Remote work is becoming mainstream and bringing a set of challenges as well as opportunities with it. How can we go beyond just dealing with it and find a greater business purpose in the remote setup?
Our coach, Uliana Shchelgacheva, interviewed Spencer Cabildo to talk about how Business Purpose is so important to successfully run a remote team.
Watch the full interview here:
When we say digital transformation, it is what happens when companies change their business model to be able to adapt to the new market reality. Looking back at the start of the pandemic, there was a dire need to transform everything digitally so as to still thrive despite the lockdowns and economic challenges.
This year, most businesses are just starting to rise up from the effects of 2020 and realize the need for digital transformation. Here are 7 steps on how you can digitally transform your business and prepare for the post-pandemic world ahead.
In this first step, you must be able to determine where you are today, where you want to be tomorrow, and what to do to get there. Having a concrete plan and being able to understand your business well can help you identify what technologies you need and the right processes you have to follow to digitally transform your business the right way.
The main purpose of going digital at a time of the pandemic is to continue providing services to customers. A more effective way of doing this is instead of focusing on your products or services, emphasize the need to reach and retain online customers. Remember that it has become harder to compete when everything else has gone digital. Getting the attention of people who spend time online is now the most important thing than anything else.
Remote working is the future of work. We have the technology for employees to stay at home during the pandemic or work from anywhere. This expansion of the workforce is for the better because it gives you a chance to find global talents that will fit your business needs. Going virtual does not limit teamwork because of project management tools and communication platforms that always connect you with your remote team.
Aside from hiring remote workers, there are certain tasks that you can automate. For example, retail establishments that already made their presence online are using chatbots for customer communication. Understanding the available technology and its proper use can definitely help achieve your digital transformation goals.
Preparing your current team for digital transformation is also something that you would want to consider. Your team should be open to abrupt changes such as the effects of the pandemic because there are those who still have no idea how to transition to the new normal. That being said, digital transformation may be affected by the current company culture.
Of course, changes to the company culture can help make sure that you have a digitally-ready remote team that can continue with business as usual despite the current crisis. You have to rethink your current roster of talents, redesign your work styles to adapt to the protocols and restrictions, develop agility among the team, and continue learning to be able to adapt to changes quickly as needed.
It’s always been said that “having the right technology to power up digital strategies is fundamental in today’s business world” which means that you have to prepare all the tech you need for a digital transformation. This, of course, would involve your IT team and your company’s readiness to use the technologies such as implementing agile systems and cloud tech.
Aside from these, the ability to create a website and mobile app is part of this IT environment. A good example is in retail stores or shops. Gone are the days when customers would still go to physical establishments. The pandemic has made it mandatory for businesses to have an online presence in order to survive.
As mentioned, customers are now making waves online. They are now the target market of businesses. It is important to revamp and recreate the customer journey so that their digital experience would be seamless.
Content and web design will work hand-in-hand for this one. Online customers expect businesses to produce digital content and maintain their online presence despite the pandemic. Digital design, collaboration, and content production should be involved in the recreation of the online customer journey.
CX or customer experience is now an important part of digital transformation. Going online is a new opportunity to establish better and closer relationships with customers by using their data and behavior.
Personalizing their experience with your digital platforms is highly impactful and can improve their approach towards your business and brand. Making use of technologies that help enhance B2C relationships is an essential part of the new normal. Establishing virtual connections makes it more engaging and interactive.
With human interaction becoming more socially and physically distant, going digital is the only way to go. Moving your physical business to different online platforms is the new normal. By undergoing digital transformation and implementing the right strategies, you have the chance to reach modern customers, engage them, retain them, and provide them with a seamless digital experience.
You can finally say that you have digitally transformed your business if you are able to provide your loyal customers with a seamless and innovative digital experience with your brand. You can do this by consolidating your several digital channels and create a single, user-friendly CX.
And by following these steps, your business can fully embrace the new digital landscape that the pandemic has created. By properly executing digital transformation strategies, you can exceed your customers’ expectations and improve their overall experience.
Need help to digitally transform your business? Talk to us!
The pandemic has completely disrupted most of the world’s work culture. From a face-to-face office environment, everyone was encouraged to work from home. Those who are already in the remote work setup often fail to touch on the subject of workplace culture just because they think virtual connection is enough.
Without fostering culture in a remote workplace, there is a risk of team members feeling disconnected and losing human touch. It might seem that it’s all work and no play compared to an office setup where they can have fun and enjoy with workmates. The lack of engagement can sometimes lead to lack of motivation and this is something that most remote-based companies are unaware of. It’s time to end that. Here are some creative ways you can build an awesome remote work culture.
Your current communication tools are strictly for work purposes, right? It is good to have a different communication channel where team members feel free and less restricted. In this way, they can go somewhere they can be themselves without having to disturb the flow of work-related discussions. This also promotes openness in terms of connecting deeper with each other outside of work, exchanging ideas, having fun, and building friendships remotely.
