Digital transformation in times of COVID-19 pandemic

For a few decades, with the arrival of the Internet, humanity has started an exponential process of transformation with digital technologies as the promoter of evolution and changes.

In 2015, Klaus Schwab, a German economist, wrote in his book The Fourth Industrial Revolution: “A technological revolution is coming, and it will fundamentally change the way we live, work and interact, in its scale, scope and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything mankind has ever experienced before.”

With this quotation Karina Taboelle, CEO of Sperto Business & Technology starts her conversation with BitFinance.News. She participated in the First Latin America Fintech Marathon, held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. During her speech, she addressed the issue of digital transformation, its impact on all sectors of the economy and people’s lives.

Taboelle recalls how in a few years “we went from letters by conventional mail, to email and from there to WhatsApp. Little less than it took us as humanity to create paper, ink, and then printing. In connection with this reality, she defines Digital Transformation as the process through which a company designs or adapts its products and services, processes, operations, culture and business model with the strategic incorporation of new technologies.

“It has to do with changing and improving, a leveraged on technology where different tools and elements are implemented to streamline and enhance an organization.”

For Taboelle (@spertoglobal), Digital Transformation is not about equipping an organization with computers and other devices. Nor include software without studying the processes, or changing the way of working, without changing the way of thinking. Much less to focus on technology and leave people aside.” It is not about technologizing an organization without thinking further.

Has digital transformation accelerated during the pandemic?

Our interviewee responds that it is not so. “What has accelerated is understanding their need to give continuity to business. To create new responses to a changing market, with new demands.”

Regarding the use of digital technologies to transform business operations and automate work, the key is that with digitization, unlike Digital Transformation, no substantial changes or improvements are generated in the daily models or processes of the people and organizations, she points out.

“In recent months, people and companies have understood the value of technology as a tool for link, connection, continuity, and scalability.”

Among the most notorious changes in process and that are being consolidated, are:

1. The houses will be a shelter, school or office. They will become multipurpose homes.
2. There are no plans for the future, we do not know what will happen. So much uncertainty will lead us to have greater flexibility and agility.
3. New economic and more digital spaces are generated. The existing ones, purchases and online training are already being promoted, and new economies are generated from experiences such as shopstreaming.
4. New technologies and our daily relationship with them generate a new “virtual” social status. Technological communities and devices take on more value.
5. More exercise, better nutrition. Health reassessment.
6. Greater environmental awareness.

How to go further and transform ourselves digitally?

For the interviewee it is simple: “Becoming a Digital Being.” A term that we have coined in Sperto Business & Technology. It is having an open mind to the transformation of our attitudes and habits, with the incorporation of technology as a tool to empower the humanity”.

In the opinion of the director of Sperto, this is achieved by promoting a paradigm shift within the talent that makes up the organization, starting with the leaders. “Promoting training to understand technology and its value before implementing it, and in this way be able to select the one that generates the most value for your business, in order to integrate our business model with the organizational culture.”

The initial Digital Transformation in the Mindset, with the establishment of a purpose and commitment to change, new broad thinking involves breaking down silos, generating trust, collaboration, alliances, and generating a new data culture in the organization.

She emphasizes that from the people “we move on to the processes, putting innovation, agility and co-creation with the client as a flag, and then evaluating the technological tools that help the sustainable and scalable business model“.

It is also very important to have clear objectives, such as:

• Generate different and new sources of income.
• Offer new customer experiences.
• Create a competitive and differentiating advantage.
• Improve internal collaboration and operational efficiency.
• Deepen data analysis.
• Promote a culture of renewal of the organization.
• Allow a greater capacity to respond to changes in the markets.

Karina Taboelle concludes the conversation by emphasizing that, without a doubt, “Digital Transformation is more about a people process than about technology.”

 M.Pino

BitFinance.News