What is digital adoption?
Digital adoption enables employees to improve the way they work through the optimal use of new technology. It describes a process by which new tools and systems are implemented, after being selected for their ability to achieve business objectives and drive efficiency by streamlining work processes.
It isn’t only about technology, however. Digital adoption also presents the ideal time to focus on users and how workplace development can also benefit their careers. Companies should always place their strategy at the intersection between user experience, productivity and technology best practices.
Navigating these changes successfully will usually require a shift to a digital mindset, incurring significant organisational change. During any digital transformation, a company must properly embed change and engage employees, to avoid workplace friction. Harvard Business Review surveyed companies on digital adoption in 2021, finding that although 89% agreed that it was a priority for them, just 30% also thought that their organisation would be able to manage the changes needed effectively.
Digital adoption does bring invaluable benefits to the companies who invest in support needed to make large-scale changes. The ROI will be transparent if your company is building or buying technology, but there are further benefits to all companies regardless of the sector or industry they serve.
These benefits will of course vary from company to company but should include cost savings, greater efficiency and increased productivity overall. This is achieved via improved workflow and better communication between departments. When users, both internal and external, rub up against poor or outdated technology, this can cause frustration which is mostly eradicated with the new streamlined, accessible systems. Digital adoption can also have a positive impact on both employee and customer satisfaction, as a result of these improvements.
In this article, we’ll explore what digital adoption means for your company – how it will benefit your clients, and the different ways you can implement new systems and tools. We’ll also discuss everything you need to know before you get started, the six pillars of digital adoption and how Dyanix can ease your implementation process and ensure long-term, sustainable change.
How does digital adoption benefit your clients?
It’s vital not to wait until your company’s digital adoption is forced by customer demand. You may be procuring new solutions either solely for your internal employees or in some cases, for use by your customer base via the products you sell. In both instances, most customers will expect the technology you use to match their personal technical proficiency. If they feel that you are lagging behind your competitors then this will adversely affect your sales. During the pandemic even those traditionally resistant to or inexperienced in technology needed to increase their usage and confidence, which has stuck.
Digital adoption should always increase efficiency. If your processes are streamlined, this will have a positive impact on customers. Improving accessibility can also entice customers to explore more of your product range, just by increasing their confidence in a product they are already using.
Research from Super Office found that digital adoption helped businesses to meet the needs and expectations of their customers more easily, for 35% of those who responded. 40% of these respondents also claimed improved operational efficiency, with a further 38% stating that they now planned to make increased investments in technology, agreeing that this would support their position within their respective markets.
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Of course, it’s vital that your company measures the performance of any digital investments for itself, either to justify expenditure or make the case for future funding in other areas. To measure the performance of products solely for internal use can be as simple as identifying increased productivity among your employees. For products used wholly or in part by your customers, it’s appropriate to measure against your business KPIs. Many companies will extend this further to actively set and monitor product experience targets.
What are the different ways to implement digital adoption?
First, think about the true scope of digital adoption needed in your organisation. Consider that during the pandemic, employees who were not already comfortable using tools that enable remote working were quickly trained and offered support. This should mean that further digital developments are easier to implement and embed within the workforce. Already, companies that prioritised digital adoption have grown and succeeded within their market as they showed a willingness to adapt.
Your customer base is also more comfortable using apps and digital tools, and they expect the ease and reliability of the most popular apps and tools to be reflected in other apps and websites they use. It’s important to keep your offering ahead of your competitors by offering a full range of features. To drive awareness of these features, you might use in-app notifications and then verify their impact using internal market research and analytics, which can be presented via data visualisation.
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Successful digital adoption will look different in every company. This is why it’s imperative that you work with a consultant who is experienced in embedding the tools you want to introduce via a digital adoption platform. Companies are unlikely to have the necessary expertise in-house as this lies in pure implementation experience across a range of companies. An unbiased, neutral person with the knowledge to ask the right questions that ensure that the tools you introduce can work in the unique way that your company needs. A digital adoption platform works at your speed and with employees at different levels of technical expertise. For example, you might automate onboarding processes that can be accessed flexibly, then plan in-app guidance that provides a walkthrough of the most important processes, and specialised pathways for each job role or group.
