Simplifying business transformation to accelerate growth

Modern businesses pay for hundreds of different Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) apps and multiple subscriptions and programmes¹, many of which are “orphaned”—unused, but still costing money. Organisations are spreading their reach further and deeper, but visibility is limited, creating departmental silos and information gaps that will then cause company spend to spiral.

As organisations become more remote, distributed, and hyper-connected, it becomes crucial to have a reliable and simplified way to manage multi-cloud deployments. Rather than trying to balance multiple IT vendors and platforms, businesses can simplify IT service delivery by leveraging an integrated platform that provides a single, unified view of the business as a whole.

Resiliency amid external events and environmental changes is not just about staying afloat or adapting to changed conditions but empowering businesses to take disruptions in stride. After all, the pandemic is not the only external event or business challenge that businesses will need to face in the future.

A business that wants to be durable in the face of external challenges demands strong digital capabilities. This way, when the world changes, the company can manage a switch to a remote workforce, shift focus when needed between online or offline commerce, and continually automate the most repetitive, yet demanding activities for greater efficiency.

By investing in technology, businesses can turn challenges such as COVID-19 into opportunities instead of buckling under pressure.

Digitally resilient organisations make a proactive investment in technology because they understand how effective and mission-critical it is. Technology can unlock productivity and efficiency in all aspects of business:

Brand and reputation: Manage compliance, risks, and security with cyber security software and tools.

Financial: Assess your business' current resource usage and predict future threats and needs.

Leadership and organisation: Drive better managerial decisions by getting an accurate bird’s eye view of the organisation at any point in time.

Operations: Use technology to make operations more agile and improve recovery processes.

Customers and ecosystem: Learn more about your customers and the business ecosystem with AI-driven insights.

Workforce: Upskill employees with online learning software and use tech to identify gaps in productivity. Support employee health and wellness with telehealth solutions and online programmes.

Still, it’s not enough to simply sign up for tech platforms and assume that the time and cost savings will follow. Modern businesses must juggle more and more moving parts to operate smoothly.

In the next few years, your business might have to manage tech such as:

● SQL and blockchain databases

● Advanced edge computation

● Virtual Private Networks and Virtual Machines

● Robotic process automation

● Networks of Internet of Things devices

● Artificial intelligence and machine learning

These technologies may be accessed or supported with different tools, stored in different cloud environments, etc —and it’s easy to get lost. Without simplification, a digital transformation that was supposed to enable and support the organisation becomes an enemy: bloated, confusing, and costly.

Plan your digital transformation from the start with a cross-functional approach

Rather than switching processes from offline to online piece by piece, map out each step of the transformation. An integrated approach across all departments—including operations, marketing, customer service, production, and product development—ensures nothing gets lost or ignored during the transition.

Define what “success” looks like and ensure all stakeholders understand what you are trying to achieve. This isn’t just a flip of the switch, but a complete redesign of existing processes.

Solve for specific business challenges

Consult with your staff and management to identify problems that need to be solved. This helps save time and effort on needless initiatives that don’t do any good. If the software or initiative does not have a clear business benefit, do not sign the contract.

Remember: a digital transformation is about solving a specific problem with a tech-based platform, not about installing tech for the sake of it. For example: rather than saying, “I want to digitalise operations,” say, “I want to switch to a data centre that allows me to control the bandwidth I use at any given time.”

Build a close relationship with a single provider that has in-depth experience

Rather than working with many vendors and juggling multiple contracts, try to be selective with vendors. By building more intimate relationships with just a handful of providers, you can get access to customised support and guidance, plus reduce the likelihood of orphaned subscriptions.

Such a relationship is especially beneficial if the provider is experienced in multiple markets and offers multiple services. A provider like Singtel, for example, can give you access to a wide range of cloud services without getting locked into multiple redundant plans or contracts.

Though the business will become more complex, it’s possible to simplify the approach and ensure that every objective is successfully, neatly completed.

Contact us if you’re looking to build a tech stack to accelerate and empower your business.
 

¹ MarTech, New report: Most companies have ‘orphaned’ SaaS apps in their stacks, 2019.