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Top six digital transformation best practices

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The GoCardless content team comprises a group of subject-matter experts in multiple fields from across GoCardless. The authors and reviewers work in the sales, marketing, legal, and finance departments. All have in-depth knowledge and experience in various aspects of payment scheme technology and the operating rules applicable to each. The team holds expertise in the well-established payment schemes such as UK Direct Debit, the European SEPA scheme, and the US ACH scheme, as well as in schemes operating in Scandinavia, Australia, and New Zealand. See full bio

Last editedMar 20232 min read

With online transactions now standard, both B2B and B2C customers expect a smooth shopping experience across multiple channels. To compete in today’s market, businesses must put digital transformation best practices at the heart of their strategy. While getting started with digital transformation may seem daunting, there’s a wealth of technology out there to help you provide a better customer experience. Here are six core tips to keep in mind as you create a tailored strategy.

1. Start by outlining a problem to solve.

Digital transformation involves a broad range of tools and software, so the first step is to define your goals. The best practices for digital transformation include clear problems that can be solved with technology. Try using design thinking for troubleshooting and then creating a tailored solution that best suits your business needs. With a problem in mind, your business can set clear goals and KPIs to measure success through your digital strategy.

2. Use tech tools that foster collaboration.

One of the greatest benefits of digital transformation is its ability to bring different teams together. Encourage collaboration with digital transformation best practices that enable synchronized efforts between team members and departments. As you compare different software and apps, make sure that these tools integrate with one another. Project management software helps ensure everyone is working towards the same goals while tracking timelines and schedules.

3. Use data to understand your customers.

Most best practices in digital transformation focus on the customer experience. This begins with understanding your customer demographics, needs, and engagement preferences. Use digital tools to collect and analyze data from each step of the customer’s journey. This should begin at the first contact all the way through to the point of sale. With this data in mind, you’ll be able to identify pain points and find digital tools to help solve them. Which services are in higher demand? Is there a point where customers are more likely to leave? Use customer mapping, behavioral analytics, and trends to formulate a more effective strategy.

4. Invest in the customer experience.

Using the data mentioned above, you can make wiser investments. Rather than purchasing the latest tech tools in a bid to out-innovate your competitors, use your own customer needs to make better decisions. Before investing in a new app or platform, determine whether it will really enhance the customer’s journey. One example might be a cloud-based phone system or chatbots that let customers access customer service representatives more easily.

5. Incorporate change into your company culture.

The customer experience is important, but digital transformation best practices should also apply internally. One of the pillars mentioned in digital strategy is company culture, meaning that your team commits to innovation. Devote resources to employee training so that all team members are onboard with any new technologies. This is particularly key if you’re implementing new systems requiring daily use or applying customer data to more effective marketing strategies. Create a sense of community and encourage feedback from workers. Don’t be afraid to test new methods to find the best cultural fit.

6. Create a user-friendly end-to-end experience.

Creating a digital transformation framework must be a holistic experience. Develop a platform that’s user-friendly both for your employees and customers from beginning to end. It should integrate easily with all inventory, accounting, and payment systems for the best results. Customers should be able to log in and track orders and shipments, all from a central dashboard.

When it comes to payments, GoCardless fits easily into digital transformation best practices. We work with over 300 partners, including top accounting software and billing platforms. Reduce failed bank payments by pulling payment directly from customer bank accounts using direct ACH debit. By digitizing the payments process, you can ensure a smoother, simpler transaction for both business and customer.

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GoCardless is a global payments solution that helps you automate payment collection, cutting down on the amount of financial admin your team needs to deal with. Find out how GoCardless can help you with one-off or recurring payments.