Digital transformation is, for most executives and organizations, top of mind as we look to shift our people, processes and platforms to a more connected, efficient and effective ecosystem. For many brands, the reality is that transformation has not come at the behest of an internal quest for innovation but rather to keep up with a connected customer making new choices based on experiences and value delivery.
But the quest for transformation has been rife with buzzwords, failed promises and more than a few platform investments that have only partially yielded results. Teams continue to be hampered by fractured operations and limited access to customer intelligence, and there is growing frustration that transformation initiatives may prove to be never-ending with no real payoff in sight.
The call to action for business leaders focused on growth is to shake off the missteps of past transformation programs and embrace new strategies that empower employees to act. This also means entrusting teams with intelligence and insight into the customer, and better connect and align teams and partners across the customer engagement lifecycle, in order to deploy truly relevant and meaningful experiences. These experiences, according to today’s customer, must be personalized, relevant and must not violate the customer’s trust that the data they have provided the brands they love has not been misused or mismanaged.