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How to overcome the challenges of digital transformation

The wholesale distribution and foodservice industries have a long way to go when it comes to taking advantage of the full range of business opportunities which digital-first platforms provide These benefits range from increased sales opportunities with omnichannel capabilities, to having greater scalability that supports accelerated growth Unfortunately, many businesses continue to use traditional approaches to lead generation and sales Mostly because there are a number of perceived challenges to digital transformation that are holding them back

Below we outline how you can overcome the common challenges we often hear about: Get an expert opinion to limit the time it takes to implement Three- or five-year business plans can delay a digital transformation because technology changes and becomes obsolete before your plans are approved and launched Indecisiveness and differing opinions can also slow down the decision-making process Instead, we recommend that you pursue a digital transformation as an individual initiative and collaborate with expert software partners who can look at your business holistically That way they can easily identify the key areas that will make the biggest difference to your business and will help you achieve your business goals

Implement a digital-first IT ecosystem to prevent issues with integration A recent survey showed that 53% of people viewed data connectivity and integration as critical to achieving a digital transformation These issues can severely impact the progress of any digital initiative, therefore it’s important that you shop around to find a suitable supplier and platform that helps, not hinders your digital transformation Don’t be afraid to ask questions to ensure their solutions fit with your existing systems and processes

Ensure management buy-in to avoid the project fizzling out Management really needs to buy-into a digital transformation in order for it to be successful This means demonstrating the long-term benefits of investing in digital platforms and how they can help the business stay innovative in a competitive marketplace It’s important they understand a digital transformation is not a one-time investment in new technology, but a journey It is long term, continuous and needs to be embedded and engrained into the business culture

Choose the right supplier to reduce complications Digital Transformations are complex and disruptive, so the last thing you need is to be dealing with multiple suppliers all of whom have their own ideas and agenda We recommend you find a software supplier who can provide a package which includes a whole range of digital services, from ecommerce sites to warehouse management software This will cut down on the number of suppliers you have and overcome any integration concerns

Remember the Return-on-Investment when worried about costs The initial costs of a digital transformations can be hefty, depending on the extent of your technology investments Remember that digital platforms provide significant and game changing returns on investment which means there are many opportunities to increase revenue and reduce costs in the long term

Whether you’re looking to increase efficiencies, boost financial performance or improve the customer experience, undertaking a digital transformation will help you implement the platforms and processes you need to achieve your business goals