There is a growing focus on what has been coined the “digital-first” mindset in today’s business landscape. What this simply means is that a growing number of businesses will be moving to the digital arena as their first, and sometimes only, contact with consumers. It is a new paradigm under which companies will be moving literally every aspect of their business online and with that transformation it is expected they will realise an exponential growth. However, what will it take to make this transformation quickly and efficiently? Let’s take a brief look at that.
However, with better Customer Contact through experienced solutions on video and audio conferences, your business may gain better communication perspectives.
Strong Leadership
The very first thing a business will need to transition to a digital-first mindset would be strong leadership. This is one of the primary reasons why this is the time to advance your Business Admin degree to a DBA. When you attend a global leader like Aston University for an online DBA, you will not only be advancing in your leadership skills but will be preparing for a future in which most commerce will take place in the digital realm. Online degrees are the foundation for the future in education just as transitioning to a digital-first mindset is going to be the foundation of commerce within just a few short years.
One of the most important reasons for pursuing an advanced degree is for the qualities that universities look for when approving admission to their programmes. Leaders should be highly curious by nature with a strong focus on research skills. They must also have exceptionally strong communication skills, both written and oral. Bear in mind that not only will business functions in everything from production to sales and customer service transition to a digital arena, but workers will need to re-learn the way in which they do their assigned tasks and duties. It will take a strong leader to oversee so many changes across the board.
Why Digital-First?
Many people are asking what is so important about transitioning to a digital-first paradigm when many companies already have an online presence. The difference is basically that most, if not all, operations will be transitioned to the digital arena. In fact, even manufacturing will benefit from this paradigm because of AI and automation that will improve the speed and quality of production. While some operations will still be land-based, the majority of commerce will now be conducted online.
This will lead to a cost-effective way of doing everything from meeting with clients to showcasing products online. Instead of sending sales reps across the globe via jet transport, they will more often be meeting via video conferencing platforms. This will save time and money for both corporate entities and that is something that will have a huge impact on their bottom line.
A Totally New Infrastructure
Imagine what this will mean for skilled professionals across the globe. Working in cyberspace will allow companies to have a wider choice in top talent. By moving operations online, businesses will have the ability to hire workers from literally any continent and work can commence immediately. These would be employees actually working as employees and not as outsourced specialists. They would be onboarded in much the same way as when hiring land-based employees, but they can be located literally anywhere from the basement of a NYC high-rise to a remote farm in Scotland or outside of Heidelberg!
However, now that we’ve mentioned outsourcing, that also leaves the door open for many skilled professionals to eke out a living without uprooting an entire family to find employment in distant locations. A digital-first infrastructure would benefit many millions of skilled workers who could immediately put their expertise to work.
In other words, there would be fewer companies operating in costly real estate because everything would be conducted in cyberspace. A digital-first infrastructure would be built on networks instead of on land. How amazingly futuristic is that?
Creating Jobs
For just a moment it would do well to deal with a growing fear that a digital-first paradigm would eliminate jobs. Quite the contrary, there is every reason to believe that this will open doors that were previously locked and bolted. As mentioned, companies will have a greater choice in top talent while skilled professionals will have instant access to jobs, whether outsourced or as an employee.
One of the major roadblocks to gaining employment has always been location. While some people don’t want to pick up and move to locations where work is available, companies are limited in their choice of employees and administrators. Imagine a world in which you can go to bed in Yorkshire and rise at 6AM for work in San Francisco? The reality is that a digital-first arena will create more jobs which will benefit both companies and workers.
A Very Important Benefit of a Digital-First Economy
Although we have primarily been speaking of how a digital-first mindset will benefit companies, workers and the economy in general, there is another very important benefit to operating in the digital arena. Let’s look back at the strong focus on reducing our carbon footprint. With 2030 set as the date in which the UK will no longer be selling petrol fuelled new vehicles and 2050 targeted for Net Zero, then wouldn’t this also lead to a reduction in carbon released into the atmosphere?
If fewer vehicles are on the roads, then it only stands to reason that the amount of CO2 being released into the ozone would be reduced significantly. Most people would conduct business online first in a digital-first environment and that would immediately have a positive impact on the ecosphere. It’s also a huge step forward in sustainability, and that, in itself is perhaps one of the biggest reasons to transition to life in cyberspace. In the end, after what largely gained momentum during fear of the covid contagion, many benefits surfaced that led to a greater appreciation for what a digital-first economy would mean to the world, all the way around.