The most common mistake of remote teams is setting too many meetings that are not really necessary, if you come to think about it. Since time is precious for remote workers, having organized and well-set video conferences with clear agendas can help lessen the time wasted. As a matter of fact, some discussions can be done via email or chat.
Speaking of video conferences, it is important to have the camera turned on during these times. Video calling is the closest thing remote workers can ever have in terms of human connection. Seeing faces on the screen somehow lessens the lack of physical interaction among colleagues. It gives you a general idea about the person you are emailing or chatting with. Although virtually, you get a sense of who your team members really are by just merely looking at their faces, their expressions, their gestures, how they talk, and even the background of their office setup.
Another common misconception about remote work is that people don’t get tired or they are available 24/7. Since remote teams don’t see each other’s working conditions, it might be easy for managers to assume that their members are not swamped with work. This is why some remote workers feel burdened by tasks that are thrown out to them nonstop and in bulk. Managers should be able to understand and help. If possible, check everyone’s workload and address pain points immediately. Be ready to support or delegate tasks. Know if there are external factors such as personal matters that are affecting their performance.
Everyone should at least have an idea about the mission and vision of the company. In this way, you can be sure that the team is working towards a common goal and they know where their efforts go. There is no need to memorize, but take time to understand and have something to believe in. It also brings a sense of passion and encouragement to become ambassadors of the company they are working for.
After learning about the mission-vision, the core values help as a glue to bind everyone to the common goal of how you want the company to become. It is important for remote workers to have values to live by even in a virtual workplace setup. More than the growth of the company, it also aids in personal development of each team member.
Birthdays are special. Though remote workers won’t be able to celebrate and feast together physically, simple and personalized greetings can go a long way in making a person feel appreciated. Giving the celebrants their much-deserved birthday leaves can also be a way of making sure that they enjoy their day without having to worry about work.
This can be a weekly habit where everyone gets together for a time of pure fun and enjoyment. Doing a regular leisure activity with team members not only ensures recreation and a time away from work, but also builds camaraderie, fosters engagement, and acts as a bonding session. A closely-knit team of remote workers will ensure productivity, motivation, and better output.
Handling a remote team is truly challenging because members come from different countries with different cultures, beliefs, and attitudes. Managers must be able to put them all together and build a unified culture for them to be able to work harmoniously and successfully towards a common goal. Thanks to these tips, you can have an idea on how to engage, motivate, and cultivate an awesome remote culture in your virtual workplace that fosters innovation, productivity, and teamwork.
From January 25 to 29, the World Economic Forum will host a virtual summit to bring together global leaders from governments, businesses, civil societies, and stakeholders. The discussions will tackle the ways and means of how we can grab this opportunity of building a more collaborative global framework for the post-COVID world.
The main issues will be about the effects of the pandemic and how to rebuild the economic and social systems of the world to provide a more fair, sustainable, and resilient future.
Throughout the entire week of this summit, there will be 7 key themes where topics will come from. These themes include How to Save the Planet, Fairer Economies, Tech for Good, Society and Future of Work, Better Business, Healthy Futures, and Beyond Politics. A wider range of topics will enable everyone to participate in the discussions online and learn about how we can start rebuilding our world in 2021 and beyond.
The overall theme of “The Great Reset” means that whatever happened in 2020 has been a catalyst of the changes in economic, environmental, social, and technological aspects of our lives. The pandemic boosted the need to shift and this initiative of the World Economic Forum calls for a global action with a mission to make sustainable decisions from world leaders.
The Davos Agenda will also mark the launch of the World Economic Forum’s Great Reset Initiative and the Special Annual Meeting in the next few months. In the Great Reset Initiative, there are five domains that will be addressed including designing cohesive, sustainable and resilient economic systems, driving responsible industry transformation and growth, enhancing stewardship of our global commons, harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and advancing global and regional cooperation.
The Davos Agenda is very timely since we are pushing to rebuild our lives this year. It is the perfect time to reset priorities, reform systems, and come out stronger.
Click here to access the event: https://www.weforum.org/events/the-davos-agenda-2021
As we embrace a new normal, most brands want to undergo rebranding in order to instill a newer purpose to match the needs of their customers. We are approaching a strictly digital age where everything is online. Businesses start to reintroduce themselves so as to appear resilient in these trying times.
Rebranding is an entire process in itself. It can include changes in colors, logo, website revamp, mission-vision, even every little detail about the business. It is definitely a challenge and doesn’t happen overnight. This is why you will need someone, a master, to help you out in this journey. Here are the reasons why:
You would always need a fresh perspective when doing a rebrand. Since you already know the ins and outs of your business, your bias might affect how you see the real need or the changes that should be done. To get the best results, someone from the outside should take over and see everything with fresh eyes. Rebranding requires new ideas and it will help if you can listen to the suggestions of someone new.
