Since the COVID-19 pandemic began over 2 years ago, business as a whole has had to make a colossal shift into the digital world. The world as we knew it seemed to change overnight. This transition where we were not only connected by technology, but completely reliant upon it, made a huge impact on the way many companies do business. Customer service and experience has continued to adapt as businesses realize that there is no way to completely “go back” to the way things were before. The result is a meteoric rise in digital transformation and the need for businesses to adapt to stay current.
Disruption
At its core, digital transformation is about a disruption of an industry. It marks a rethinking of how your organization uses technology, people, and processes in pursuit of new revenue opportunities and business models, brought on by the change in customer expectations.
Some examples of this include big box stores like Walmart and Target shifting their business to focus on curbside pick up. A pre-pandemic example was Dominos launching their “Pizza Tracker” function for online ordering. You can now watch your pizza flow through the process of being made, baked, and out for delivery. It seems small, but it fundamentally changed the experience for consumers, as every major food delivery chain adopted a similar process. You can find other great examples of digital transformation here.
Understanding The Possibilities
When it comes to digital transformation, you must begin with a fundamental understanding of the potential of your technology. Along with that, make sure that whatever you are dreaming up makes sense for your business, now and in the future. Consumer buying habits and how they digest information will continue to adapt and evolve. New technologies and platforms will give businesses multiple options for how they operate, and how they get their marketing messaging out. Look at what Netflix did.
They took their mail order DVD model and launched us into the future with the advent of streaming entertainment. While that is a one in a million example of successful digital transformation, it’s the perfect example of a smart business decision combined with understanding the possibilities of increased technology.
Applying It To Marketing
One way in which digital transformation applies to the way we market is with the use of artificial intelligence. How often do you find a chatbot on a website there to assist you while you browse a homepage? That chatbot is there to provide a low-cost way to assist customers, in real time, to make sure their needs are being met.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is another piece of the digital transformation and marketing puzzle. CRM systems like Hubspot or Salesforce completely innovate the way we organize, segment, and speak to our customers. Thanks to this remarkable software and the data they compile, we, as marketers, are able to address customer needs in a way that makes them feel understood and heard. This leads to a happy customer, who is more likely to then become a brand advocate and repeat customer. It makes a lot more sense to keep existing customers happy versus having to continually find new ones.
Digital transformation is the way of the future. As the world continues to adapt and grow in a more digital direction, don’t get left behind. PRIME is focused on digital marketing and utilizes the tools and tactics to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to marketing outreach. With what seems like constant change in digital marketing technology and strategies, it can be overwhelming. If you’re wanting to better understand how digital transformation can help your business, reach out! We’re here to help.
If you enjoyed this edition of PRIME Pulse, take a look at some of our other related articles:
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