Tips to choose a Digital Transformation Partner
Mar 19, 2021
Covid-19 has impacted all of our lives drastically. The switch from a hustle-packed office to a comparatively dull work-from-home environment, not only has it brought a huge shift in work cultures, it has also increased the dependency on technology to connect people and increase efficiency.
The transition to a digital environment is a very important journey for every business, and also one which can take an ugly turn very quickly if not done carefully. In today’s world, digital transformation often acts as a building block for successful businesses. Gartner also found that 87% of senior business leaders believe digitalization is a company priority.
To successfully digitalize your business, it is vital to choose an efficient digital transformation partner to bring your business, employees, and technology together seamlessly. It can empower you to create extraordinary experiences for your clients. In this article, I have taken my experience into account to pen down a few tips you can use to find a highly qualified and competent digital transformation partner.
1. Focus on the portfolio
The very first thing you must look for in a digital transformation partner is their expertise and experience in your area of business. This may seem a little unnecessary, given that the digitalization procedure may include similar steps irrespective of the industry you work in. However, if you are in an industry that deals with confidential data in any form, it instantly becomes critical that your digitalization partner knows how to deal with it. For instance, if you are running a healthcare firm, you have to ensure that whichever technologies you invest in are HIPAA compliant and meet the standards of all government regulations. If your digital transformation partner has had no experience with it, it will end up costing you a lot of time and money which you could have saved otherwise.
2. Communication is the key
Good communication is important for any kind of business venture you take on. To ensure the successful implementation of digital transformation techniques, real-time communication, and regular reporting are crucial. You must take a good look at how they plan to involve you in the process and their arrangements to regularly update you. Not only does it help you to understand the procedure completely, you are constantly aware of how your money is being invested and you always have expert help in case of any issues that may arise at any stage of the transformation. Therefore, it is always beneficial to be aware of your digital transformation partner’s communication skills and plans in advance.
3. Evaluate their technical capabilities
When it comes to digital transformation, it is obvious to ensure that the partner you choose is technically competent. However, the focus here should be how well they are equipped to deal with emerging technologies and how conveniently they can provide you with the best solutions for your use case. The world is undergoing a digital revolution, with better technologies coming up almost every day. Hence, it is imperative that you choose a partner who is well aware of all the new technologies and has enough expert resources to take up your project. There is no point in choosing a partner who is just outsourcing your insurance business process project to another team without any in-house resources of its own, as it will only increase opacity in the workflow and might even cost you unnecessary last-minute expenses.
4. Agility and versatility are the way to go
Your digital partner should not be rigid. Every business has its own set of internal processes that may hinder or delay the transformation due to a lack of flexibility. The partner you choose must be open to suggestions and should be flexible enough to try different approaches to deal with problems that may arise during the transformation.
By choosing a digital partner that opts for agile practices and believes in flexibility, you ease out the hectic process of transformation for yourself and get your money’s worth.
There is no single set rulebook to choose a digital transformation partner. Every business has different requirements, hence the focus shifts. However, to the best knowledge, the above-mentioned four tips are generic in nature and can help you to choose a competent, highly-experienced, and efficient digital transformation partner easily.
