We all know the importance of having a strong online presence, yet so many companies still stick to traditional methods in order to provide services and products to their customers. While more than 70% of companies had already undergone a digital transformation or in the process of working on one before the onset of Covid-19, but for many, the process wasn’t far enough along for the virus not to make an impact.
Although there’s hope for things to get back to normal as soon as possible, the world is unlikely to be exactly the same when all the stress and anxiety of Covid-19 has disappeared. If businesses can learn anything from this crisis, it’s that a digital transformation is key to survival. These are just a few of the reasons why it’s more important than ever to take your business digital.
The importance of digitising documents
Covid-19 shows us the importance of having digital copies of all documents in order to make them accessible to everyone without worrying about the risk of spreading the illness further. It’s now possible to have all of your paper documents scanned and digitised easily so that staff no longer need to struggle to find important information within complex filing systems.
With a digitised system, everything is available and searchable much more easily, which makes your team more efficient and productive. There are many advantages to a digital system, including GDPR compliance, greater security where confidential information and sensitive data is concerned, as well as more flexibility for your business.
It makes your business more adaptable
The lockdown advice that came into effect in March meant that many brick and mortar businesses had to close, which was a tough blow for a large number of small companies. Many have had to adapt as a result of Covid-19, whether that’s gyms and sports centres offering video alternatives to their workout sessions, or teachers and tutors offering online lessons instead of in-person classes.
Covid-19 has proven itself to be a time of change, so what better time to adapt your business to make it more flexible? By making the switch to a digital way of working, you’ll be in a better position to alter your business accordingly to meet the demands of the customers and survive in the current climate.
Access to the cloud
The coronavirus has meant that staff are out of the office in the vast majority of cases. Without access to the cloud, companies would struggle to share and co-edit documents securely and continue to carry out their jobs. By taking your business digital, you can make working much easier for your employees.
For those not used to working digitally, Covid-19 may have expedited the need for a digital transformation but that’s not a negative – it makes for easier working, more accessibility for staff and helps your staff to work in real-time with one another for greater collaboration. From gathering analytics data to uploading reports, finding documents and working on designs in real-time, working via the cloud has transformed how so many businesses work.
The ability to work from home
Working from home has become the new norm as a result of people being confined to their homes during the pandemic. But the ability to work more flexibly has long been a wish of workers who want to ditch the long commutes and have a better work-life balance. Industries which previously prohibited working from home have had to allow this way of working, and those who have already taken their business online have found the transition much smoother.
By digitising your business, you’re in a great position to adapt when necessary, not only to huge events such as Covid-19 but also to the individual needs of your employees. There’s no longer a need to halt campaigns or forego meetings just because not every member of the team is in the office. With a digital system in place, your staff can work from anywhere which means your business can continue to run, regardless of what is happening.
Final thoughts
In today’s uncertain times, being accessible has never been more important to the success of your business. By switching to a digitised way of working and taking advantage of services that allow you to move your paper documents to a more secure digital system, your business can continue to run throughout Covid-19 and beyond. Digital transformation doesn’t have to be overwhelming – the benefits that come from developing a forward-thinking digital company can be long-lasting. It could even turn out to be a silver lining for your business.
