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Digitization 2021
What you should keep on your radar. Digitization has arrived in every shift and every company at the latest since the outbreak of the pandemic. Suddenly the employees had to work in the home office. Purchases were only allowed through Click & Meet. Food could only be delivered and no longer consumed in the restaurant. The pandemic has shown one thing – if need be, then digitization works. The pandemic has also shown many that “digital” can be very convenient. How will the topic of digitization establish itself sustainably in our lives, and what does that mean for our companies? We provide an overview and recommendations for action on digitization 2021 for small and medium-sized companies.
The Trends In Digitization
While some industries are still sticking to pen and paper and have a conservative attitude towards digitization in 2021, other industries are characterized by a high degree of digital services. With the airlines, it is now often so far that a regular check-in on-site, i.e. offline, is no longer free of charge. You are forced to check in online. This saves companies money and motivates more and more people to get to grips with the Internet. The underlying concept of customer empowerment creates enormous added value for both companies and customers, such as efficiency and time savings. Many companies are increasingly relying on the customer’s involvement in various processes that have since had to be carried out by employees of the company on behalf of the customers. By empowering customers, they can carry out such processes themselves, in our example, the online check-in, and are no longer tied to the help of employees or long waiting times at the counter. In the following sections, we will explain which digitalization trends should remain on your innovation radar in 2021.
The Digital Workplace In The Digitalization Trend In 2021
We have got used to working in distributed teams. The pandemic has made the workplace digitally accessible faster than often planned and has become a focused debate in digitalization in 2021. This will remain so. It is becoming apparent in some large companies that they will continue to rely on hybrid teams and avoid permanent jobs. More and more companies agree that topics such as home office and the use of virtual teams offer added value for employees and result in added value for companies that contribute to achieving corporate goals. As a current study by the Fraunhofer Institute shows, the work and cooperation work very well at a distance. Still, most companies could master infrastructural challenges within a short period and under enormous pressure. Autonomous work, agile work environments and virtual teams, therefore, play a central role in the progress of digitization in Germany and will therefore remain in trend in 2021.
The Digital Cloud Is Accepted.
Companies were forced to move their data and processes to the cloud. Reservations about the cloud are now much less evident. Companies have recognized the potential that emerges from integrating clouds into their infrastructure. These added values are, for example, in the context of the Internet of Things, Internet of Behavior, data-driven products, aspects of flexibility and load in the IT infrastructure, learning from data through machine learning or the development of data-based corporate strategies. This trend of digitization is also associated with data protection and security to always guarantee the protection goals of IT security (confidentiality, integrity and availability) despite the use of innovative technologies.
Also Read: Automation, Digitization, Prediction And Open Banking, Some Keys To The New Treasury
The Lack of Developers Will Intensify In 2021
Further trends and recommendations for action in the context of digitization are recognizable in terms of infrastructure or technologies, especially when there is a need for qualified people who maintain and develop such topics. Due to the lack of professional developers, companies are increasingly looking for app generators and low-code platforms. The enormous demand for software can only be met through the efficient use of essential technologies. Our recommendation for action for companies that have not dealt much with the trends of digitization 2021 since then is: If you lack the means or knowledge about which employee is suitable and can advance digitization in your company, then hire an appropriate agency instead. This should understand your corporate vision and your requirements and develop a sustainable strategy with and for you. Invest in digitization and stay competitive despite the lack of developers.
Intelligent Automation and Artificial Intelligence As Drivers of Digitization In 2021
Chatbots and intelligent automation technologies increasingly support services. Inquiries are intelligently pre-filtered, and artificial intelligence answers customer inquiries before “first-level support”. This saves communication costs and improves customer satisfaction. Terms such as robotic process automation are also used in the area of process optimization indispensable. The trend follows the approach: renovation and then digitization. What is meant by that? First of all, you should record and evaluate your organizational structure, the departments, the processes, workflows and, in particular, their interrelationships.
Clarify all of these questions and start redesigning your processes and involving everyone involved. Process reengineering is essential to advance the digitization of your company and the automation of your processes. If the processes have been remodelled and documented, incorporate suitable tools that automate routine tasks such as answering emails or file management.
Don’t be afraid of digitization or worry about your workplace. Automate routine tasks that are time-consuming and inefficient and instead give your employees value-adding tasks that bring you closer to your company goals.
These are just a few of the trends that can be observed concerning digitization. To give a better picture of the possibilities offered by digitization, we present a case study from our customer below.
Digitalization In Practice in 2021
Every company lives from the constant optimization of processes. “We have always done it that way” has long since ceased to count and leads to the death of companies through digital transformation. Pioneers are starting to digitize their processes. The more actors involved in the process, the faster a digital and more straightforward process will become the industry standard.
The Day After Tomorrow, It Will Be a Standard Procedure.
It remains to be seen whether the app we have developed will become the industry standard in 2 to 5 years. But the example shows very well the head start that digitization can create in various industries. Just as WhatsApp has become indispensable in everyday life, digital forest management will be the standard shortly. The traditional approach is too inefficient and error-prone.
Our Tips For Digitization In 2021
We can make this section short. Start. Record where inefficiencies exist in your everyday life. Keep your eyes open for existing solutions. Often your problems are already solved by software. A workaround is often enough to get a first feel for the advantages of digitization. This shows you whether the switch to digital processes is worthwhile for you. You will learn what it means to digitize a process – in addition to the technical hurdles. And most importantly: You will show yourself and your workforce how efficient a digital future can be in the context of digitization in 2021.
With Small Steps To a Digital Company
Reach for the low-hanging fruits. These are the fruits on the tree of digitalization in 2021 that hangs the lowest. Easy to implement and a first step in the right direction. Just start. Create a form in Microsoft Teams or Google Drive. Have what is most straightforward set up internally. You do not need to develop the perfect and comprehensive solution in the first step. If you try to do this, there is a high chance you are walking in the wrong direction. Therefore, with small steps and constantly questioning and reorienting.
Work With Professionals
Let us advise you on the topic of digitization 2021 first. Advice from technicians quickly reveals completely new possibilities that you may not have thought of at all. Did you know that you can use RaspberryPI to make almost any hardware device fit for Industry 4.0? We have already implemented this with welding equipment for our customer Rehm welding technology. Experience is the key here, and the ability to plan is essential. Therefore, it would help if you relied on a partner who can deliver a specific size and experience in the desired area.
Rely on Modern Technologies For The Implementation of Digitization In 2021
The absolute criterion is the implementation of the software using modern web and software technologies. Anyone who develops new software today and uses outdated programming languages or frameworks will have problems with the maintenance and further development of the software in a few years.
Also Read: In 2021 Companies Will Make The Final Leap Towards Digitization
