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Introduction: The Digital Transformation and AI Revolution
The buzz is in the air, almost every conference talk at industry events seems to mention AI in one form or another. Whether the focus is on process automation, improving actionable insights or content creation, the rapid shift towards transforming businesses through digitisation is happening. But despite the clear benefits, many businesses still cling to paper-based processes.
The Reality of Paper-Based Businesses
It is probably not surprising how many businesses still rely heavily on paper. Whether it is due to habit, perceived costs, regulatory compliance and/ or security concerns, risk-averse industries will air on the side of caution when it comes to major process change. Last year research from Crown Records Management revealed that 49% of UK businesses still operate a physical paper filing system. Paper documents passed from person to person, stored in boxes potentially never to see the light of day again. For these organisations, the real challenge is recognising the risks and missed opportunities that come with holding back on their digital transformation journey.
The Dangers of Being Paper-Based
Some of the more obvious dangers of keeping to a paper-based process are the major inefficiencies. They are prone to human error, require substantial storage space, and have a significant environmental impact. We looked in depth at some of the inefficient processes out there in our blog Streamlining Sales and Customer Service that highlight these issues.
One of the major dangers is data security. Businesses like facilities management firms involve strict regulatory compliance. Paper records can lead to non-compliance due to mismanagement or loss, risking hefty fines. Digital record-keeping enables secure, accessible, and compliant documentation, helping to mitigate some of the potential risks.
Missed Opportunities
One of the biggest opportunities that digitising brings is the ability to empower data-driven decision-making. With a physical paper filing system, most of an organisation's data is either locked away in cardboard boxes or shredded. By transitioning to a more digital way of working that data can be put to work. According to a report by Deloitte, digitally mature companies in manufacturing report a 45% revenue growth compared to 15% for companies with lower digital maturity (*1).
Manufacturing is an industry that still has paper holding a lot of processes together. By utilising digital systems to monitor production processes, machine performance, and supply chain logistics, manufacturers can identify bottlenecks, predict maintenance needs and optimize resource allocation. Having this data available means you can forecast equipment failures before they happen, reducing downtime and saving costs.
5 Steps to Transitioning to a Digital Process
So the opportunities have been laid out. How do you go about starting your journey to impactful digitalisation within your organisation?
1. Assess your existing workflow
Map out the existing workflows you have in place, and keep an eye out for any form of process
Welcome to our blog, where we explore the digital transformation and AI revolution, uncovering the shift from paper-based processes to efficient, secure, and data-driven business practices.
or data duplication. Make sure you note any data that you are currently consuming, creating or monitoring. Conversations with the team are a solid way to start as well as workplace observations. We cover this in greater detail in our User Research Toolkit blog post. The important thing here is not to assume you know everything, even if you have been in the industry for 20+ years, make the most of the team you have around you and if your plan is to deliver something digital-facing, you guessed it, talk to your customers.
2. Map your requirements.
You have mapped out your existing process, spoken to your team and started to highlight some areas for massive improvements. That's a lot of things to fix. Now you need to prioritise which area to focus on and start to outline your requirements. Which changes will make the most impact on your business? Will the focus be streamlining your process or increasing customer engagement?
3. Scour the market for existing tools
Now you have established your requirements, start researching existing tools that are in the market. It’s time to establish whether you are going to go off the shelf or look to get something developed that is bespoke to your needs. There is a balance here of cost and flexibility. As always, don’t do this alone, chat with your industry peers to see what is working for them.
4. Pilot the new platform
Once you are ready for implementation, start with a pilot for a department or a small segment of the team. Gathering feedback during this stage will highlight minor niggles which you can iron out, as well as allow you to see if there are any additional training requirements that might be needed during a larger rollout. It's important that as part of this pilot phase, you communicate with your team and discuss the benefits of this change so you get buy-in from staff from the outset.
5. Expand and monitor
Keep tracking the performance of the platform you have in place. Keep communicating with your team and remember this is a journey. You will probably find parts of the process that need tweaking and improving. If you have gone down the route of bespoke development, this is your opportunity to fine tune the platform so your organisation can get the most out of it.
Conclusion
Making the move from paper to digital is not optional for businesses aiming to remain competitive, it’s essential. Embracing digital transformation can unlock new levels of efficiency, security, and growth. The initial investment of time and money is outweighed by the long-term benefits, making the shift to digital necessary for future success.
If you’re struggling with this transition and need a partner to help unlock the opportunities that come from a better understanding of your people, processes, and technology, we’re just a phone call away.
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