7 “first steps” your business must take while embracing technology
29 Aug 2022
At this point, the last thing you need to hear - as a business owner - is just how important technology can be. In 2022, digital centricity has made its way to the heart of the world. Of course, you already know that running being tech-savvy business is an undeniable top priority. But ask yourself, have you truly maximized your investments? If the answer is "no," or if you're unsure, it probably means you faced technology adoption challenges that others like you have and continue to.
So, let's look at the first steps to embracing technology in your business.
1) Don't look at the products available; look at your business requirement
A mistake many business owners make is that they haphazardly evaluate the products available in the market instead of carefully assessing their requirements. It's like hearing life advice from a stranger. But it's crucial to align your business priorities, customer demands, budget constraints, and growth plans with the type of technology products or solutions you look to implement.
2) Adoption should be gradual and long-term with calculated overheads
New tech adoption doesn't happen overnight. It's a gradual process that entails precise execution as digitally transforming your business is a marathon, not a high jump contest. You must also be aware of the expected overheads, as going over the budget can be a project killer.
3) The ultimate focus should be customer-centricity
Sounds simple? Agreed. But, who do numbers tell a different story as many customers still face broken, inconsistent, and forgettable experiences? One reason could be that, as earlier mentioned, the products deployed to ensure customer delight are largely ineffective. However, being customer-oriented is a no-brainer.
4) Cyber security should not be compromised - even in the pilot phase
Many mid-segment business owners feel that cybersecurity investments are not important during the initial phase of application usage - owing to minimal traffic. They assume that the security layer/provisions can be added later as the usage grows. But the reality's that even if the traffic is low, any security threat during the start of their IT journey can spoil the brand reputation and compromise the customer privacy database, which is an irrecoverable loss. Irrespective of the size of IT usage, minimum security rules like antivirus software, secure hosting server, SSL certificates, regular view demographic monitoring, etc., must be followed. During this phase, it's better to invest in security protocols rather than application design beautification!
5) Follow a balanced approach to use technology rationally
Rationality is sometimes forsaken while embracing technology. There's either too much pressure or impulsion. It causes business owners to adopt tools that they don't require. For instance, not everyone needs a robot receptionist to ensure great service experiences. But if you're a modern restaurateur, a robotic waiter can be of tremendous use. The key is knowing what your industry demands and how equipped you are to use the technology internally.
6) Simple-to-use technology is a must for your staff to adopt tech
Isn't new technology adoption all about simplifying life for humans by improving processes and enhancing experiences? Too often, business owners think only about the impact it has on workflows relating to operations and customer satisfaction. But what about those who leverage the tech on a day-to-day basis in the backend? Your staff must be comfortable with using the solution. Otherwise, it will never work for your business or your customers.
7) Staff training always goes a long way
Since your staff members play a huge role in ensuring the effectiveness of your tech adoption, it's critical to give them access to structured skill development. Hence, it would be best if you spent as much energy on providing staff training as you do on achieving product efficiency.
Final thoughts
The underlying problem of embracing technology is that there's a tendency to rush matters at the kick-off point without a proper plan in place. It results in the journey getting derailed from the get-go or derailed at different points.
We hope this article gave you some insights on navigating the challenges of the tech adoption journey. Check out our website to see how we use AI and data science to help businesses reach their destination successfully.
