Cloud-based systems are becoming an integral part of digital transformation and data utilization for companies of all shapes and sizes. These systems allow for faster development and deployment, as well as increased revenue and reduced operating costs.
Of the companies with cloud-based systems surveyed by Capgemini, 62 percent thought the agility of the organization was improved. Roughly 44 percent stated that they increased their revenue, and 65 percent said they were able to improve their customers‘ experiences.
To put it simply, cloud-based systems seem to be the way of the future when it comes to digital transformation.
However, many organizations run into difficulty with various aspects of cloud-based systems to fuel the transformation. In the shift to cloud-based systems, leaders and their teams have realized that they must implement new methods and changes to their company culture in order for the transformation to be successful.
In this post, we want to list three tried-and-true methods of supporting a shift toward cloud-based systems in your digital transformation. These tips will help every member of the company embrace the change and prevent unnecessary failures and complications.
1. Make Sure All Departments Are Supported
Leadership is extremely important during any big shift, especially when it comes to digital transformation. A lack of firm leadership is often one of the leading causes of failure for digital adoption. That’s why CEOs and leaders need to understand the role they play in digital transformation.
According to Daniel Newman (an expert in digital transformation on Forbes), there are five major leadership traits that are required for a successful digital transformation. This includes implementing a cloud-based system in any industry or company type.
- Clear purpose. Not only are great leaders ready for the change a cloud-based system can bring, but they have a clear goal at the end of this digital transformation. They know why they’re making changes, and they express those reasons to their teams.
- Forward-thinking. In order for a digital transformation to be successful, the leaders at the top of the chain must be open to the evolutions that will occur today, tomorrow, and years down the road. They must establish a company culture that sparks innovation.
- Problem-solving. Although all good leaders should look to fix processes that are broken, they should also look to solve the problems that aren’t a big deal. Modern-day leaders must look beyond the surface levels to find the areas that still need improvement.
- Risk-taking and experimentation. One of the common traits shared by many successful digital leaders is the willingness to take the plunge when it comes to new technology. In order to fully adopt a new cloud-based digital system, leaders need to be willing to take the risk and embrace the change whole-heartedly.
- Partnership. No one can implement a digital adoption single-handedly, not even CEOs and big-wig leaders. A strong leader understands that adopting a new system takes time and meaningful partnerships to be successful.
Additionally, every department in the company will need top-down support to take on the digital transformation. It can’t just be the IT department’s priority or the C-level executives that understand the change. Each department will have to support each other during the transition, and leaders will have the most pivotal influence throughout the transformation.
2. Find a Training System That Works for Your Team
Improper training is a surefire way to slow down digital transformation. It doesn’t matter how straightforward your new system might seem – full digital adoption can only happen when employees are actually brought up to speed on new platforms and their various processes.
To teach your employees about the implementation of a new cloud-based system, here are a few different training options you can look into:
- Use learning apps. People love learning things online nowadays, especially on their mobile devices. Look into ways you can train your employees on the comfort of their own screens. Outline methods for tracking progress, gamifying the process, and encouraging digital learning.
- Offer in-person classroom settings. Some team members simply learn best in a classroom with a real teacher and direct instruction. It’s often a smart idea to offer these school-like environments when conducting a major digital transformation within your company.
- Videos or podcasts. For the visual and auditory learners on your team, you may want to look into a training system that uses engaging videos and podcasts. These can be fairly cheap to purchase or create, and they can substantially improve your training process for certain individuals.
The important thing during a cloud-based digital transformation process is to find the training system that works for your specific team. What works for a large corporation may not work for your small family-run business, and vice versa.
Take stock of your current training system’s holes, then really dedicate your team to finding the best learning methods available. This will strengthen your team’s transformation process immensely.
3. Consider Outsourcing for Support
Managed service providers can help make the transition to cloud-based systems far more supported. Even if you have a great IT team, they may need to reassess their methods if you’re implementing a digital transformation with high demands. Cloud-based systems are complicated and confusing for some traditional IT experts, and an outsourcing team can help support the transformation in a handful of ways.
First of all, they can help with training and onboarding. Whether you decide to go with an online training process or teachers in personalized classrooms, an outsourced aid can help your company speed up the process and make sure everyone is thoroughly taught how to use the new systems.
Secondly, managed service providers can help with big concerns such as data organization. During this big digital transformation:
- How will your old files be stored?
- Where will new information be logged?
- How does all of it come together?
An outsourced company can help smooth this transition so you can worry about other things rather than the nitty-gritty details of data organization.
Last (but not least), outsourced managed service providers can assist with initiative execution. To get the ball rolling with your new cloud-based system, you may want to set up automated practices. Although you could do this yourself, it’s often speedier and easier to have an outside company there to get the process started.
In Conclusion
If your team hasn’t already begun the switch toward cloud-based systems, then you’ve probably got a big digital transformation on the horizon.
Use the tips listed above to minimize the difficulty of the process and encourage a smooth, engaging transition. How you support your teams, train employees, and outsource the process can make a world of difference in the overall success of the transformation, and subsequently, adoption.