“Our business is going digital this year.”

We’re sure you’ve heard this sentence before, in some way, shape or form. To “go digital” isn’t just the latest trend, it’s a true change to the way we do business. But for all this talk about a digital business, what does that really mean?

If you talk to 10 different people within the same company, they’ll likely give you 10 different answers. The meaning of going digital can change depending on who you are and what department you might work for. But, if they’re only looking at how digital marketing tools can benefit one part of the business, they’re looking at the small picture. The question is, how do you leverage digital technologies to get the best business result?

So first, what is digital? One company, Cognizant, describes digital as four areas: social, mobile, analytics and cloud aka SMAC. These four aspects are what some might describe as the core of a truly digital business.

Social

If you still think social is only about chatting with old friends from your high school days, open your eyes a little wider. From a business perspective, social tools are a perfect way to connect with your consumers. This can be in the shape of responding to queries from customers or launching new products. If you’re not creating meaningful connections, you’re wasting an opportunity.

Don’t forget to loop in other departments when you launch new social strategies. If you launch a new product or give users a chance to engage, your whole team including your customer service reps need to be on the same page. Think of it as creating a memorable, fluid user experience for your consumers. Isn’t that what you want from any business you engage with?

Mobile

This is 2018, we’re in full smartphone swing. If you’re a person who uses their phone to check up a business’ website or email someone on the go, then you know why mobile is important. You use your mobile to integrate aspects of your business into your daily life without having to run to the office or a computer. Similar to Social, understanding why a person uses social media tools and why a person uses their mobile can give you great insight into what digital can mean for your business. People want to interact wherever they are, that’s where digital comes in.

Analytics

Analytics is about, well, analyzing big data. More specifically, it’s about taking the data you’ve acquired and analyzing it for behavioural patterns. By understanding the data, you can use it to your advantage, whether that’s knowing when your consumers are more likely to buy, or limiting product knowledge posts on Wednesdays due to no engagement

Cloud

Last, but certainly not least, is the cloud. If you don’t remember what this is, we give a good overview in a previous blog post. Whether you’re a big company or a startup, cloud-based services are here to stay. With the rise in cyber attacks and increased awareness of cybersecurity, the cloud plays a major part in business security. This includes data protection and backing up important files off-site for easy retrieval. It doesn’t stop there, though. It could be that you need more computing power which you can outsource via the cloud. Many businesses also use new apps or IT solutions to access information from anywhere in the world. Logitout is a perfect example of taking your asset tracking management and moving it into a digital space. By scanning your assets with a barcode, you have remote access to that information right from our easy-to-use dashboard.

When you implement these four areas into your business, that’s when you know you’ve gone digital.