When talking about digital transformation we often only hear about it being discussed in a business capacity. Digital transformation is a process that affects more areas of our lives than we may care to admit. Since the inception of the computer, digital technology has grown exponentially. Each aspect of our lives will have been changed by digital solutions, whether that solution is directly chosen or simply how a product or service has been made.
Digital transformation is often connected to the customer experience, while customer experience is mainly people-focused. Digital transformation can have a large impact on many aspects of a customer’s experience.
What is Digital Transformation?
Digital transformation refers to the process a company uses to implement new digital systems in their current way of doing business. This could be replacing old manual systems with a more streamlined digital process or updating older digital processes with new software which has more functionality than previous systems.
What types of Digital solutions are currently being used in consumer-focused industries?
There are many types of digital solutions that are being used in customer-focused industries. For example, when you head into your local supermarket each check-out has the ability to pay via contactless. This system now includes using software such as apple pay or digital wallets found on your smartphone or smart device. Many stores now have self-scanning machines, these self-checkouts weigh the items in the bagging area. For larger stores, you can also scan as you go. This digital solution puts the scanner in the hands of the shopper to use while they are walking around the store.
There are many different digital solutions that stores can access, and digitising the shopping experience will only continue as more technology is introduced.
How does Digital Transformation affect the Customer Experience?
Digital Transformation can affect the customer experience in many ways. Most companies hope that digital transformation will have positive effects on a consumer’s experience, either by speeding up the sales process. Or by enhancing the experience and creating a long-lasting memory that will continue to bring the customer back for more.
Depending on the digital solution that a business has introduced, some of these transformations have had negative impacts on the customer experience. If you think back to the first time self-checkout was introduced in supermarkets many people detested the idea. As a business, you need to get under the skin of your customers and employees, decide what digital solutions are going to enhance their experience for the better, and also decide if they are ready for that transformation. As we get more comfortable with digital solutions affecting our everyday lives, more consumers will be more accepting of newer solutions.
What digital experiences can we expect to see in consumer-focused industries?
As we look at the digital landscape as a whole there are many speculations we can make in regards to digital transformation. Firstly, the adoption of Augmented Reality will become more prominent as the solution becomes more affordable for businesses to adopt. Using AR for consumers to virtually try on items or digitally place them around their homes will be available on the wider market.
In addition to AR, Artificial Intelligence may become more integrated into our society. Having AI systems in place to help with generalised questions and order processes may be seen in many stores. Amazon go is already using similar technologies, it is only a matter of time before other stores begin to implement them.
There are many ways digital transformation can drive the customer experience forwards. For the most part, this advancement will only be beneficial to businesses and customers alike. If you want to ensure that the digital solutions you are integrating are the right ones for your customers, employees and business contact us now for our holistic approach to digital transformation.
