CIO opinion
“Business models and the way organisations
engage with customers must change
dramatically,” said Mbonambi.
“Internally, the way organisations
communicate must change, allowing for
far greater efficiencies. Companies need
to embrace agile methodologies and
practices across the organisation, not just
in project delivery. DevOps, for example,
is one way we have, for example, enabled
continuous improvement within our
organisation and methodologies.”
Mbonambi says the key to success will lie in
understanding what is required to transform
your organisation digitally, as it cannot be a
‘one size fits all’ approach. Companies must
also not expect to have all the answers all
the time.
“Each organisation’s needs are unique,
therefore it is crucial that transforming
digitally is a tool to scale your business,
but that it must be underpinned by a solid
strategy. You must also find meaningful
synergies with other businesses with
complementary services as this will drive
your growth even further.”
Your employees are just as critical to your
digital transformation process
“
DIGITAL
CURRENCY,
SUCH AS MOBILE
MONEY, IS
ALSO A KEY
CONSIDERATION
ON THE AFRICAN
CONTINENT AND
FINTECH’S ARE
DISRUPTING
THE WAY
TRADITIONAL
BANKS OPERATE.
entry into new markets, access to new
client bases and more innovative ways of
provisioning products and services that are
in line with market demands.
Mbonambi says the subject of digital
transformation is not new and is typically
related to upcoming megatrends, such as
cloud as cloud computing, mobility, Big Data,
artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of
Things (IoT), robotics and social platforms. “Moreover, African organisations need
digital transformation to drive profitability,
customer satisfaction and increased speed
to market along with borderless entry into
new markets within the Africa diaspora and
beyond. That said, for digital transformation
to be effective and yield results, there must
be a clear organisational vision.”
“Organisations must adapt to a new,
innovative way of delivering on their brand
promise, ensuring effective customer
engagement, bringing in fresh and creative
ways of thinking and empowering the
company to make well-informed decisions as
a collective,” said Mbonambi. For African organisations to become more
competitive in a global context, they need
to first redefine their strategies and business
models to make sense in the current business
context and markets they operate in.
“Digital transformation is not an option
anymore. Globally, and on the African
continent, organisations must embrace
digital transformation as a key enabler
of innovation and to drive continuous
improvements that will ultimately translate
into business growth.” “Their next step is to then identify the right
technology fit for their strategy in relation
to the products and services they offer and
leverage that technology to enable them
to be more innovative and flexible in their
offering and the way in which they deliver
that offering through different digital
channels,” said Mbonambi.
Mbonambi says it is particularly important
to African organisations, because it enables “The key to successful digital transformation
also lies in moving away from focusing
46
INTELLIGENTCIO
on standalone technology and adopting
solutions that will allow organisations to
empower their people and support them in
making more effective, better informed and
faster decisions.
“We cannot change the volumes of data
we are exposed to, but we can improve the
ability of our employees to leverage that
data and translate it into information quickly
and accurately to support decision-making.
“While the decision to digitally transform
usually lies within the top levels of
management of the organisation, it
is crucial to involve your employees
throughout the process.
“This requires a change in mindset, training,
ensuring they buy into the redefined
business model and an in-depth change
management programme as the culture of
the organisation will also be impacted.”
The risks of not transforming and ensuring
that you do it properly cannot be over-
emphasised. “If organisations delay digital
transformation, or do not transform at
all, they risk being ousted by competitors,
which will result in a loss of market share,
revenue and could even lead to shut down,”
said Mbonambi.
“In this fast-paced environment where
continuous improvement and innovation
is required to stay ahead of the game,
organisations simply cannot risk this.
“We have already seen several organisations
in the recent past filing for bankruptcy,
because they are not transforming fast
enough, or at all.”
He adds that it is not about scare tactics, but
rather emphasising the need to transform in
a strategic and prioritised way.
“We know that organisations that do not
transform risk being left behind or forced to
shut their doors,” said Mbonambi.
“The key here is to ensure that the
entire organisation is on board with
the transformation process so that the
organisation can unlock the full potential of
their products and services, while embracing
the opportunity of attracting new customer
bases as they evolve.” n
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