What is digital transformation and how does it impact the modern customer?

What is digital transformation?

Digital transformation is the process in which companies use emerging technology to facilitate the way that they do business. There are many benefits to digital transformation for enterprises such as increased efficiency, reducing mistakes caused by human error, and maximizing their sales potential. What isn’t discussed as much, is the impact digital transformation has on the customers.

In a recent Q&A with KBMax Strategic Account Director, Kris Goldhair, he explains just that. In the interview, Goldhair notes that “digital transformation has allowed companies to put tools that were traditionally made for salespeople, or for registered dealers, into the customers’ hands.” Notably, he explains how customers in both B2B and B2C settings can now visualize and interact with products, online, prior to purchasing or even having a sales conversation.

Goldhair also notes a few changes that digital transformation is responsible for, for consumers:

• Digital transformation allows marketers to better track the customer journey. This results in better and more personalized buying experiences for the customer.
• Digital transformation allows buyers to more deeply research, and understand products before buying. However, for the marketer there is also a deeper understanding of when touchpoints are needed; this saves the customer unneeded phone calls and emails.
• Digital transformation such as CPQ allows the customer to have more control in the buying process. Goldhair states that “With CPQ and visualization working together, customers know upfront how much a custom product’s going to cost. That experience is much more defined, and the customer has more control.”

CPQ and visualization solutions paired facilitate better experiences for the customer; they enable the buyer to see, in real-time, how their selections impact price and manufacturing time. This part of digital transformation is an essential one to deliver experiences that customers require. Customization is becoming the expected and not the exception, and manufacturers need digital transformation to serve the needs of their customers.

Read the full Q&A here