Written -Kelly Hummel – Sage Blog- March 2022
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably encountered the term ‘digital transformation.’ It’s now synonymous with modern business leadership and the drive to keep pace with customer needs, organizational change and new digital initiatives. Many companies discover that successful digital transformation requires a thoughtful roadmap, led by transformation leaders who understand the importance of data-driven decisions, effective change management and evolving business strategy.
Digital transformation refers to adopting digital technology to improve efficiency, add value and drive innovation across an organization. By planning a clear transformation roadmap, companies can align their digital strategy to address challenges, leveraging tools such as cloud computing and AI-driven solutions. Organizational change enables business models to evolve and remain competitive in today’s market.
Change often brings resistance or fear—it’s human nature, but it doesn’t have to be an obstacle. As a business leader, your approach to the human side of transformation can determine the journey’s success. By focusing on a strategic organizational change framework and demonstrating strong leadership, you can instill confidence in your teams. This commitment helps people see they are part of a larger goal with real impact.
Every organization moves at its own pace when rolling out new technology. A digital transformation strategy is a plan to reposition your organization in the digital economy. As customer habits evolve, companies must adapt their operations to stay engaged and successful. Your transformation roadmap should include clear objectives, milestones and guidelines for maintaining privacy best practices while leveraging data-driven insights. Resources like Deloitte Insights can refine your path to business excellence and help measure progress.
Getting Human Buy-In for Digital Transformation
Winning businesses innovate by adopting emerging technology to transform work. For digital transformation to succeed, you need buy-in from every level. Whether you’re a business school executive, transformation leader or change management advocate, involving all levels of the organization drives progress. Encourage staff to see how digital transformation can streamline daily tasks, from project management to cross-functional communication.
Educate your teams about adopting new technologies. This might include executive education initiatives, CIBE credits or insights from programs at Columbia Business School or London Business School, both recognized for digital strategy leadership. Teaching teams about new tech and the benefits of transformation accelerates adoption and sparks creative thinking that leads to business wins.
A Practical Example: Starbucks
Help colleagues understand innovation by using practical examples like visiting Starbucks, buying groceries or fueling a car. Many people don’t realize they interact daily with bots using RPA (Robotic Process Automation), ML (Machine Learning) and AI (Artificial Intelligence), paying with NFC (Near Field Communication), all through a Digital Operating Platform (DOP) on their phones. This seamless integration is crucial for businesses aiming to stay ahead of customer demands and improve strategy.
Breaking it Down: The Starbucks App
A bot is a software program that performs repetitive tasks, such as taking orders in the Starbucks app. This is part of a transformation journey recognized for improving efficiency. With AI, the bot may suggest additional items—“Egg bites are frequently ordered with this coffee, would you like to add them?”—showing how cloud computing enables real-time, personalized service. Through machine learning, the bot might remember past purchases—“Last time you bought a croissant, would you like to add this to your order?”
By responding to these prompts, users navigate the app faster and place orders more efficiently, improving their experience. Starbucks benefits from upselling, reduced staff workload, shorter wait times and enhanced customer satisfaction. This example shows how transformation leaders in any industry can optimize organizational change for better outcomes.
Most users pay in advance using NFC with Apple Pay, Google Pay or similar methods. Encourage your team to connect personal buying experiences like this to your organization’s customer experience and explore how technology can improve it. Building understanding of tech and its benefits helps eliminate fear. Allowing employees to explore digital initiatives in familiar ways fosters engagement, buy-in and a foundation for successful transformation.
Dream It, Then Do It
Getting staff to envision better, more efficient ways of working propels your business forward with digital transformation projects of any size. Adopting project management best practices supports transformation milestones and can create new roles for leaders overseeing advanced technology deployments.
The hardest part is helping everyone get comfortable with new ways of thinking and working. Moving from long-standing processes to more efficient, fulfilling workflows requires effective change management and leadership. To maintain momentum, align everyone around your organizational change strategy, whether they’re executives with business excellence credentials or frontline employees eager to contribute.
Imagine if Alexa integrated with your inventory system to notify you when to reorder, or if your system automatically routed invoices over $5,000 to the CFO and those over $10,000 to the CEO for approval. Picture an office without file cabinets, where everything is stored securely and accessible anywhere, anytime and on any device. These digital transformations show how flexible cloud computing optimizes daily workflows.
All these scenarios are already reality, thanks to emerging technology. Skilled implementation partners can roll out solutions efficiently. The true challenge is the human element—getting employees to embrace the unfamiliar. Leveraging business school frameworks or executive education can provide structure and inspiration, keeping transformation leaders focused on the big picture.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), during the pandemic, digital transformation initiatives led to an average 14% financial uplift. These data-driven results show that transformation models deliver measurable value when organizations commit to a clear roadmap.
Empowering people with the knowledge to use emerging technologies pays off for organizations investing in digital strategies. Automating manual tasks frees up resources, streamlining processes creates more time for strategic activities like revenue generation and cost control. These efforts enable organizations to build new skills and maximize workforce impact.
Most importantly, employees gain something invaluable: empowerment and self-worth from using technology to amplify their contributions. By harnessing leadership skills in a supportive learning environment, you can ensure a successful digital transformation—positioning your organization as a leader and a model for effective change management.
