Industries Benefiting from Digital Transformation

Whether we’re talking about CPGs, distributors, or professional services orgs, digital transformation is not one-size-fits-all and typically centers around the same set of high-level goals.

Think — responding to changing customer expectations. Improving product and service quality. Rolling out new revenue streams. Driving operational efficiencies.

On top of that, organizations – regardless of size or sector – typically lean on similar tools, tactics, and tech stacks to achieve the desired outcomes.

Big data analytics, AI, automation, and low-code/no code are key players in just about any DX journey.

All that in mind, digital transformation is no one-size-fits-all affair. DX use cases, strategies, and processes vary dramatically between verticals — and these differences have major implications.

In this blog post, we’ll look at digital transformation from the perspective of the different industries we serve.

DX and Its Impact on Different Verticals

We’ve talked a lot about the fact that every transformation is unique. Even within the same industry, each business has different needs, goals, and priorities.

Those requirements are informed by a long list of variables, say, whether they’re using legacy tech or several phases into their DX journey. The condition of their data. Whether their team embraces change or knows how to put insights into action. And so on.

At the same time, organizations share some common challenges, opportunities, and pain points with others in their vertical.

For instance, field services orgs often struggle with routing, scheduling, and predictive maintenance, while CPGs and distributors face numerous logistical and inventory challenges.

Meanwhile, professional services firms – which typically don’t deal with physical inventory – tend to have a hard time scaling and monetizing human expertise in the digital age.

In these next few sections, we’ll go over some of these core differences, across the verticals we serve. And, for those looking for a deeper dive, we also link to separate posts, with more examples, details, and solutions specific to each group.

CPG

CPGs have a challenging road ahead. They’re dealing with these huge volumes of data, massive inventory catalogs, and complex supply chain operations. According to Deloitte, this group often struggles to stay organized, and, in many cases, still operate with fragmented data sets that fail to produce actionable insights.

Digital solutions can CPGs overcome the limitations of legacy solutions. However, it’s important to understand that implementing technology is only the beginning. Business leaders need to fundamentally change how people work, leverage technology, and collaborate with colleagues, customers, and partners.

In this article, we take a closer look at how CPGs are transforming their businesses and achieving critical objectives.

Distributors

Today’s distributors must effectively balance supply and demand, respond to real-time price changes in a dynamic environment, and ensure all of these moving pieces work together to create a cohesive customer experience.

And – on top of all that, they need to systematically use data to maximize profit margins. It’s a lot.

This article will examine the current conditions and challenges distributors are currently up against — and how they’re using technology to not just cope, but create a real competitive advantage.

Field Services

Field services providers are under a lot of pressure. The scope and complexity of this industry has increased significantly in just a few short years.

Traditionally, service providers have operated on a break-fix model – responding to problems as customers report them. Unfortunately, this approach is both expensive and inefficient.

Customers expect more from field services providers, and the providers themselves need a more predictable system for providing high-quality service, generating revenue, and getting the most value out of their resources.

Field services leaders must navigate disruption and changing consumer behaviors. And, at the same time, look toward technology to improve customer service, employee engagement, and generate predictable revenue streams.

From AI algorithms to AR assistance, technology is changing the game for field services. However, providers may need to work on building new habits and a strong digital foundation before exploring more exciting – and transformative – possibilities.

Click here to learn more about the challenges field services organizations are up against and what real companies are doing to transform operations.

Agribusiness

Agribusiness covers horticulturists, produce farmers, and most recently, cannabis growers.
But, while there’s a lot of (bio) diversity in this space, agribusiness companies share some common – and critical – pain points.

Whether they fit into the traditional ag model or belong to a pioneering class of newly legal businesses, these orgs often have trouble connecting analog grow operations to the customer-facing and financial parts of the business.

And, as a result, growers can experience a whole host of problems from quality control issues and poor visibility to accounting and inventory challenges and a lack of control over profit margins.

Here, we explore some of the ways real organizations are transforming their business on all fronts.

Professional Services Firms

For professional services firms, digital transformation is largely about transforming business models that have been around for centuries. This industry has always been about relationships – built on a model where experts’ time and knowledge are sold by the hour or by the project.

That’s still true. However, technology has transformed how knowledge is packaged and sold.
Hourly engagements aren’t necessarily the norm anymore – but instead, part of a diverse set of service offerings that cater to new needs and varying price points. And, on top of that, allow firms to deliver more value to clients on their terms.

Then there’s the fact that professional services firms have undergone the same changes as everyone else. For example, there was the COVID-induced move into cyberspace. There’s this mounting pressure to become “data-driven.” Firms are increasingly embracing AI and automation as a way to augment human expertise and fill critical skills gaps.

All in all, it’s a lot. Read the full article to learn more about how the professional services sector is transforming.

Final Thoughts

Look, our point here is that digital transformation journeys take many different forms. What’s good for agribusiness orgs isn’t necessarily good for professional services firms or nonprofits.

So, while all of these groups might use many of the same tools to achieve their DX goals, ensuring that those investments deliver the right outcomes requires deep knowledge of both the industry and the individual business.

Velosio is an award-winning Microsoft Gold Partner with deep expertise across the entire Microsoft portfolio — including Dynamics 365, Azure, the Power Platform, and more.

With 30+ years of experience, Velosio experts know exactly how to translate their knowledge into purpose-built solutions that solve for industry-specific challenges. Contact us today to learn more.