In short – a digital transformation consultant helps businesses leverage digital technologies to enhance their human resources, marketing processes and operations, in order to improve customer experiences and drive overall growth and efficiency.
But before we look at what a digital transformation consultant does in more detail, let’s ensure we fully understand what digital transformation is to begin with.
Digital Transformation Defined
As the term ‘digital transformation’ is so broad, it will look different for every business, so it can be tricky to pinpoint a definition that applies to all. That said, generally speaking, digital transformation refers to the process of using digital technologies to enhance various aspects and activities of a business, including its business models, customer experiences, production and cultural norms.
In essence, digital transformation changes how an organisation operates and ultimately delivers value to their customers. It’s also a cultural change that requires businesses to continually challenge the status quo, experiment, and of course, get comfortable if they are faced with failure.
4 Types of Digital Transformation
As briefly touched on above, there are four main types of digital transformation – business model, business process, cultural/organisational, and domain transformation.
- Business model transformation – This type involves rethinking the core ways an organisation generates revenue and delivers value to customers. For example, transitioning from traditional product sales to subscription-based models or launching digital marketplaces.
- Business process transformation – This type of transformation aims to improve the efficiency of internal operations. For example, implementing digital technologies to streamline workflows, reduce tasks, and enhance productivity amongst staff.
- Cultural transformation – Cultural and organisational transformation focuses on changing the mindset, behaviour, and structure of an organisation to foster innovation and collaboration. It understands that technology alone isn’t enough and therefore emphasises the need for a business culture that embraces change and continuous learning.
- Domain transformation – Finally, this type of transformation refers to an organisation leveraging new technology to expand its offerings. By entering new fields and offering a wider net of services or products that belong to different markets, opportunity for organisational growth is huge.
What Does a Digital Transformation Consultant Actually Do?
To put it simply, it is the role of the digital transformation consultant to implement strategic technological changes in order for the business to become more efficient, productive & ultimately, more profitable.
Here’s a more in-depth look at what a digital transformation consultant typically does:
1. Business Assessment
A digital transformation consultant will firstly assess the organisation’s current state & needs. For example, they will look at the organisation’s goals, challenges, and existing technology landscape.
This initial assessment process is crucial for understanding the organisation’s unique operations and determining the most effective strategies for successful transformation. Digital transformation consultants will then work closely with key stakeholders to develop an exhaustive digital transformation strategy that aligns with the organisation’s unique objectives.
2. Technology Selection and Adoption
Consultants will then identify the necessary technologies and tools that can help the business achieve its digital transformation goals. These technologies could include artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, automation and data analytics, just to name a few.
During the technology adoption stage, consultants evaluate potential solutions, recommend the best fit, and ensure the chosen technologies are successfully implemented into the organisation.
Working with key digital tools such as Ansible, we at Fuse digital consulting have assisted partners in delivering key infrastructure automation projects across the Central Government on their journey to a hybrid cloud environment.
3. Process Improvement
Digital transformation usually involves optimising existing organisational processes. Consultants therefore work with teams to identify any inefficiencies and bottlenecks. Once these areas for improvement have been identified, they will redesign processes to be more streamlined, automated, and responsive to changing demands.
For example, consultants might identify repetitive manual tasks that can be automated using digital tools. In this case, they would design and implement workflow automation solutions to streamline these processes, reduce errors, and free up employee time so that they can spend their time on more value-added tasks.
4. Data Utilisation
Data is absolutely essential in digital transformation as consultants will analyse and leverage data utilisation in order to make informed decisions and identify new opportunities.
For example, they might analyse past data to build predictive models that forecast future trends and potential outcomes. For instance, predicting future customer demand of a product/ service will help businesses plan resources and inventory accordingly.
Consultants might also utilise data to assist with fraud detection and help manage business risk. By implementing data-driven tools, they can identify patterns that might indicate potential fraud or security breaches.
5. KPI Measurement and Continuous Improvement
Digital transformation is an ongoing process and digital transformation consultants play a focal role in measuring key performance indicators (KPIs) and driving continuous improvement.
Consultants will work closely with stakeholders to define specific KPIs that align with the organisation’s digital transformation objectives and use them to evaluate the performance of the transformation efforts.
A good example of this can be seen in manufacturing process optimisation with production cycle time (the time taken to complete a manufacturing process) as the main KPI. Consultants gather data on each step of the manufacturing process, identify inefficient areas that cause longer cycle times and implement processes such as lean methodologies, automation, and real-time monitoring to reduce cycle times and improve overall efficiency.
The Benefits of Digital Transformation Consulting
Working with a digital transformation consultant offers a plethora of benefits for businesses looking to adopt digital technologies and strategies into their processes.
Here are some of the key benefits of digital transformation consulting:
- Consultants can introduce automation in your organisation’s digital process – This will streamline processes, reduce costs, improve accuracy and reduce low-value tasks.
- Improved employee satisfaction – The implementation of digital tools can empower employees to work more efficiently and collaboratively, while automated processes avoid employees carrying out repetitive tasks, resulting in improved job satisfaction and in turn, higher productivity.
- Improved customer satisfaction – Consultants can use data analytics to gain insights into customer behaviour and preferences. This information can then be used to improve strategies and better meet customer needs. Also, by assisting the implementation of automation and digital tools, customers will benefit from a higher quality service and potential new offerings.
- Cost savings – While hiring a digital transformation consultant requires investment, their expertise and professional knowledge can help businesses avoid costly mistakes and inefficient implementations, leading to long-term cost savings.
- Risk management – Consultants will assess any potential risks and vulnerabilities associated with digital transformation and will help organisations implement security measures and compliance agreements.
Choosing the right digital transformation partner is absolutely essential, especially in today’s market. With increasing bid outputs and win rates, diversifying your offering with new services and opening up new revenue streams is where Fuse adds value to your organisation.
To discover more about how our digital transformation consultancy can help your business become more efficient, effective and more cost-effective, get in touch with our experts.