What questions should you ask before starting digital adoption?
Answering the following questions about your organisation before you embark on digital adoption will ensure that your project starts on an honest and realistic basis.
Is your existing software performing as you need it to?
You’ll likely know the answer to this already, and staff will have been informing you of problems as they try to carry out their daily work. List all of the improvements that are needed and rank them by priority. This can be refined later on as you discover which of these requirements are built into the new tool and which will need additional configuration.
Is your culture receptive to change?
Building agility in your workforce will help your employees embrace change and be open to improvements in their daily work routines. If your workforce is change averse, you need to increase their confidence in technological disruption for the better with a well-planned and executed digital adoption plan.
How engaged are your employees?
Digital adoption can act as the catalyst for better employee engagement. If your culture is stale and resistant to change, it’s possible to turn new technology into the opportunity to state a commitment to keeping things fresh and positive for everybody. Setting joint objectives alongside personal performance targets can motivate staff to accept a new, engaged culture without undue personal pressure.
The six pillars of digital adoption
It’s important to take on board and plan for all six pillars in your digital adoption strategy: omitting or underplanning just one pillar could cause the entire strategy to fail.
- Strategy
Once your digital adoption strategy is confirmed, you need to communicate it to the staff who haven’t been involved up to this point. This may seem obvious but a surprising number of companies fail to do this effectively. Describe how the strategy will change your organisation and provide reassurance on roles and responsibilities, dedicating extra time to speaking with those whose roles may see significant change. It’s critical that this becomes a two-way conversation. Allowing employees to ask questions and raise concerns from the outset will avoid major issues later on in the implementation phase.
- Culture
Significant change usually incurs a cultural shift: this is completely normal. Explain to employees that the outdated technology belongs in the old culture and that they, the employees, are moving on to a new, agile culture. Ensure that their interactions and experiences with the new tools and processes are positive. Many will have had issues with the old technology so digital adoption can be communicated as a response to and resolution of, the problems they have been experiencing.
- Behaviour
It should be expected that any new processes will feel unsettling and that some employees may feel overwhelmed if they are adapting to new technology and learning about new processes within a short space of time. Ensure that adequate support and training are available to accelerate the learning process for those who adapt well, and extra support and repeat training for those who are struggling.
- Process
Sometimes, your digital adoption implementation will be part of wider organisational change. While you focus on perfecting the process for every role and profile, also look for commonalities to save time and avoid duplication of effort. Large-scale process change can bring together previously unconnected employees to work towards mastering new challenges together.
- Skills
AI is causing a lot of concern, with workers believing that any new technology is designed to make them obsolete. In fact, new tools are designed to automate repetitive tasks and liberate employees to focus on tasks that require human reasoning. They are an opportunity to learn new skills and build more fulfilling careers. Comprehensive training in the new tools should reassure employees of their continuing role, and the scope and purpose of the new technology.
- Software
The new tools, the software, is the centre of digital transformation. Its selection should be based on the needs of the business, customers and end users. The tool must always make work more efficient and productive, whether you are choosing to upgrade a whole system or a minor feature.
How can Dyanix help with your Digital Adoption Process?
If you’ve experienced problems during change processes in the past, pause and reflect on why this happened. The tools may have been right, but your approach was likely wrong. This can prove damaging, as once customers notice a problem or slowing of progress, your competition will start to take advantage.
Apty, our modern digital adoption platform works with employees with any level of technical proficiency. It has been used to complete countless digital adoption implementations in companies of all sizes, serving a wide range of industries. It takes a different approach to many instructional training packages – it establishes two-way communication right from the start.
Apty’s standout feature is its Onscreen Guidance, allowing staff undergoing significant changes to jump straight into their role. They’ll be able to view and test their new workflow and processes immediately. For those who need it, instant support is available.
Apty speeds up the adoption of any tool by up to 300%. But don’t just take our word for it, book a demo with us today.
