The Top 10 Challenges Companies Face in Their Digital Transformation - and How to Deal with Them

Digital transformation is a priority for most established companies. Some have successfully digitalised their entire operations, reaping the benefits of working more efficiently and accessing cutting-edge technologies like generative AI. However, many organisations face significant challenges on their digital journey – sometimes to the point where progress stalls completely. What are the top challenges and how can companies deal with them?

The Top Challenges Companies Face

Based on our experience, these are the ten most common hurdles businesses encounter:

1. Changing market: “Keeping up with fast-paced developments is tough, and IT projects feel like a distraction. My fellow board members don’t seem to understand that we need a solid IT foundation to stay competitive.”
2. Lack of supporting processes: “Non-core processes - like purchasing, invoicing, reporting, and customer service – already consume a great deal of time and effort. Assigning people to a digital transformation project feels impossible.”
3. No time for new initiatives: “Our employees are so busy with daily operations, that launching a new project is a struggle.”
4. Legacy IT & outdated software: “Our core processes rely on legacy IT that don’t integrate with modern technologies. Transitioning to new systems isn’t straightforward; we need to proceed carefully.”
5. Unreliable data: “Our data is scattered across multiple sources within the company. We don’t have a single, trusted source of truth.”
6. Lack of in-house expertise: “We built custom software, but developers have left, and documentation is missing.”
7. Uncontrollable costs: “We struggle to keep project costs under control. Unexpected expenses hinder investment and innovation.”
8. "Spaghetti IT landscape": “We’ve adopted many tools over the years, but they aren’t integrated. This results in manual work and poor operational insights.”
9. Low user-friendliness: “Our employees find our systems unintuitive. This slows adoption and wastes valuable time.”
10. Resistance to change & overwhelm: “Our organisation feels constantly overwhelmed. We seem to be firefighting one issue after another.”

These challenges create a chicken-and-egg situation: Companies want to modernise but struggle to find the time and resources due to inefficient processes and outdated technologies. So how can they break the cycle?

The Digital Journey

This is where Emixa’s digital journey approach comes in. We help businesses integrate digital technology across all operations, leading to fundamental improvements in efficiency and customer value. What does it entail?

A Holistic Approach

Successful digital transformation isn’t just about systems and processes – it’s about people. No transformation can succeed without the employees who drive it. That’s why, at Emixa, we prioritise change management and employee engagement. Our approach aligns strategy, business processes, organisation, and systems to ensure a smooth transition. 

Our methodology balances key aspects of your operating model:

• Standardise cost-efficient processes while customising those that differentiate you in the market.
• Automate repetitive tasks while enabling employees to develop digital skills.
• Leverage best practices in cloud-based systems while using low-code software and AI for innovation.

Outline Your Path

Striking the right balance requires significant adjustments across various business areas. That’s why we compare digital transformation to a journey – you may not know the exact destination from the outset, but we guide you using our 5-step approach:

1. Initial assessment: We evaluate your current operating model and strategic goals to determine your digital needs. 
2. Digital Journey Roadmap: Based on our assessment, we create a detailed plan that aligns digital initiatives with your business objectives.
3. Implementation: We execute the roadmap in phases, ensuring a step-by-step approach towards your digital goals.
4. Continuous improvement: Even when your company is equipped to drive digital change independently, ongoing enhancements remain crucial. We support you in this. 
5. Evaluation and scaling: Finally, we review outcomes to identify successful initiatives that are ready to scale and future innovations to plan for.

How Can We Help?

We’ve guided numerous clients on their digital journey. Whether through a comprehensive digital transformation, targeted problem-solving, or a quick boost to get them on track. Many companies start with a quick scan: a two-day intensive workshop that provides an actionable roadmap for their digital future.

Digital Journey Quick Scan

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 Ready to start your digital journey? Reach out to us for a consultation or workshop today!

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Our experts are happy to share their insights and explore how your organisation can take the next step in your digital journey.