Whilst organisations across the globe have been transforming themselves non-stop, courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic, the underlying truth is that successful companies with the customer experience at their core have already embraced digital transformation. As a result, they already had the tools and culture to counter the challenges of 2021.
As the world’s economies kick back into gear, we do not see this transformation slowing down. So below are some of our predictions for 2022.
The Rise of No-Code Tools
No-Code Tools might be an unfamiliar term, but the concept is attractive.
Simply put, No-Code Tools are software development platforms that allow anyone to create digital solutions without writing a single line of code. Instead, they employ drag-and-drop interfaces to develop solutions to your business problems efficiently. They also include easy to use API connections to interface with your existing systems and automate workflows.
Tools such as Formstack and Survey Monkey are well-known examples of No-Code tools. These tools allow teams that provide solutions to respond to business needs faster, make precise customisations, and deliver solutions at a lower cost.
Data Cleansing and Consolidation
Data is increasingly available, but 2021 saw that data being used chaotically as quickly roled out solutions paid little heed to data standards. Without structure and centralised repositories, there is no single source of truth, multiple data security standards and a dangerous creation of silos across the organisation.
We expect that 2022 will be where organisations take a step back and work with their IT team to instil a single source of truth for their data. Data consolidation allows teams to work more effectively whilst ensuring data is secure, clean and free from errors. Trustworthy data sets will be paramount as working from home arrangements will stay well after 2021.
Digital-first pathways
Customers have now embraced a digital-first approach, and it is up to organisations to keep up. The pandemic saw a rapid shift to government services deployed digitally. Half of Apple’s top free downloads in 2021 were government service and check-in apps.
In 2022, we expect the private sector to catch up. Customers are no longer willing to settle for paper processes, outdated communications, or complicated systems. The industries we expect to embrace this first will be financial services and healthcare.
Organisations that choose to prioritise digital-first pathways for their customers will win loyalty, while those who lag will begin to see their customers walk away.
Small wins equal significant victories
Traditional Digital Transformation usually includes changes to enterprise-wide systems, the underlying infrastructure and day-to-day processes. With many systems already in place, we expect 2022 to be the year of small victories. For example, recruitment might rollout digital onboarding processes, or marketing could better use analytics in product development. These smaller wins all add up to improved employee and customer experiences.
IT as a partner
In the old days, you threw a set of business requirements to your IT department, and what came back was often not what you wanted, not what the customer wanted and needed rework. The rise of no-code tools, and customer experience as a critical driver means that the old ways are long gone. It is not uncommon these days for your CMO to spend more on technology than your CIO.
Today, there is no business strategy or technology strategy; they are the same. Therefore, IT must be a partner, not a hurdle. Successful IT departments will set the standards around development, release, and security, then partner with the broader business to develop solutions to meet their business needs.
Process overhaul
Simply digitising broken processes will not lead to engaging customer experiences, though often this is what occurs. Using technology as a band-aid usually occurs when teams do not take a step back and look at the underlying process.
2021 has numerous examples of digital rush jobs when rapid deployment of digital tools to support teams working from home was the norm. Often teams converted manual data-capture processes into digital forms. In 2022 we expect to see a clean-up of this, looking at where data capture is unnecessary, where automation could streamline the business or integration with other systems makes some processes obsolete.
Conclusion
If there is one clear takeaway from this article, digitisation is incredibly powerful when done correctly. At Etica Digital, we are passionate about ensuring our partners strengthen their client relationships through digital delivery. We would love to discuss the possibilities for your organisation.