Digitalise Correctly

Read a sponsored post today in a local news site. Something about Digitalisation.

The content was about how there are so many solutions that can be done for SME Digitalisation. Picking the right one is difficult. Then promoting the bundled solutions, but not really from a digitalisation solutions provider. It was from a telco.

Usually, the telco bundled solutions are skewed toward their telco business mainly. Since they are not a full-fledged software solutions provider. Previously, in the early stage, their offerings were also mainly sourced from other suppliers or vendors, if I recall. Not too sure about now.

I do agree that a lot of the time, SMEs or small businesses don’t know what solutions to get. Throwing terms like CRM, ERP, and so on is not helping much.

Therefore, when going through the discussion, I usually ask a few things while guiding them and summarizing it for them about:

1. Objective

2. Challenges / Issues

3. Root cause (tech or people)

Then I always provide feedback to them on a few things below, like:

1. What we normally call this type of solution.

2. What you need is a “tech term” which fits your objective of “this and this” by having features like “that and that”.

3. The extent of the “tech” can only do “this” until “that”, so operations have to…

This process helps businesses to:

1. Pinpoint their main objective, pain point, and actual root cause before jumping on their digitalisation journey.

2. Educate the client on the commonly used terms for the solutions they actually need.

Why do I do this?

1. To establish a common understanding. Closing the gap of my understanding of their business needs, and their understanding of what digital solutions they need. So no more chickens talking to ducks.

2. Allowing the client to put in place what their digitalisation journey will be like.

3. Most importantly, they can look for other vendors if they need to.

These are the values I hope to bring. Because when the client is much more educated and aware, only then can the market grow and be healthy.

Rather than keep hearing about clients stuck with contracts or services that are not completed or underutilized.