Remember that a rebranding project cannot be accomplished by an internal team alone. To rebrand is to objectively look at the business as a whole and strategically plan the entire structure. It is the task of the master to fairly bring your brand to life without bias and favor.
Having a master do your rebranding will yield expert results as well. A master is sure to know what exactly is needed and how to go about it. Their assessment is more valuable than the people who have known your business for quite some time. As the boss, you don’t have to do all the thinking because there is someone trusted you can rely on.
Admit it, you don’t have enough time to push through with rebranding on your own. Always remember that this process will eat most of your hours for how long it will take. Hiring a master to do this job will save you time because only a master can definitely do it quicker than anyone else. Letting someone take over will not just give you more time to relax, you just have to sit back and wait for the best results. You just have to make sure that the project is running smoothly and within the timeline.
Also, you can save money by investing it on a team of masters to do the whole process of rebranding for you. Their expertise will save you the hassle of spending extra costs to separate people who might even make mistakes along the way. Rebranding is crucial and can be costly when done wrong because you have to do everything all over again from scratch. Of course, there would be changes along the way but having a master to do it will ensure lesser errors. Just make sure that everything is communicated properly and clearly to avoid confusion.
Rebranding doesn’t stop when the new brand has been launched. You still need to promote this properly and establish brand awareness. You don’t have to worry about getting it out there. A master can do all these things for you. You can be sure to be a step ahead of your competitors and be recognised with the new brand. Your online presence such as social media and website will be handled for you.
This strategy will be provided by a real master. No need to find others to do these tasks. It’s all part of the responsibility of handling the entire process of rebranding. You don’t have to worry about being left behind after the launch.
Undergoing a rebrand might be confusing to your customers. You have to rebuild and maintain the relationship with them even as you change some aspects of your business. This can only happen when a master is handling your rebrand project. Especially now that we are living in an online environment, having digital expertise is extremely important. You would only know that your rebranding is successful based on how your customers engage with your business even after the chances have been made. Your social media presence and your website visits will determine this. Keeping them engaged after rebranding is still part of the rebranding process and the job of the master.
Your brand is the most important aspect of your business. As a business owner, you don’t have to do the rebranding all by yourself. It is a challenging but rewarding process that you can just oversee as it happens. You just need to hire professional brand masters like the Digiters.
We are here to assist you with all your branding and rebranding needs, from start to finish. You can be assured of a satisfying partnership and high quality output. Come and talk to us today.
The earlier months of 2020 was a challenge for every business, especially for those in the retail sector because they were suddenly forced to shut down. Some used this time to discover other ways to continue their operations and stay competitive even during the pandemic. Though most companies and businesses have already undergone digital transformation and have built their presence online, it was not enough.
The global health crisis has forced everyone to embrace technology. Everything has to be done online if they want to continue their operations even when in lockdown. The biggest threat for the retail industry is not the virus, but the possibility of bankruptcy and closing down permanently. Though the experience of going inside and shopping within the physical stores are irreplaceable, the need to transition online is important if they want to keep their businesses open.
Even if the lockdowns ease and the economy reopens, it will never be the same. Going digital and online is still a must. Ecommerce operations are the new normal. Here are some of the ways on how a small retail business can survive the challenges of going digital.
Nowadays, it’s easy to create a website from scratch. For something that is already built-in with ecommerce capability, Shopify is the widely popular go-to website creation platform for those in the retail industry. Make sure that the user experience is seamless. The simplest way is to take good photos of your products and have them on display on the website for customers to place an order.
Another way to supplement this effort is to create an account with established online shopping websites with existing infrastructure for ecommerce. In this way, you can also target the current customers of these websites.
To make it user-friendly and engaging, work on improving the sales copy. In any case, you can hire a team of tech and creative experts to help you with this website project.
Online purchases will never be complete without shipping them to the customers. To ensure a seamless online shopping experience, retail stores can partner with a trusted delivery or courier service provider. Shipping duration might be slower due to the huge demand for deliveries but it is understandable and can be worked out with good customer service.
Other businesses even hired their own team of delivery drivers to help those who lost jobs during the pandemic. If you have additional budget to build your own roster of delivery personnel, you can certainly do so.
It is important to continue with business as usual. Hire a team of work-from-home personnel that will look at everything and keep the business running smoothly. Retail stores would need groups dedicated for partnerships and operations, and another team dedicated to customer needs. They have to make sure that the processes from store to customer are seamless.
Even with customers already online, they still need to experience a great customer service experience. This is not just to process orders and look at complaints, but to ensure engagement as well. Especially with an online presence, it is highly recommended to have remote teams in different time zones to cater to a global customer reach. Remember that being digital and staying online means there is a demand for instant responses.
With this pandemic taking over the year 2020, human interaction is definitely transforming into something more socially distant. Going digital is the only way to go and retail stores should be able to adapt. Moving their business from a physical shop to online is only for the better. Next steps would be to promote their online presence and take their loyal customers to this new platform.