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By Travis Parigi, CEO of LiquidFrameworks
Implementing a digital transformation across an entire organization is difficult. It requires participation from all facets of a company for successful adoption. It is one thing to expect workers to perform new ideas and processes without consulting their opinions, wants, and needs. On the other hand, when workers want new tools, technologies, and workflow initiatives, the digital transformation is more likely to succeed and be embraced.
Organization leaders are no longer pushing their own ideas of innovation onto their field operations teams. Instead, they are using the expertise and feedback from their frontline workers in order to approach a transformation benefiting all employees. This is the difference between the push versus pull methods of a digital transformation. A McKinsey report says that companies with the most successful digital transformations report higher communication and engagement with the front line. Incorporating all facets of a company in a digital transformation allows initiatives benefiting and engaging everyone from leaders to frontline workers.
The approach: push versus pull
The approach a company takes for a digital transformation determines how successful implementation is. When management doesn’t take the time to communicate with their frontline workers, their understanding of issues and solutions is skewed, resulting in an unsuccessful adoption. Companies that lack the necessary communication between the frontline and leadership report a success rate of frontline worker adoption at three percent. Management that takes the time to communicate with frontline workers is able to understand the issues they face on a day to day basis and implement a solution that works for them. The organizations that push enterprise-wide changes without input from each sector of their company will find a lack of adoption, resulting in loss of engagement, productivity, and ultimately revenue.
On the contrary of pushing new technologies into the everyday workflow, the pull method of a digital transformation is more effective for companies. This is where communication is key and workers are asking for the tools they need in order to be successful. Field service software tools can take everyday tasks and streamline them for workers, allowing more time and effort for the actual job. These kinds of tools can help companies move forward with their digital transformations, obtain the information they need in optimizing field operation management, and eliminate issues that workers face on the daily.
Enforcing a transformation
It is one thing to initiate a transformation of a small team with an organization, but an enterprise-wide implementation takes time and effort. Not only do companies want the input of their workers when making decisions, but it is also important when rolling-out new tools and technology that these three factors be considered:
- Proper change management
For a successful digital transformation, a company requires proper change management in order to implement tools and tech into the workforce. Working in coordination with field workers to ensure initiatives are being met, jobs are becoming more efficient, and communication is staying open throughout the entire process. It is incredibly important for companies to facilitate open lines of communication and allow the chance for input throughout the process. Having these opportunities can really determine what is and isn’t working and build necessary trust between executives and frontline workers.
- Workers with technology
A digital transformation is not possible without digital solutions throughout an entire company. Workers currently have antiquated technology to use on the frontline, however, tools like field service software can update those everyday tasks to make workflow processes easier and increase efficiency. Implementing technology into workers’ everyday processes can give them back time and effort that they would be spending on paper processes, and eliminate the unnecessary tasks that can be streamlined through digital solutions.
- Engaging with data
Digital solutions can also optimize the data that frontline workers are collecting, allowing for better insight into productivity and efficiency altogether. All of this data can tell an aggregate story and provide companies with insight into factors such as spend, budget, and more.
For effective digital transformations within companies, open communication surrounding the needs and wants of workers goes a long way. Allowing everyone the opportunity for input and a contribution to the success of a company impacts digital initiatives.
Travis Parigi is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at LiquidFrameworks (www.liquidframeworks.com). Travis focuses on growing LiquidFrameworks’s software platform and evangelizing its benefits to customers. He plays an active role in the technology, architecture and overall product vision of the company. Prior to LiquidFrameworks, Travis was a founding member and served as a Senior Engagement Manager for Emerging, Inc., an e-Business professional services firm funded by Austin Ventures and Benchmark Capital with offices across the US. E-mail Travis at [email protected]