Written by Eleonora Vanello
In the run-up to Christmas, we are sharing some of the learnings from the over 30 Productivity Club events and national conference that took place in 2022.
One of the recurring topics at our Productivity Clubs is Digital Transformation.
Bringing digital technologies and innovation into an organisation can boost business performance, but the scoping out of process can be challenging. We have discovered through our clubs that:
- Clear vision and planning can save time
- Digital improvements should be part of the overall business strategy
- Clear communication as well as strong leadership and management practice make all the difference
- Organisations should assess the digital skills and capabilities needed before embarking on any digital project.
In November, we partnered up with Inspirent , who shared their expertise on how organisations can shape their digital future. We also invited businesses who were recipients of their Digital Development Loan as case study speakers to share their digital transformation experience. Below, we have summarised the case study speaker’s top tips:
Scott Fairburn, CEO of ThermaFY Group (South of Scotland Club)
- The more time you spend at the design stage the better overall, but always validate your assumptions
- Its cultural as well as technical – you have got to take the people with you
- Implementation always takes more time than you planned
Jay Duncan, MD, The Choke Folk (Glasgow Club)
- Be open to support and guidance on how to introduce new digital tools
- Embrace the change within your organisation
- Always look for the opportunity to give back
Joshua Thompson, Ecommerce Manager, GPH Builders Merchants (North East Club)
- Don’t get over-excited to make your changes go live, focus on training your staff pre-launch to make sure you are ready
- Keeping asking the questions; do we need this? Is this what our customers want?
- Look into the Digital Boost Development Grant. It is easy to apply for
Stephen Currie, MD of R&W Scott (Tayside Club)
- Include Digital Transformation as part of your overall business strategy. Treat it the same way
- Pay attention to the digital skills and capabilities. A Project Manager could save you time
- Don’t underestimate the fact that Digital Transformation requires time dedicated to upskilling and training staff
Jamie Burns, MD, Ailsa Reliability Solutions (Highlands & Islands)
- Have a vision/plan in place and just go do it
- See the overall bigger picture
- Embrace digital as it is the future
For more information about Productivity Club Scotland’s upcoming events, please visit https://www.scdi.org.uk/events/
