The unprecedented situation that we are facing for more than a year has brought many challenges for businesses worldwide. The restrictions imposed by the COVID pandemic, as well as people’s reluctance to direct interaction with others have forced organizations to adopt new ways of working and accelerate the adoption of technology.

For large companies, the process of digital transformation may not be very troublesome, because they already have the necessary resources and infrastructures. Smaller organizations, however, are dealing with various issues in their attempt to digitalize their business. But whether we are talking about cultural, technical or financial problems, overcoming them is totally worth it, because it is the companies that can leverage technology that can increase efficiency and maximize profits.

Here are some of the most common barriers organizations have to overcome to achieve digital transformation:

Organizational culture

One of the most common misconceptions when it comes to digitalization is that the transformation is completed once new technologies and tools are implemented. While this is partially true, you should not forget that a company is just as performing as its people are, and they are the ones that must adapt to these changes. This means that digitalization is fully achieved once there is a shift in organizational culture, towards the acceptance of technology.

The adoption of digitalization within the organization can become troublesome if your people are reluctant to it. They may be used to certain tools or workflows, so it is tough to switch to new technologies and software solutions. For this reason, when implementing new solutions, you need to make sure the people working in the company will embrace it, because, after all, they are the final users.

To overcome this prominent digital transformation issue, you will have to pay close attention to how you communicate the changes to people in your company or department. The best thing you could do is stress the importance of digitalization and the benefits it will bring to employees’ everyday activities. Another thing you must do is choose tools that are easy to use and make sure the provider offers specialized training for end-users. This will help employees understand that new tools can be user-friendly and change is a positive thing.

Budget planning

Digital transformation can be costly if you do not pay attention to budget planning and lack a clear vision about how the process should take place. Not having a plan can jeopardize the entire digitalization process, because you may end up discovering you cannot afford all the changes. What you must do is set up a limited budget for building digital solutions for your company and see how flexible those limits can get.

To achieve digital transformation, a business must invest in acquiring the right technology, as well as the right software provider for development and implementation. Fortunately, companies like Amazon, Google or Microsoft offer Cloud solutions that you can use without major costs because they do not involve the acquisition of hardware or software licenses. A dedicated software company will help you with consultancy and decision-making so that you can implement the solution that is most suitable for your company at the moment, but that will also answer future needs if the business grows. So, if you choose a professional team for the digital transformation project, the changes will prove to be profitable, because technology is for sure a decisive factor for business success.

Choosing the right technologies

For companies where the level of digitization is low, choosing the right technologies for their enterprise solutions can become a challenge. One thing to consider is the fact that the software will serve your organization for years, so it needs to be flexible and scalable, to keep up with the changes the company will undergo. Since the business model should always adapt to variables such as economic factors, experts recommend flexible apps that allow the addition of new features or change of existing ones, without rewriting code. You probably want the business to grow in the upcoming years, and in this situation, it is advisable to update the solutions you are using, instead of replacing them completely. For scalable software, the ideal option is Cloud storage, as long as you pay attention to what hardware and software configuration you need. Besides this, make sure the provider is available not only for development and for implementation, but technical support and maintenance as well.

Another thing you should keep in mind is the requirements and features desired – and pick the development technologies accordingly. Other aspects to consider are user-friendliness, security and integration with other apps (SFA, CRM, or ERP) that you may be already using.

All in all, what you should choose is a Cloud-based solution with a user-friendly interface, which is stable and can be accessed from any device. Mobile apps that are responsive and can be accessed regardless of the Internet connection are also a lifesaver, especially in remote working conditions.

Modern-day businesses need to understand the importance of digital transformation because it is the only way to improve internal processes and keep up with the competition. In a world dominated by technology, many tend to develop chaotically and choose the wrong software solutions, and this can only be avoided if you choose to collaborate with a dedicated provider with experience in full-cycle development, from the initial stages of a project to deployment and beyond.