Digital evolution in a post-COVID world
While many organisations have kept a cautious eye on the concept of digital transformation for some time — perhaps making incremental improvements between tending to initiatives considered to be more pressing — it’s safe to say COVID-19 has been effective in dragging many digital laggards kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
What the pandemic environment has also done is challenged those with the unwavering mentality that implementing technology and digital solutions must be perfectly executed without any hiccups the first-time round.
A revelation we couldn’t be happier about.
In fact, we believe the introduction of agile methodology and the prospect of making incremental digital improvements — rather than waiting for all of the elements to fit perfectly — is the missing piece of the transformation puzzle that is so often responsible for instilling fear into decision makers, stifling organisational growth, and ultimately holding back the digital potential of many businesses.
So, to shed some light on the topic of digital evolution in the post-COVID world, our Head of Digital and Innovation Rob Lovegrove touches on the six immediate opportunities faced by organisations moving forward in this new era.
Work-from-home
As the WFH acronym becomes commonplace among firms and government departments everywhere, the shift from a shared office space to remote online access has nudged people who were traditionally non-technically minded to adopt digital habits that were previously relegated to the ‘too hard’ basket.
Contactless payments
We’ve seen a (somewhat mandatory) shift to contactless payments across the board, further embedding the prevalence of smart devices and contactless tech into our everyday lives.
Online shopping
Naturally, following an increase in contactless payments in a physical setting comes totally contactless shopping in the cyber environment. In a bid to keep the community safe, traditional shoppers have switched up a physical trip to the store for delivery and click-and-collect services — meaning the volume and demographics of the people accessing your services has likely changed for good.
Cyber security
Late adopters are at an increased risk of cyber security risks, increasing the importance for companies to have conversations around robust internal information services and legal review.
Digital news uptake
A decrease in out-of-home and print advertising has seen digital communication alternatives skyrocket — but we’re here to tell you that there is still immense value in leveraging a range of stakeholder touchpoints.
Blockchain technology
What will surely be one of the stand-out new players following this pandemic in the long term is blockchain technology. In particular, the ability to attach a digital stamp at each stage of a product or service lifecycle to provide an absolute guarantee against any impropriety or supply chain tampering.
While the occurrence of these trends can’t solely be attributed to COVID-19, this new-age environment is certainly forcing organisations to be mindful of their digital journey — with shareholders, employees and consumers in prime position to reap the benefits.