If one size did fit all, every commercial organization would be wearing the same digital operations cape by now. The reality is that over time, companies have diversified their practices, skillsets and tools up to a point, where no two businesses look exactly alike. Although the advent of cloud, mobile, social and cloud affects us all, there are various ways to react to the ongoing shift. To recognize relevant and actionable opportunities for operational improvement, businesses must perform a comprehensive gap analysis on the following areas:
Processes. It should come as no surprise that operational efficiency is largely indebted to well-functioning processes. However, there is no saying that what works for a multinational cloud computing business will work for a mid-sized franchising company. In other words, the recommended best practices in digital operations are contingent on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) size, industry, organizational structure, market conditions, digital maturity and physical location. The best way to identify what works and what doesn’t is to listen closely, which brings us to our next point, people.
FAST FACTS
The benefits of digital operations transformation vary from organization to organization but the consistent benefits we’ve seen on our clients include:
- Clear visibility of digital marketing needs across all markets
- Improved budgetary control
- Reduced turnaround times for local and global campaigns
- Increased efficiency through streamlined processes
- Growing employee satisfaction
People. When it comes to assets, human resources are the most valuable of them all. Selecting and training the right capabilities ties in closely with operational efficiency, especially considering that well-functioning operations require smart distribution of labor, clear communication and sufficient support from all stakeholders. Finding the right person for the right job sounds simple enough, but actually implementing the change may be met with some resistance. With that in mind, it’s good to remember that change management isn’t about changing people but enabling them.
Tools. Finally, operational transformation can be accelerated – or handicapped – by deploying new hardware, software and other tools. The best tools are not only deliberately chosen to reinforce newly refined processes but also customizable to support each individual user. However, technologically complex tools are only as valuable as their user interfaces, which is why the selection of the right tools should be based on user insight.