AKA Enterprise Solutions recently hosted two live events, which featured deep dives into Digital Transformation (DX). Why is so much time and effort being devoted to this topic? Because DX is a topic that’s trending now, and Microsoft is leading the charge with the release of Microsoft Dynamics 365.
From the First to the Fourth Industrial Revolution
A recent InfoWorld article defines DX as "...the application of digital technologies to fundamentally impact all aspects of business and society."
Digital Transformation is also widely referred to as “The Fourth Industrial Revolution,” implying that this current revolution was spearheaded by industry. But is that true? The original Industrial Revolution was spurred by new manufacturing processes which over time impacted almost every aspect of daily life, in particular the standard of living for the population at large. Industry was the catalyst. The populace reaped the benefits.
When it comes to DX, the reverse may be true. People, perhaps notably millennials, began embracing digital technologies in their daily lives and only then did industry scurry to catch up.
Whether the chicken or the egg came first, DX is now pervasive. Just as the clocks could never turn back from the First Industrial Revolution, there is no turning back on DX. It’s here to stay. It’s shaping our future. And industry, having taken up the baton, is leading the way.
Top 3 Takeaways from the World Economic Forum on DX
There’s a fascinating white paper published in 2016 by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Accenture: "." It’s definitively not beach reading – it’s 45 pages filled with figures, charts and graphs. However, there are some powerful takeaways for any business:
1. The role of digital technology is rapidly shifting, from being a driver of marginal efficiency to an enabler of fundamental innovation and disruption.
2. Becoming a digital enterprise requires more than merely investing in digital technology. It also requires building digital business models, operating models, talent pools, and performance metrics.
3. One trend that’s shaping the new digital landscape is “The Internet of Me” which is placing users at the center of every digital experience.
Microsoft Leads the DX Charge with Dynamics 365
What is Microsoft’s role as a key player in Digital Transformation and its impact on people and enterprises? It began with the well-known vision that Microsoft espoused decades before the term Digital Transformation was coined. Namely, “… a computer in every home,” a dream that has all but come true thanks to visionaries like Bill Gates and Paul Allen. There are also the many ubiquitous tools, programs, and devices that Microsoft has developed over its long history: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Windows, SQL, smartphones, tablets, Internet Explorer (IE), gaming platforms...and more.
All that without even touching on business management software for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM).
That was the Microsoft of Christmas past. The Microsoft of Christmas present and future is embodied in Satya Nadella’s dream: To turn Microsoft into a cloud fist, mobile first company, a leader in Digital Transformation. A giant step in this direction was taken with the release of .
Innovating with Dynamics 365 and DX
Innovative and transformative, Dynamics 365 is revolutionizing the world of business management software programs. It’s cloud-based, accessible from mobile devices, and seamlessly integrates ERP and CRM. It’s perfect for tiny startups as well as multi-national corporations with users numbering in the tens of thousands. It’s built for Digital Transformation.
Nadella has described the four pillars of Digital Transformation as seen below:
In a recent article, Alex Sessoms, Senior Partner Marketing Manager at Microsoft, explained the opportunities to be gained through : identify business leads, interact with prospects, and engage with customers on a one-to-one basis. Dynamics 365 leads that charge with built-in tools like Relationship Insights, Relevance Search, Power BI, and Machine Learning.
To read more on this topic, download this eBook: Then to discuss your digital transformation plans.
