Software Implementation vs Digital Transformation

When should your software implementation be considered a digital transformation? What’s the difference? For many businesses, the difference can mean success or failure. Too often, teams embark on CRM and ERP implementations without establishing the proper foundations. It can be tempting – cut the check for a new cloud software, get end users working with it, voila! How hard can it be? For businesses on legacy systems, without well-defined processes and policies, and without top-down buy in (from executive leadership down through management to end users), software implementations can feel impossible to complete, or worse, go-live can be a nightmarish hellscape that falls flat on its face.

Established businesses (even those who recognize their dire need to transition to new systems) might buck back when prompted to review their processes. The truth is that there is no better time to do so than before a digital transformation. Formalized policies that drive business processes, when refined, can shorten implementation times and result in more effective software. The alternative can be recreating your legacy system (pitfalls and all) with a shinier user interface. Trust must be established and maintained between the business and technical teams, with an understanding that process refinement is meant to empower the business, not take away their autonomy, abilities, and importance. Technical teams must also focus on bringing the business actionable options, rather than diving into the weeds at every opportunity.