Digital Transformation a Struggle for More Than Half of Enterprises

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Feeling stuck in the stone age?

At many organizations, the digital transformation process feels more like a glacially slow evolution. And unless they pick up the pace, they risk falling behind to their more tech-savvy competition.

Conceptually, digital transformation makes a lot of sense for enterprises seeking to get ahead in the so-called digital economy. Advancements in business analytics, mobility, social media and cloud computing — to name just a few of the innovations affecting the market for enterprise IT solutions — allow businesses to optimize workflows, collaborate better and react faster to trends and shifting market forces.

Incorporating those technologies is easier said than done at many organizations.

More than half (52 percent) of the IT decision makers recently quizzed by the pollsters at Vanson Bourne on behalf of software and IT services provider Sungard AS said their organizations’ digital transformation efforts weren’t moving as fast as management expects. Fifty-four percent said the pace of digital transformation was failing to meet the expectations of office workers. The companies surveyed 715 IT decision makers and 1,400 business employees across the U.S., the U.K., France, Ireland and Sweden.

Forty percent of IT decision makers admitted that they lacked the skills to integrate required to integrate new applications into their current setups. Thirty-percent of rank-and-file workers felt their competitors were winning the race.

“Almost every business states that adopting the latest digital technologies is vital in remaining competitive, and if IT fails to deliver, everything from staff retention and employee productivity to customer engagement and ultimately business growth is at stake,” commented Keith Tilley, executive vice president of Global Sales and Customer Services Management at Sungard Availability Services. “The key is staying in control of your organization’s IT and creating the right conditions for it to be predictable and productive, which ultimately drives greater productivity and better business resilience.”

When it’s firing on all cylinders, a digital transformation initiative can have beneficial effects.

A whopping 85 percent of IT directors said it helps them develop more skills and makes their jobs more exciting. Meanwhile, end-users enjoy improved productivity (60 percent), enhanced employee satisfaction (58 percent) and increased staff mobility (52 percent). An estimated 40 percent of businesses said successful digital transformation projects have increased overall revenue, customer satisfaction and agility.

Pedro Hernandez is a contributing editor at Datamation. Follow him on Twitter @ecoINSITE.