You are not alone if your organization is struggling to adopt digital transformation or if there’s a sense of reluctance to start because of looming challenges. Riverbed’s digital performance global survey from 2018 looked at how 1000 business decision-makers handle digital transformation. It found that a whopping 95 percent face challenges to achieving a successful digital strategy.
Common obstacles to digital transformation include budget constraints, resistance to change, legacy infrastructure, cybersecurity risks, and lack of skilled personnel. For every problem, however, there is a solution. These are some of the most prevalent obstacles in digital transformation, but overcoming them is worthwhile.
Here are some of the roadblocks your organization may run into and the ways around them. Every situation is different, of course, so if you don’t see your issues reflected here, don’t worry. When you partner with pros like GroupLink, you can count on the skill and expertise you need to overcome any challenge.
Budget Constraints
Digital transformation can come with a hefty price, depending on your objectives and the position from which you are starting. When planning digital transformation, keep your sights on the return on investment and how long it will take to get there. Investing in digital transformation should add value to your organization. That value should be something you can prove to management, stakeholders, and others who are questioning if it’s a worthwhile endeavor.
Working with an experienced tech company is an excellent way to stretch that budget as far as possible. Professionals with experience know where you should funnel your funds to maximize return. Options like cloud-based technology are also helpful, reducing the initial cost while providing the results your organization needs.
Resistance to Change
Resistance to change can halt digital transformation in its tracks. While CIOs and CTOs can visualize the future benefits, it can be tricky to bring others on board. Buy-in is key, however, which means everyone in the organization needs to understand why digital transformation is important, what it will change and how. And you need to explain how the organization will shift in the wake of this transformation.
Legacy or Rigid IT Infrastructure
One of the most challenging aspects of digital transformation is the system change itself. Many companies are working with rigid and/or legacy infrastructures. They have not kept up with the pace of change over the years (perhaps owing to resistance or budget constraints).
It’s impossible to catch up in one go. Digital transformation has to encompass existing applications and technology that your organization needs to keep doing business.
While there isn’t a surefire shortcut around this obstacle, there are digital tools that integrate well with existing technology. They can enhance what’s already in place rather than replace it outright.
That being said, it’s important to lobby for appropriate spending on modernizing IT. Keep an eye on what technology is growing obsolete and aim to replace it before it becomes more challenging to do so.
Cybersecurity Risks
According to a TechRepublic breakdown of a Nominet report, cybersecurity is a top challenge to digital projects. CIOs and CTOs are concerned about exposure of customer data and increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals. While it’s important to be vigilant about cybersecurity, this doesn’t have to be an obstacle preventing digital transformation. Your organization must work security into every aspect of digital transformation, right from the start. It will also need to keep legacy infrastructure secure while securing new applications.
Lack of Skilled Personnel
As technology evolves, personnel must evolve with it. A Deloitte survey found that 90 percent of surveyed individuals see the need to update tech skills at least annually. Half of those see updating skills as a constant exercise. If your organization is lacking in skilled personnel to keep your newly transformed tech working well, you’re headed for trouble.
Finding, training, and retaining skilled personnel can be tricky. It’s possible to mitigate this problem by working with your existing talent. You can build digital transformation that uses your staff’s existing skills. Invest in skill-building and development. Sticking to accessible and intuitive technology can help too.
We hope this information has you feeling reassured about the potential for digital transformation for your business. Of the business decision-makers that Riverbed surveyed, 91 percent agree that a successful digital experience is more vital to their organization’s bottom line than it was three years ago. Your clients expect a digitally capable business. You can only deliver that through enacting digital transformation successfully.Stay tuned for our next article, Digital Transformation with CIOs & CTOs: Baby Steps and Celebrating Successes. Please contact us with questions or comments in the meantime, using our online form, or by calling us at 801-335-0700. You can also send us an email at info@grouplink.net.