What’s The Big Deal? People And Technology Must Unite

Digital Technology

Companies that have successfully adopted digital technology have also enabled a transformation in their value propositions, evolving every level of their business to ensure it is data driven, customer- centric, and agile.

However, sometimes there is a blocker, and this ultimately comes from human intervention and not the technology developed to roll out what is required to optimize the supply chain to meet with consumers expectations – not only now, but also into our ever evolving and excitingly speedy consumer future.

“Mindsets”

Before a company can embark on the new and exciting journey of digitizing its supply chain, it needs to consider the foundations that are supporting their decisions and this nearly always comes down to “people mindset.” It’s highly likely that those at the top of the tree will understand the many benefits achievable by embracing the new technologies available to them.

However, this mindset often hasn’t been filtered down through the “troops” so is a problematic comprehension for those who have always worked with manual systems, in a traditionally slow and inefficient manner, and some of the older employees are often reluctant to abandon their “comfort zone” and prefer to stick with these outdated processes. This hesitant mentality can be overcome by utilizing supply chain technology that is easy to use and with an intuitive interface that won’t overwhelm the user with numerous options and data points.

“Forbes Technology Councils, Tony Colon, correctly quoted that “Without a change in the way people work and behave, the technology falls flat.” in his 2018 article and so, with this in mind, it’s prevalent to ensure a specific plan gets forged and gets expertly executed by a team geared towards changing mindsets throughout the company. “When it comes to change management, “implementation” isn’t the end—it’s just the beginning.” quoted Beth Banks.

Can this mindset be altered and should it even need to be? The simple answer is a resounding “YES!”, but let’s look at why and how.

It’s a given fact that:

• People are as important to technology as is the digitization process itself.
• There is no room for a “heart and mind” mentality – it’s time to let go and embrace the exciting new technologies afforded of us.
• People need to be educated into the understanding that these technologies support their roles and do not risk their worth or jobs.

Consumer Expectations Matter

So how can the above facts be considered and faced, to achieve the best possible outcome for businesses embracing the necessary digitization processes required to meet with today’s consumer’s expectations? Well, first and foremost, a proper roadmap and structure need to be established and implemented, and this must get developed and instigated from the very top down with absolute surety and without deviation.

It’s imperative that every player within the value chain understand the seismic shift that’s about to occur and is ready to embrace the “proof of concept” required to “keep the faith,” not only within the business itself but throughout the acquired customer base and also the consumer of the future.

Companies who understand that digitization is inevitable and that by digitizing data and using collaboration tools are essential to future proof their business are the key players in today’s fast paced consumer world.