‘Digital transformation is more than just new software’ – tech expert

During the pandemic businesses had to look for innovative ways to operate remotely. To ensure business continuity, organisations turned to tech and went all in on various tools and platforms. Now that the pandemic is fading, this technology remains a vital workforce accelerator.

At a recently held event hosted by Altron Systems Integration, in partnership with Digicert, tech experts unpacked how businesses can unlock the full potential of digital transformation. The overall sentiment from all speakers was clear: Technology does not innovate, people do.

Caryn Vos, Senior Manager at Altron Systems Integration kickstarted the event highlighting the need for digital transformation through partnerships. “Technological advancements have far reaching implications. But we need to understand how the digital transformation can affect different industries, further cementing the importance of partnerships,” Vos said.

Among the speakers was author and digital transformation thought leader, Nicky Verd. She mentioned that digital transformation puts technology at the core of every business strategy, therefore every effort should ensure that people – who are an essential part of a successful transformation, are prepared.

“A tech first approach leads to failure,” said Nicky Verd. “Even though technology does so much, and digital innovation is the destination you’re heading for, it’s humans who make it happen,” she added.

Speaking to 4IR and technological disruption, Nicky Verd said, “The Fourth Industrial Revolution is not only about new technologies, new software and new apps – it is about the birth of a new era which coincides with new ways of thinking, leadership, working and doing business.”

“When ‘digital transformation’ is applied to its full potential, the result is a data-driven, agile, customer-centric, future-proof enterprise!” Nicky Verd passionately exclaimed. “The benefits of an agile, data-driven business with scalable access to cloud technology are attractive. Digital transformation enables companies to understand customers at a deeper level. As a result, this improves the customer experience.”

According to Nicky Verd, although adapting digital transformations in organisations presents numerous benefits, digitally transforming is not as simple as it seems. “Putting people and culture at the heart of digital transformation allows an organisation to innovate and transform quickly. Instilling a new mindset in any environment always seems insurmountable. However, if you take care of the culture, then the customer experience and profits will take care of themselves,” she said.

Brandon Malambo, Platinum Client Manager at DigiCert highlighted the importance of digital trust in a world of digital transformation. “Public key infrastructure is the backbone of digital trust for organisations that value cybersecurity resiliency and is what enables us all to have confidence in the multitude of digital connections we make every day,” he said.

“With the DigiCert One solution, we provide organisations with automation and integration tools to allow for a more seamless deployment of a robust public key infrastructure, capable of scaling to meet any enterprise use case, while allowing for a user-friendly experience in the adoption of public key infrastructure best security practices.”

For Nicky Verd, technological transformation within organisations is more than just getting new software and it should be approached holistically. “Leaders often make the mistake of jumping on the digital transformation bandwagon, investing in new technologies without first equipping their staff effectively,” she said. “It is necessary to prepare them early and find out and get their feedback on the transition process. This requires leaders who are agile and innovative. It is important for leaders to understand digital systems and processes, even if it means learning from the tech-savvy Millennials.”

In closing, Nicky Verd said, “The conversation about technology is no longer reserved only for tech experts, policymakers or IT guys. We’re all being impacted by tech, and everyone should be part of the conversation.”