“IT manages technology and projects — not customer experiences.” Have you heard this before? Not lately, I hope. Most companies are taking on major initiatives to focus all teams on customer experience. Not just customer-facing groups. Of course, this focus requires big changes in mindset and approach in departments across the organization, including both internal- and external-facing teams. Read more…
There is a specific type of person who gets excited about looking ahead — far ahead. The type of person who enjoys challenging what is known to be true today. Big enterprise transformations require that type of forward-thinker. Read more…
All lasting companies change. The most successful ones transform in meaningful ways that continuously increase value for customers and employees. Recently, I have been sharing in detail what enterprise transformation looks like and what it requires from a strategic and tactical perspective. But with so many moving parts, you might be wondering how to know if the transformation is succeeding. How do you measure change? Read more…
The day has come. Your teenager is finally ready to part with their toy car collection. In the old days you might have held a yard sale and tacked flyers up around the neighborhood. Not anymore. Today, your teen knows to announce the sale where the ideal buyer goes to purchase — an online marketplace or an auction site like eBay. Read more…
Enterprise transformation has been a popular topic on this blog lately. By now, you should be familiar with the framework I have laid out. And you may be wondering how it gets done. What can you actually do to have an impact at a company going through major change? Read more…
What does real transformation look like? An automobile manufacturer overhauling their digital sales operations. A multinational IT company changing how they use data. A major fintech provider undergoing a solutions transformation and starting to think more holistically about how to bundle services that customers need. Read more…
The future of product management. I have written about this before. And I think that change really is here now — we see it happening with our customers at Aha! every day. Today’s product managers are more strategic, customer-centric, and team-oriented than ever before. Many are fundamentally changing the way their entire company thinks about its products and services. Read more…
Remember planning vacations in the 1990s? You spent a lot of time talking on the phone. Separate calls to airlines, hotels, and car rental companies. This was just to compare rates — you had to make another set of phone calls to book services. Or you used a travel agent and accepted the fact that it was likely going to be more expensive than if you just did it on your own. Read more…
“Today’s customers want more.” You have been reading this a lot lately — especially from me. Customers want a personalized experience and want it delivered fast. Many companies know that change is needed to meet those expectations and demands. But they do not know what that change should look like. This is where data can help. Read more…
Yes, it is true. I did recently write that I do not believe in digital transformation. Foolish? Maybe. But my point was a bit more nuanced. Improving technology and digital capabilities is not an end game. The goal is to deliver better customer experiences. Digital transformation is just one strategy that companies invest in as part of an enterprise-wide effort towards better serving customers and employees. That is the real objective. Read more…
“February is a time of transformation.” Not words you are used to hearing? Spring is usually synonymous with renewal. Winter is usually all dormancy and hibernation. But not this year. Change and transformation were on our minds last month and we explored those themes on the Aha! blog. Read more…
Enterprise transformation. I have been writing about it a lot over the last few weeks. And I have been talking with other technology leaders about it even more. It is interesting to hear how so many people view this concept differently. But four words keep popping up when I ask about how companies are changing: “We are going agile.” Huh? Read more…
I want to begin with three business truths. The first is that most companies will need to fundamentally change to better serve customers. The second is that the transformation required will be enterprise-wide and include digital, solutions, and data-oriented strategies. And finally, for meaningful change to happen, the organization needs to think and behave differently to execute on the chosen strategy. Read more…
What does transformation really mean? Merriam-Webster dictionary offers a grounded and elegant definition: “The act or process of changing completely.” Interestingly, I am not the only one to be curious about this word recently. The online dictionary tracks the popularity of word lookups — “transformation” is in the top 20 percent. Why? I have some theories. Read more…
I recently asked people on LinkedIn to explain how their companies are trying to achieve meaningful organizational change. Most said with “greater efficiency” through “digital transformation” — with technology as the way to realize those efficiency gains. Read more…
