As digital technologies continue to reshape industry practices, an increasing number of businesses are pursuing large-scale changes to capitalize on these trends or merely retain their position in the market. This kind of digital transformation poses significant challenges because of the required volume of investment and the difficulty of applying the right tools, measurements, and practices on a company-wide scale.

More often than not, digital transformation roadmaps focus on just one of the dimensions of the digital revolution – customer relations, neglecting the reinvention of other crucial areas.

As businesses try to answer questions like how to increase engagement on Instagram or can WhatsApp Business be used on multiple devices – which they nonetheless should – it remains critical that they keep their focus on other innovative tools that have applications beyond their customer communications.

What is needed for a successful and impactful digital transformation is an overall vision that covers all relevant areas of the business. Here are the four essential tools that can support these company-wide changes and increase the odds of success.

1. Storage and Processing Tools

Emerging from the need for processing growing volumes of information and the creation of flexible and mobile workplaces, document and records management tools are transforming the efficiency and processes in the workplace.

Employees across all sectors, from frontline workers to team managers, need to have the ability to store and access data to both improve the quality of their work and relocate their time to other pressing tasks.

These types of tools have proven especially useful during the recent pandemic, as many organizations struggled to provide remote access to documents and had to find their way around physical and manual solutions.

With the increase of small functioning in general, storage solutions are indispensable for businesses that want to maintain their usual operations at all times and from anywhere without being concerned about accessibility – or even the accuracy of their manually-updated information.

2. Collaboration and Communication Tools

Good communication is a success determinant for any company, especially those looking to survive and grow during digital transformation. Physically-shared spaces no longer constrain employees, and their work is mainly enabled by digital technology.

For these reasons, streamlining the sharing and management of information can significantly impact the productivity and success of your projects.

Unlike email – where information is unchangeable, can be overlooked, or distributed incorrectly, digital communication tools and collaborative suites centralize and organize data that employees can use as a single source of truth and edit at any time.

This centralized system will ensure that everyone involved in a project is well-informed, that information circulates timely and effectively, and that all relevant stakeholders are involved in the process.

3. CRM Tools

To live competing in the digital age, you need to keep up with and address the increasingly high customer expectations – which also change almost every day. With a customer relationship management system, you can better understand and respond to your customers’ needs, automate tasks, shorten sales cycles, and improve your retention rates, among other things.

When choosing a CRM system, ensure that it provides and analyzes the most critical data for your business and that it can easily integrate with other tools in your technology kit.

With the help of this information, you can develop an effective marketing strategy in response to customer expectations and even anticipate needs ahead of time, resulting in increased sales, reduced customer churn, and outperformance of your competition.

4. CMS Tools

It’s practically impossible to discuss digital transformation without bringing up CMS (content management system) software. These tools help you create and manage digital content across platforms, helping you build your ideal online brand and customer experience.

If you don’t have a designated internal team to manage your CMS, you might want to consider hiring an expert agency to lead the process.

To develop proper relations with your customers and influence their decision-making processes, you need to produce content that specifically addresses their needs and offers meaningful insights into your offerings. Most digital consumers rely on online resources when purchasing; presenting your brand is crucial in attracting and retaining customers.

Final Words

As digital transformation introduces new working practices and directly impacts the organization’s culture, businesses need to employ the right tools and techniques to streamline and refine their digital transformation journey. Above all, digital transformation should be focused on the needs and issues that are of most significant importance to the organization.

Four essential tools that can make your digital transformation journey a success are storage and processing tools, collaboration and communication tools, CRM, and CMS software. Of course, even the best tools cannot guarantee success. But a lack of them will almost surely guarantee failure.