(For companies to make transition smoothly from offline to online, certain processes should be adopted when integrating into the digital environment, always aiming for the well-being of customers and employees)
Online Integration: How quality planning can facilitate your company’s migration to the digital environment
We are in 2020, and there is no better time for companies aiming to adapt and integrate their businesses into the digital environment. More and more software and hardware are available and ready to assist in the integration of online businesses, facilitating the transition and training of this new model.
For the integration of your company to succeed and yield the right results, it’s important that everything is structured clearly and approved by all sectors, with the move to digital initiated by the company’s leadership, defining strategies and organizing financial issues.
One sector that is adapting quickly to the online universe is that of the consumption of goods and services, which is constantly expanding into the digital world as the facilities made available online are being used more and more by customers. E-commerce has experienced a boom and even smaller stores are betting on digital, without, of course, abandoning their traditional model.
The integration of a company into the digital sphere goes beyond just a website and a Facebook page. Disclosure strategies, contact with customers and users, as well as business organization tools are just as important.
To begin the transition from offline to online, companies must understand their business and what goals and improvements the digital world might bring. The customer, of course, is one of the main points of consideration, and tools must be wielded in a way that keeps their experience satisfactory.
Better customer experience. Whether serving existing customers or attracting new ones, a strong presence in the digital market is important for a company to keep in touch with the public in a personalized way.
Customer experience is one of the main points to consider when migrating online. The opening of digital channels between user and company is a means of retention and making oneself available, to answer doubts and offer solutions. Social networks are a good example of keeping in touch with customers. Using the platforms offered by companies such as Facebook, it is easy to open up a direct channel and organize your interactions.
The digital environment can also help situate your company among your customers, by making it easy to find information on the business and the experience of other users. Therefore it is important to invest in data analysis, big data and an online information control sector. In addition to information released by the company, it is essential to follow what is said by other people as well.
Customers use many kinds of devices, with differing screen sizes and storage. Therefore, it is essential that the company’s identity is well presented, and the user’s experience is satisfactory on any device that they may use.
In addition to the customer experience, it is important that this transition to the digital world is beneficial to employees, facilitating working life and enabling growth for both the company and its employees.
More efficient operational processes. The transition of processes to the digital environment has been accelerated by people migrating to a “home office” set-up. Platforms like Google and Microsoft offer productivity software that can be accessed from any device using a login and password.
Face-to-face meetings are now obsolete, and more and more professionals are closing deals digitally, particularly via audio and video applications which facilitate connections between employees. Google Meet, Zoom and Zoho Meeting are among the applications built with digital meetings in mind.
Planning and training. Not everyone can integrate effortlessly into the digital environment. For this reason, it’s important that companies provide training and create support to answer any doubts from their customers and employees. For the employee, it’s important to remain attentive to change and look for the latest alternatives that can further facilitate their work process.
It is also important to consider company infrastructure when planning the migration from offline to online. A strong internet connection is essential for maintaining workflow, as is adequate equipment.
Digitize your processes. The days of giant paper files are behind us. Nowadays it is essential that all documents, processes, records and information – from the company and customers – are stored in the cloud. Security procedures must, of course, be adopted and updated to ensure that all stored data is protected.
No matter the size of the company, the billing structure or the number of employees – the digital environment is the future. And the amount of tools aimed at facilitating this online integration has increased accordingly. Ever more demanding customers expect quality and an increasingly integrated service. With the right planning, your company will be able to offer services of an even higher standard than before, constantly attuned to new innovations and change.
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