Achieving success as a small business owner is a lot harder than most people realize. Modern consumers have more options than ever before regarding the companies they can use. If you want to put your company ahead of the competition, you will have to work hard.
One of the biggest problems business owners have is related to cybersecurity – trying to use outdated tools and technology. If you are still manually tracking expenses and customer interactions, it is only a matter of time before problems occur. This is why taking on a digital transformation is so important.
Studies show that over 55 percent of the startups that form in the United States each year already have a secure digital strategy in place. Instead of letting outdated technology get in the way of your success and put your business at risk, now is the time to take action.
Here are some of the things you need to do to ensure your digital transformation is successful and secure.
How to Tell Your Company is Due For a Cybersecurity Transformation
Before we dive into how to track the overall success of a digital transformation, you need to make sure your company is in need of this transformation. In most cases, a business owner will notice a number of warning signs when a lack of technology is holding them back. Noticing these warning signs and taking action can help you avoid issues with low productivity levels and angry customers.
Productivity Levels are Rapidly Declining
One of the biggest enemies business owners have is low productivity. If your employees do not have the right tools at their disposal, then it is only a matter of time before this causes problems. When productivity levels start to decline, you need to take action.
If your team is working with outdated software and hardware, it is your job to update this technology. Utilizing the power of cloud-based technology will allow you to increase productivity and worker flexibility. Cloud networks allow employees to work from home. This means your business can start using remote workers from across the world to fill vacant positions.
Network Security Issues
While you may already have a business network in place, failing to update it regularly can be dangerous. If your network is populated with outdated software programs, it is only a matter of time before hackers infiltrate it. Outdated software is usually filled with holes that tech-savvy hackers can use to get into your network.
If you have already been the victim of a cyber-crime, updating your business technology is important. Ignoring the need for these updates may lead to lots of sensitive information being stolen. With the help of an experienced and motivated IT professional, figuring out how to fully optimize your network for both performance and security will be much easier.
Evaluate and Make Adjustments as Needed
The main misconception business owners have about digital transformations is that they are a comprehensive solution to all of their problems. While adopting a digital first attitude can be helpful, you will still have to work hard to ensure the new tech tools in place are working properly. This is why you have to focus on collecting data to see how well both your team and consumers are adapting to the new technology in place.
Related: A 7-Step Guide to Protecting Confidential Business Data at Work and at Home
If a certain program is not working, you have to replace it before it does more harm than good. Modern technology mixing with big data analysis solutions can help you optimize your digital strategy. Getting feedback for your team regarding the tech changes you have made is also important. Employees will be honest with you regarding what is working and what is not. Ignoring the need for this feedback may lead to your employees becoming disgruntled, which can lead to them jumping ship.
Keeping Your Customers Happy
Providing higher levels of customer service is usually one of the motivating factors behind a company’s desire for digital transformation. Modern consumers want to work with companies who understand the power of technology and work on providing them with the latest and greatest tools. When trying to figure out what aspects of your company can benefit from a digital transformation, take a look at your customer feedback.
For instance, if you have an online store in place, ensuring consumers can shop and checkout with their mobile devices is imperative. This is why making your online store responsive is imperative. Once you have the mobile-friendly appeal added to your website, you need to focus on improving the payment processing system you have in place. Making sure the payment processing is both effective and secure is important. Providing your customers with encryption for their data will make them feel safe and can help you avoid falling victim to a cyber-attack.
Work on Keeping Things Simple
Once business owners get bit by the digital transformation bug, they tend to overcomplicate things. Trying to make the tech stack and tools you have in place too complicated can be disastrous. The last thing you want is to confuse your employees or customers.
Before you start the digital transformation process, you need to make a list of things you are trying to accomplish. These things can be anything from improving efficiency and productivity to increase customer service levels. With this list, you can start to choose the right technology elements to add to your business.
Once you have these elements in place for a while, take some time to assess whether or not they are taking you closer to your overall goals. If you feel like they aren’t, then you may need to change things up a bit. Collecting as much data as you can is crucial when trying to avoid getting off track with your digital transformation.
It Is Time to Make a Change
Now that you know more about the digital transformation process, it is time to take action. While transforming your business may be difficult, it will be worth the aggravation in the long run. Instead of trying to take on this difficult process alone, hire IT professionals to lend a hand.
About the Author: Wendy Dessler
Wendy Dessler is an award-winning writer who discovered her passion for providing knowledge to readers worldwide on topics closest to her heart – all things digital. Since her first high school award in Creative Writing, she continues to deliver awesome content through various niches touching the digital sphere.
