the industry, learn, share and implement best practices.
• Subscribing to newsletter or podcasts released or shared by the industry thought leaders.

3. Stepping Into Your Customer Shoes

Customers have made a shift from being offline to going online. Customers are also not restricting themselves to desktops alone. They’ve gone mobile now. What can your company do with this information? How does it ensure that the customer is engaged with your brand irrespective of the size of the device? Will your company help improve the life of your customer by making it easy, fast and better?

4. Being Part Of A Talented Network

Networking may mean connecting with people outside your company. It also means connecting with people inside your company. The people inside include your reports and also new hires. Spending time with talented individuals and interacting with them frequently could open up opportunities to innovate.

5. Discuss & Share Best Practices

Executives like to be quoted by their peers and also industry experts. This happens when others view you an industry expert. To be heard, quoted or shared by others, it’s important for you to discuss and share best practices both online and offline. Continuous discussion and sharing of best practices will help you increase your and your networks knowledge quotient. Thus, giving rise to opportunities to engage with prospects & other knowledge seekers.

Above points are not a to-do list but should be seen as pointers to start an executives journey of digital transformation.

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