What are the phases of the company’s Digital Transformation?

The digital transformation of businesses has long since ceased to be a novelty. In fact, it is now taken for granted that it is the key that unlocks a world of endless possibilities for companies. Those businesses that understand the critical importance of embracing digitalisation and using it to innovate, generate new ideas and make better decisions will be the ones to reap the greatest benefits.

However, some businesses are still unclear about exactly what this term encompasses, or even confuse it with a similar concept: digitisation. Although both revolve around the application of technology within a business, they correspond to different stages of the process.

For this reason, to clear up any doubts you may have, in this article we explain what digital transformation in businesses entails, its importance and how Viafirma can help you through the process.

What is Digital Transformation?

Digital transformation in business refers to the strategic incorporation of digital technologies into any organisation to improve processes, increase productivity, deliver better experiences for customers and employees, manage business risk and control costs.

From a business perspective, it is a cross-organisational initiative that encompasses all departments within an organisation, utilising technological tools to improve business operations. This may involve changes to infrastructure, processes and corporate culture, with the aim of adapting the business to the digital economy and to new customer needs.

The three phases of the digital transformation process in businesses

To ensure that a business’s transition to digital transformation is carried out correctly and that its implementation is successful, three phases must be followed:

Phase one: Awareness and digital culture

The first step is to understand the direction the market is taking in terms of technological innovation and whether it has the potential to add value to society. Technological developments give rise to new needs in society that must be met; therefore, developing technologies that add value to businesses will enable them to stand out in the market and meet society’s needs, offering effective tools that improve the management and administration of resources.

Phase Two: Development, innovation and technical implementation

Now is the time to take action and develop technologies and solutions that drive the digital transformation of private organisations and public administrations. Companies specialising in the development of artificial intelligence technologies, cloud services, machine learning and the Internet of Things (IoT) are taking centre stage.

Furthermore, these types of tools are characterised by their ability to promote a paperless environment, which improves time management and streamlines procedures between businesses or institutions, such as electronic document signing or electronic invoicing.

Of course, the digitalisation of businesses would not be possible without guaranteed security in their processes. To this end, technologies have been developed that strengthen security in user authentication.

Phase Three: Staff Training and Ongoing Implementation

The final phase involves connecting the organisation’s people, processes, objects and data as the last step towards achieving digital transformation. To do this, we must ensure that staff are open to change and familiar with the technology; if not, they must be trained. In addition to adopting the new technological solutions, the team uses online organisational and communication tools to foster collaboration.

We must aim to ensure that all corporate tools (CRM, ERP, signature gateways) work in a coordinated manner.

Furthermore, we will use Big Data and the IoT to turn information into valuable insights that drive growth.

Digital transformation and digitalisation: Are they the same thing?

Although both terms refer to a company’s technological competitiveness (and for many people they are one and the same), they are not the same thing.

On the one hand, when we talk about digitisation, we are referring to the use of technology for the sole purpose of improving or digitising processes (for example, moving from manual to electronic contract signing).

In contrast, digital transformation encompasses the complete restructuring of the organisation. This ranges from a cultural shift amongst staff to a change in customer focus, including the use of real-time data to make strategic decisions.

In other words, it is not merely about using technology in day-to-day operations, but about transforming the business model to deliver value in an interconnected world.

The Legal Framework: eIDAS, Law 39/2015 and Law 40/2015

In Spain, Law 39/2015 and Law 40/2015 have been the cornerstones of the public administration. Broadly speaking, these laws promote the use of:

Law 39/2015

Its main achievement was to establish the right and obligation of legal persons (companies) and other groups to interact with public authorities exclusively by electronic means.

It mandates the use of electronic notifications and digital signature systems for any application, appeal or withdrawal, consolidating the Cl@ve system, the electronic national identity card and the digital certificate as security standards.

Law 40/2015

It focuses on internal organisation, defining how organisations should operate and how they should interact with one another. It promotes interoperability, enabling different bodies to share data securely so that citizens do not have to submit documents that the administration already holds. Furthermore, it regulates the use of electronic signatures by public sector staff and the automation of administrative processes to improve efficiency.

Strategic Benefits of Digitalisation for Businesses

Businesses that successfully complete this process gain tangible competitive advantages:

• Better decisions: Businesses have access to vast amounts of data, partly thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT). Using the right analytical tools, this data can be turned into valuable business insights to help make better decisions.
• Greater customer satisfaction: Modern customers expect simplicity, prioritising businesses that can offer straightforward and intuitive online solutions without them having to leave home.
• Improve your online presence: It is very difficult to generate visibility and trust if your business isn’t online, as most users now look up information about businesses on the internet before visiting them. If you don’t have an online presence (a website and at least one social media platform), customers are likely to opt for the competition.
• Optimised processes: You can automate many processes and tasks that you currently carry out manually thanks to tools such as electronic signatures. People from different regions can sign a document in a matter of seconds, reducing travel, costs and time.
• Increased productivity and business performance: Using software and applications helps you implement strategies, devote more time to more important tasks and achieve higher project completion rates, all of which contribute to business growth.
• Digitised documentation: Digitisation can solve problems such as a lack of space by providing unlimited storage, more efficient organisation, instant access to information, and a reduced risk of documents going missing, etc.

Digital transformation starts with Viafirma

Are you looking to carry out your company’s digital transformation? At Viafirma, we don’t just offer you tools; we support you in your strategic leap towards total efficiency.

With our digital solutions, your business will say goodbye to the hassle of handwritten signatures on documents, ushering in a new era of boundless productivity. You’ll eliminate endless waiting times and journeys by car or train, as everyone involved can sign from any device, anywhere in the world.

Because a signature shouldn’t hold up your workflow for more than a few seconds – it should be the driving force behind your business’s growth. Contact our sales team today for more information.