What does Digital Transformation really mean?

Perhaps the biggest misconception about digital transformation is that it’s only about digital channels, such as websites or mobile applications. True digital transformation spans an entire business and is about making existing operations and channels digitally-enabled, in addition to building a digital business.

For example, a consumer products company might look to transform their tangible goods supply chain into a fully digitally tracked process, from the tracking of parts from suppliers to the manufacturing floor, and then the final product getting to the brick-and-mortar store. That same company might also build out a product information syndication capability to supply the digital shelf, where the consumer-ready product data and digital assets are automatically supplied to e-retailers from a single location.

As a result, the pressure to transform digitally isn’t just on the CMO or the marketing team, it’s felt from the boardroom all the way through an organization. Every department must enable change and use technology effectively in order to realize the full potential of digital transformation, and not lag behind competitors.

At ICP, we’ve learned during 20+ years of helping companies transform their content operations that digital transformation is a marathon, not a sprint. Perhaps even an ultra-marathon, and one that never really ends. The benefits are not instantaneous, but incremental.