Why digitalise your SME?

A few decades ago, the question was: "Why computerise my business?".

Today, few businesses still work only on paper, and over time, with regulatory changes, it will simply become impossible. All of them are now equipped – whether they favour Mac or Windows, IT is now everywhere. Computerisation opened the door to word processing, spreadsheets, email... digitalisation is the next step!

What is digitalisation in business?

In the age of computerisation, we used tools with separate functions: one piece of software, one function. Now digital technologies are integrated and implemented at the heart of how the business runs, in its operations, processes and business models. The aim is to raise the level of skills and competitiveness, and to increase the company's productivity and adaptability at the heart of its market. Digital becomes the core of the business.
Today, everything can be digitalised: business processes (call-outs and repairs); the customer experience (reviews, surveys, customer service); human resources (candidate management, appraisal interviews); the supply chain (stock, automatic minimum-level orders); supplier relations; finance and accounting.

This is made possible by an ever more powerful ecosystem, which is progressing further still with the arrival of AI (Artificial Intelligence).

Digitalisation and its areas of application

Digitalisation has reached every department of the business, starting with administration and finance with features such as:

Paperless invoices and automatic payment reminders.
Document archiving
Bank reconciliation
Automated bookkeeping entries
…

Find out how eKo helps you go paperless and archive your documents (…)

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Marketing and sales teams have also seen their habits change with features such as:

Digital marketing: website, social media, emailing, SMS campaigns, …
Computerised tracking of sales channels
CRM tools
Information kiosks and managed digital signage
…

Find out how eKo helps you with sales targeting, managing your deal portfolio (…)

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Digitalisation also affects technical teams with features such as:

Computerised job reports
Computerised preventive and corrective maintenance
Knowledge bases available online
3D printing, IoT, exoskeletons
…

Find out how eKo Intervention helps you go paperless with your job reports (…)

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Digitalisation: what do you gain?

Generally speaking, businesses that have already joined the movement find:

Better interaction with their customers,
Better organisation of departments for greater operational performance,
Improved internal communication thanks to easier data management,
More effective risk management, particularly risks related to cash management, hacking or fraud,
And therefore business growth, thanks to the time and efficiency they gain.

Digitalisation: what are the risks?

As we have seen, digitalising a business means fully computerising its departments and processes, and computerisation also means the risk of hacking, cyberattacks and data theft. IT security therefore becomes essential and a priority!

Digitalisation makes the business dependent on technology. And technology moves fast, constantly offering new options that staff will need training in and for which a high level of skills will have to be maintained within departments.

Digitalisation is also associated with the risk of employees being spread too thin. Multiplying the channels through which information is exchanged increases the risk of losing some of it.

To conclude…

Digitalisation is a real opportunity for businesses, and when it is properly rolled out across departments, it becomes a real asset. But like anything new, it also has its drawbacks, with risks related to security and information handling. Paradoxically, the negative effects of this IT evolution could be mitigated by supporting and training teams – in short, by the human touch.

Marketing and sales teams have also seen their habits change with features such as: