In a matter of weeks, Covid-19 became one of the greatest tribulations the world has faced in decades. Its impact immediate and far-reaching, almost shutting the physical world down, and pushing various industries to seek refuge in the realm of the digital universe. By now, organizations around the globe have adapted to this new reality by digitalizing at least some parts of their business model.
However, being agile in technology adoption is merely the first step towards sustainability. Quick fixes and patchwork solutions will not stand the test of time. Businesses need to optimize and strengthen their digital technologies by devising a resilient online strategy that takes into consideration its impact towards their stakeholders, infrastructure, workforce, partners and customers.
Leverage New Data Sets
As consumers are experiencing a new normal, so too have their digital habits and preferences changed, and changed drastically. This pattern will continue to develop and evolve over time, rendering older analytics model irrelevant. Companies must leverage new data sets and modelling techniques by utilizing AI-powered solutions that are able to operate in an uncertain environment to make immediate, insight-backed decisions. In doing so, it will allow personalization strategies to be kept updated and changeable at a moment’s notice without reducing business productivity and efficiency in the event another crisis or unforeseen incident were to transpire.
Enhance Workforce Experience
Remote work has also proven to be crucial in maintaining business continuity and prevent operational slowdowns. However, working away from physical offices pose new-fangled challenges as employees find it harder to be productive, engaged and aligned. Putting aside jobs requiring in-person exchanges, the limiting factors are usually virtual resources and technology support.
This is where companies should transform remote work into remote collaboration through the use of advanced productivity solutions, enabling C-level executives and managers to define team goals and individual contributions. In the long run, this creates a dynamic work environment, flexible in terms of location and time management while lowering the infrastructural burden, thus, reducing needless expenses.
Reimagine Customer Experience
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the virtual space is fast becoming more congested as the number of netizens continues to rise. Some organizations have already established their online digital engagement channels while others have begun the undertaking of implementing this technology. Looking beyond personalized offerings and decisions backed by hard data, there is an unmet need that has to be addressed in order for businesses to grow: the soulless algorithm.
Historically, computers lack the ability to take into consideration the emotional factor to further empower customer engagement. In the coming months, digital innovators will redefine how people mingle with technology through Affective Computing or Emotion AI. Instead of replacing human conversation with robots, companies can foray into the world of emotional intelligence and augment their interactions. Ergo, businesses will gain a much deeper understanding of their customers and design offerings that can adapt to their ever-evolving sentiment.
Security for Digital Technologies
Digital technologies indubitably opens up new possibilities. But it also brings new security challenges with it. The most prevailing of these is ever-changing security needs as having an online presence opens the doors to a multitude of potential cyberattacks, data breaches and security threats. Everything from enterprise data to IoT devices are vulnerable and any damage laid upon them may lead to severe disruptions in critical organization activities that could have grave implications.
By executing an effective cybersecurity strategy, organizations can advance their threat detection, protection and ultimately, prevention, thereby safeguarding their workforce and user experience. Some of these cybersecurity measures include advanced security analytics, network monitoring, remote investigation and response, and two-factor authentication. The reward for getting this right is tremendous as it allows for the creation of a seamless and successful digital transformation journey.
Beyond Covid-19
In many ways, the Covid-19 pandemic has provided an unprecedented learning opportunity for businesses around the world. Digital technologies have been improving and evolving but many are still being underutilized. Now that the need is upon us, perception has changed for the better as many more organizations are accelerating their digital transformative plans. Through this shifting landscape, business leaders ought to take up the mantle in reevaluating and repurposing their digital strategies to fast-track recovery efforts and thrive as we venture into a post-coronavirus world.