Time & Money

Organisations need to work as efficiently as possible - gone are the days or corporate excess. Today, marketing is ruled by ROI - It demands lean processes and teams, and a relentless desire to continuously improve.

With this in mind, technology acts a an enabler. Having access to up-to-date digital documents, available anywhere enables speedy decision making. This can happen only if organisations implement fit-for-purpose digital technology, and employees learn and adapt fast avoiding falling back to old manual processes.In marketing though, this goes one step further: Content is central to any modern marketing strategy, so giving marketers the tools to not only access, but repurpose content and deliver it to their audiences with ease is fundamental.

Flexible Working

Accordingly to a 2016 Gallup survey, over 43% of Americans switched their ‘Out of office’ notifications on and worked from home. Modern employees expect flexibility and they want to work off site for longer periods.

Gallup suggests that 31% of participants worked remotely for 4 or more days a week.

It looks as though remote and flexible working is here to stay, but it’s not without its challenges. Firstly, there are simple operational challenges - how will workers have access to the same systems, data and resources? In marketing, this could be everything from text copy to logos, images, video, and more. Secondly, a lack of presence in the office can make it harder to create relationships, develop organisational awareness and gain exposure within the enterprise. This can have an effect on productivity, as well as personal development - which can hamper both the organisation and the individual themselves..

“The ability to work from anywhere and stay connected through smart phones, tablets, and other mobile devices has enabled employees to stay connected.”

“Tablets are ideal devices for drawing and sketching out ideas and concepts for quickly sharing with other users. Dashboards and analytical tools make it easier to visualise data, while swiping and manipulating data with touch interfaces is more engaging than traditional business information tools on a desktop. Long documents combining text with rich media (like sales brochures or technical documentation) can be read and annotated more conveniently on a tablet device than from printouts or a conventional PC.”

Technology enabling workers

Organisations are deploying all kinds of solutions to enable flexible workers from bring your own device (BYOD) programmes to digital asset management (DAM) systems, and more.

Even looking to the [not-too-distant] future Could Virtual Reality technology help solve issues like presence? Accordingly to ComputerWorld, ‘teleporting’ to work via VR could help creating bonds, immersing in the culture and showing ‘real’ presence. There is certainly no doubt that keeping pace with technological advances is, and will remain key when it comes to enabling your workforce and staying ahead of the competition.

According to IDC’s ‘Worldwide IT Industry 2017 Predictions,’ this year will be the tipping point when it comes to digital transformation. From niche, to early adoption, today we’re witnessing the emergence of digital shift at a macroeconomic scale.

“We are at an inflection point. Over the next three to four years, digital transformation efforts will no longer be ‘projects,’ ‘initiatives,’ or ‘special business units’ for most enterprises. They will become the core of what industry leaders do and how they operate. In effect, every (growing) enterprise — no matter its age or industry — will become a ‘digital native’ in the way its executives and employees think and how they operate.”, Frank Gens, IDC SVP and chief analyst

Staying one step ahead

Digital transformation is a big process. Every organisation has it’s own challenges, budgets and priority, but organisations which do nothing will be less prepared for the future and will struggle to deliver the experiences their customers expect.

As your workers inevitably come to be more flexible and your organisation looks to deploy technology to drive efficiency, reduce costs and enable staff, there are some key considerations. Whether your marketing department’s transformation can be part of an organisation-wide programme or needs to start with you, to get the ball rolling, ask yourself these questions:

• What will the new digital etiquette be in my digital first business?
• How can I ensure security of digital documents?
• Do I have correct skills in my company?
• How can I prove the value of digitisation?