Once upon a time the business as usual was good enough. Now, the old adage “if it isn’t broken don’t fix it” just doesn’t work anymore. Business as usual is no longer good enough. We are today perhaps living in some of the most transformational times in the history of mankind. Just about everything we see around us which earlier needs to be done and unconnected is today intelligent and viable. Science fiction has become science fact.
A few years ago who would have imagine self-driven cars, quantum computing, self-learning computers, digital currencies and much more. All these are possible now due to Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain Technology.
Read More: Artificial Intelligence Effects on Business in Dubai
Now in the center of all these wonderful things happening around us is the phrase “digital transformation” and everyone has an opinion of what this term means.
What is Digital Transformation?
Digital transformation is the profound and accelerating transformation of the business activities, processes, competencies, and models to fully leverage the changes and opportunities of digital technologies and their impact across society in a strategic and prioritized way.
So companies, organizations or governments that traditionally used analog methods to deal with their customers or citizens e.g. banks having actual bank tellers or newspaper organizations having actually newspapers and even telecommunication companies that you have to call and ask up on phone; its moving companies like these to a digital world where their customers data is stored digitally , where most of the interactions that they have with their customers are digital and now everything that they do is digital and more importantly its scalable.
Let’s take a look at the scenario where your company has not undergone digital transformation….
If a company that has not gone through digital transformation yet, they might have customer data spread out throughout the company and no central point for them to actually be able to look at this data and act on it. A company that’s fully digital is going to be able to say this is our customer, these are segments of our customers and here are some interesting products and services that we could create to improve these customer’s lives. That’s an extremely difficult thing to do if your company has not gone through a digital transformation process.
Small to Medium Sized Business (SMBs) in UAE
SMBs in the UAE play a key role in job creation, innovation, exports and re-export and contribute about 95% of enterprise population in the UAE.
SMB sector in UAE is now applying digital and IT solutions that include enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.
The ERP allows companies to use a system of integrated applications to manage the business and automate multiple back office functions. The CRM system helps businesses to manage business relationships and the data and information related to them.
SMB as compared to large enterprises have a unique advantage in the UAE. Large scale companies are burdened with complex, sprawling legacy systems whereas SMB have the agility and nimbleness to go ahead. By combining the connective capabilities of cloud applications with transformative technologies built in from the very beginning, SMBs in UAE can initiate their digital transformation from inside out.
What are the benefits?
- Digitalization would help businesses in Dubai to channelize their resources effectively to minimize operational cost, time and enhance efficiency and maximize business outcome
- SMBs by using cloud and enterprise mobility can better streamline processes and engage with both customers and partners
- Improved customer experience
- Digital transformation eventually helps in retention of customers
The UAE government highly supports SMBs by nurturing an environment that lets them with growing number of co-working spaces, ease of business setup in UAE and many places also provide training for skills that will be required in order to undergo successful transformation.
Microsoft- Driving Digital Transformation in the UAE
Microsoft is driving digital transformation across all sectors and industries in UAE, from startups to governments, letting them make the most out of Microsoft solutions to empower their employees, engage customers, optimize operations and transform products and services. A great example of digital transformation that they have done is Dubai Electric and Water Authority that is utilizing AI to better automate processes. Microsoft has also partnered with Dubai’s Area 2071 and the Mubadala Hub71 in Abu Dhabi to incubate startups.
Digital transformation is evident
Many SMBs in UAE are still struggling to understand digital transformation and the impact it can have on their business. They are still working under the supposition that they could retain their success and customers without keeping pace with the competitive market demands and expectations.
Therefore, digital transformation is must for those businesses who want to adopt new digital models and capitalize on emerging technologies.
For information on business setup in Dubai and across UAE, visit our website KWSME or contact us by sending your query at info@kwsme.com.
