Digitisation Without the Chaos A Practical Guide for SMEs
For many growing businesses, implementing a new software solution can feel overwhelming. Whilst it can revolutionise the way you work for the good, the very idea creates visions of expensive projects that are over budget, over time and causing major disruption, to create an over complicated system that employees struggle to use. As a result, many SMEs delay digitisation because they fear the process will create more problems than it solves, instead putting up with disparate systems, a myriad of spreadsheets, and a lack of clarity.
In reality, successful digitisation is often much simpler than businesses expect and, when done well, is much more far reaching than just putting in a new system. A good digitisation project can be used as a catalyst to drive staff wellbeing, customer satisfaction and cultural change, as well as improve productivity, reduce mistakes and improve cashflow.
It can still be a huge cultural shift though, so at Prune software we often find that in established businesses, the most effective approach to digital transformation is to stage It to tackle one element at a time to build experience, trust and comfort with the change. Businesses that focus on solving one operational challenge at a time are usually the ones that achieve the strongest longer-term results as they take people with them. After all no one likes change or the unknown, but they do like easier working practices, less stress and the removal of frustrating or repetitive tasks. Therefore, by giving them a taste of what is coming, it helps people to envision the future, understand the benefits, and look forward with hope to the future digitised business. As such digitisation does not need to happen overnight, and it does not require replacing every system immediately.
The best way to start is to really understand the business, where it is and where it could be. Get a really clear vision of what you want to achieve and what success looks like, and make sure you involve the team, so they have ownership. That way you can ensure that the first steps are impactful and positive for the front line. Afterall, they are the people who will use it and will make or break the success of the system. It is really useful to quantify things at this point as clarity is key and this means that you focus on staying on track, which reduces mission and budget creep.
Begin by identifying core challenges, low hanging fruit and repetitive tasks that consume unnecessary amounts of time and cause mistakes or frustration. This could include anything from quoting, invoicing, stock management, operational scheduling, reporting, or business administration. Automating these processes can quickly reduce administration while improving accuracy and operational visibility.
Research from McKinsey and Company shows that businesses embracing digital tools effectively often improve productivity and agility significantly faster than competitors relying on outdated processes. However you must consider how people make systems work and feel about change. It is always a good idea to refresh your thinking on leading through change too, so a flick through one of John Knotters books or a copy of “Who moved my cheese” etc. may help.
Remember, employees are far more likely to embrace new systems when they understand the reason behind the changes, experience the issues, and can buy into the vision. Communication is essential during periods of operational transformation. Teams want reassurance, clarity, and confidence that new systems will genuinely improve their daily work. Deloitte reporting states that “Digital transformation succeeds when organisations combine technology with strong employee engagement and leadership support.”
One of the most important aspects of successful digitalisation is choosing systems that support the way the business already operates. Technology should simplify work rather than create unnecessary complexity. It might be that there isn’t an off the shelf solution that exactly meets your need though and in that instance you need to consider modifications. Some systems can be configured but not changed. Some can be changed using lots of easy to use plug ins, but be mindful of costs and limits. The costs of running a system like this can seem small for each item, but soon add up to be surprisingly expensive. Other more modern systems, like Prune’s can be adapted easily and for a low cost to give you a truly bespoke system at a very competitive price point.
Another misconception is that digital transformation is only relevant for large corporations. In reality, SMEs often benefit the most because small operational improvements can create meaningful gains in efficiency and profitability. A good digitisation project improves visibility across the business by providing real time information that allows leaders to make better decisions, improve forecasting, and identify bottlenecks more quickly.
In summary, approach clearly by focusing on removing operational noise, simplifying workflows, and improving clarity for growing businesses. Keep staff on side by engaging them throughout the process and ensuring they have quick wins. Be really clear about your goals and be targeted. The businesses that adapt successfully are not always the ones investing the most money into technology. They are usually the businesses focused on simplifying operations and creating scalable systems that support sustainable growth, by looking holistically at the business and working with their software provider as a team.
If you want to find out more about how to digitise your business, then watch out for the launch of our digitisation resources over the next few weeks. Or you can just give us a call and we can have a no strings chat.