The world has undergone a transformation of epic proportions. The antiquated methods of the past are no longer sufficient. We must incessantly adapt, innovate, and relentlessly challenge the limits of what can be achieved. This is the essence of digital transformation. It is imperative that digital signage be an integral component of your expedition toward this revolution.The concept of digital transformation
Now, let’s read this digital signage blog and delve deeper into the concept of digital transformation. The term seems to have a definition that adapts to its surroundings as much as we need to adapt to it. But out of all the definitions, there appears to be one central theme: technology. After all, you can’t be digital if you don’t have the technology to back it up.
However, tech alone is not enough. And technology for technology’s sake leads to oversaturation and lost effectiveness. The battle for digital transformation requires strategy. And strategy requires strategists. It is those that recognize this who form the top of the digital transformation pyramid. And it is their leadership philosophy that drives the change in mindset to get buy-in from the whole business for a digital transformation strategy. Tech is just the facilitator.
Problem, opportunity, goal…
The leadership philosophy of a business looking to undergo digital transformation needs to ask three questions:
- Problem: What is the problem you want to solve? Most likely that problem lies in wanting to increase profitability. This includes everything from accelerating productivity to better engaging with staff and customers.
- Opportunity: What can be done to solve this problem? As this past year showed, quick “one-off” wins that discounted any greater (future) goal weren’t enough for some businesses.
- Goal: This brings you back to your problem. Your problem is that your profit margins are low, and therefore your goal is to increase them in ways that adapt to the future.
Digital transformation is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change. This is the essence of Digital Darwinism. And at the center of this survival is digital transformation.
Just like Levi Strauss. They started to invest in digital technologies like predictive analytics that “allowed Levi’s to react quickly and decisively as consumers switched to e-commerce channels in droves (during the pandemic).” The logistics of rolling this out across 200+ US-based stores would have taken months. Instead, the pandemic accelerated this rollout to a matter of days.
Remarkably, 92% of business leaders surveyed by McKinsey thought that their business model couldn’t live up to the rate of digitization – and this was before the pandemic poured rocket fuel on the need to digitally transform.
What does a digitally transformed business look like?
So, what does a digitally transformed business look like? Author Tom Goodwin hit the nail on the head when he said “digital transformation depends 99% on people and culture”. Which feeds very well into our Leadership Philosophy; it’s all about a change in mindset and the ability to adapt. Darwin was onto something.
Digital maturity requires a willingness at every level of a business – not just at the top. Values and ambitions of every department need to be aligned, with those values and ambitions aligned to a wider business – and digital transformation – strategy. This in turn influences an innovative working culture; if you’re trying to attract the right people, this is one way to do it.
Digital transformation is not what we achieve, but how we achieve it. The visual layer plays a hugely important role in this. So much of what we connect with is centered around an audiovisual layer; from smartphones to laptops, billboards to digital menus – we are more used to (and receptive when) looking at screens than any other medium.
The unconscious mind processes over 20,000 bits of information simultaneously and is responsible for 95% of all cognition. It’s a powerful thing, which is why the use of screens is at the forefront of the second wave of digital transformation.
Digital Signage as an audiovisual layer of digital connectivity
Digital signage is one of the best tools to achieve all of this. Screens are already everywhere. Your business might already have a set of TVs ambiently showing the news, or you might have connected up a laptop with a cable and run a revolving slideshow of important messages.
But with intelligent digital signage software and strategy, these screens represent an incredibly powerful asset. They are the critical audiovisual layer of digital connectivity. Digital signage is the connective tissue between defining success and enabling the actions to achieve it.
In conclusion, digital transformation is not a destination, but a journey. It’s a continuous process of evolution and adaptation. It’s about embracing change, not fearing it. It’s about seeing the opportunities that lie ahead, not the challenges. And most importantly, it’s about having the courage to lead, to innovate, and to transform.