The Secret to Future-Proofing your Digital Transformation

Technology is continuously changing and new products are popping up everywhere with promises to transform your business. Unfortunately, this accelerated rate of change means your systems and digital platforms are likely to become obsolete quicker than you would like. Alas, outdated integration methods don’t help either. Often resulting in businesses having to undertake time-consuming manual processes to keep systems updated. Not only is this a waste of business resources, but it also increases the risk of costly errors.   With a multitude of systems and applications to keep on top, wholesalers can’t afford to spend up to 60% of their IT budgets on running outdated and ineffective systems. Therefore, to guarantee the longevity of a digital transformation project, it’s essential to first implement a fully integrated IT ecosystem that supports your business end-to-end. That way when technology changes it will be easier to update legacy systems individually without having to overhaul your entire system. The best way to achieve this is to have a core business platform that utilises APIs and can integrate with other systems across your business. The power of APIs means that they boost your business capabilities by extending the business logic of your back-office system to other platforms. This will not only reduce the need to manually maintain data across various systems, but will better ensure any future solutions will work well with existing systems.   The advanced capabilities that effective system integration provides businesses are a springboard for better ways of working, new business models and game-changing competitive advantages, including:   Increased sales opportunities through omnichannel capabilities  Digital integration uses API technology to connect systems and platforms. As a result, you can easily add new channels, platforms and technologies into your existing technology landscape. All of which increase your brand visibility and enable you to reach a wider array of potential customers.  Better customer service through the availability of real-time information One of the most beneficial aspects of digital integration is that information is transferred between your systems instantaneously and ensures it is always accurate. Not only does this reduce the need for manual data entry and system workarounds, but it eliminates inconsistencies and ensures quality customer service.  Faster time-to-market by becoming more agile  Wholesalers continuously need to adapt to global events, new regulations and changing customer needs. Agility is, therefore, key. Digital integration makes it faster for you to respond to these market disruptions by enabling you to update information easily. For example, you can replicate new fields within your ERP business system across your platforms instantaneously. As a result, you can gain a competitive advantage.   Greater scalability that supports accelerated growth  Accelerating your business growth is no good unless you can increase your capacity to serve customers without additional costs, such as hiring more staff. Digital integration enables greater scalability by automating manual data-entry tasks and automating processes such as online orders.  To learn more about how our digital-first solutions can help future-proof your digital transformation, please contact us.

For more information on The Secret to Future-Proofing your Digital Transformation talk to Business Computer Projects (BCP) Ltd