Here we offer 3 points to adopting digital transformation the smart way.
Here at MAS OPEX Digital, we are lucky to be within a forward thinking region (the Liverpool City Region, United Kingdom) and we see that in the UK and globally, governments are looking to help businesses to adopt innovative Industry 4.0 tech, as well as Data management and Net zero sustainable solutions that are good for both the economy and the planet.
Organisations and in particular, Management often want to change but cannot afford the combined cost, time and potential risk to current operations.
Here’s how we suggest you can bypass those issues and adopt innovative technology.
Minimise Risk - ask for a free trial for any potential solution
A lot of solutions will offer a free trial, for those who don’t mention anything on their website, call their sales team and negotiate a free trial. This method allows you to try different solutions without the risk to see which suits you best.
Our team at OPEX Digital suggest that you look at the following when deciding on your solution whilst engaging a trial:
Usability - is the solution easy to use for all team members involved, with a clean interface, especially important for project management (ideally any function should be a couple of clicks away)
Value added - does the solution add real value to your organisation, can you see the solution saving you time and money and improving operations in the medium to long term?
Customer service - Does the solution come with exceptional customer service in the event that an issue arises? Here at OPEX digital our team are ready to help with all queries.
Minimise Time - minimise the time spent trialling the product
Utilise any potential innovation on a limited area with a select number of team members. This allows for a quality review of the product of service with minimal disturbance, ask for a feedback report following their trial of the solution to make an informed decision as to whether to utilise the technology.
For example, here at OPEX Digital we often suggest that new clients trial our operational excellence solution on 1 line or area so as to minimise the effect on operations and to allow your team to monitor the benefits of utilising the application, in turn minimising time spent by team members.
Minimise Cost - look for funding!
As well as minimising the cost of the solution through engaging a free trial of an application or solution, we suggest you engage with government, regional and local initiatives, grants and funding to maximise your potential to invest in innovative Industry 4.0 solutions. Digitization in itself reduces cost by keeping skill sets in house, especially with Management systems. Look out for anything regarding Decarbonization as this is an important issue globally and good for your business and the planet!
As an example, we recently attended the Waves of Innovation event, in which SMEs across Liverpool City Region were invited to discover more about new funded opportunities within the maritime industry and beyond. There we were informed of a whole host of funding initiatives.
