How to choose a digital partner

For any company in two minds about the importance of digital technology, this year made the decision for them. With Covid-19 forcing every organisation into remote working and online transactions, any business that wants to thrive (or simply survive) must digitise effectively.

Organisations of all sizes have been pursuing digital transformation as a means of boosting performance and reach for years, and the need to minimise face-to-face interactions has merely accelerated this drive to digital. Global spending on digital transformation technologies and services is forecast to rise by 10.4 percent in 2020 to $1.3 trillion, so the Covid-19 pandemic is certainly not slowing things down.

However, digital-first organisations don’t just invest in cutting-edge technology and hope for the best. The savviest of them adopt a mindset that prioritises nimbleness, exploits technology to streamline operations and frees employees from manual tasks to work on more meaningful projects. Transforming your company into a digital-first operation is not something you can easily do without outside help. As the proverb says, “if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” But what if you want to go fast and far? That’s where a reliable digital services provider or software partner comes in.

An experienced technology partner will develop, adapt and build software solutions to support both your business goals and your users’ needs. Deciding who that partner should be is something that could change the course of your business, so consider the following factors carefully before you make your choice:

Successful companies always have an eye on growth. It’s not enough to consider how you will meet the business demands of today; you’re thinking about how your business can scale. The technology partner you choose should have scale in mind too, and they should have the infrastructure to follow through.

You need to know that the software they deliver can handle growth — but it should also be flexible enough to accommodate scaling back in line with seasonal demand patterns, if necessary. Scalability doesn’t just apply to the solution your partner provides: As your team grows, does your partner have the resources to meet your needs?

Technology is growing more complex at an exponential rate, and the increasing number of potential solutions available is dizzying, so you need a digital partner who can help you navigate a confusing landscape.

Your technology partner’s track record should demonstrate that they can handle whatever disruption may come your way. They should have experience with organisations of all sizes , so that you can rest easy knowing your key technology is in safe hands.

Importantly, it’s not enough to keep abreast of the latest technology. The best digital services providers understand at a foundational level why and how solutions will continue to work into the future. This is the kind of expertise you need your digital partner to demonstrate so that you can be confident they will deliver the appropriate solution for you every time.

The ideal partner will always interrogate your brief, analysing your requirements thoroughly so that they have a full understanding of what you need — not just what you are prepared to pay for. This kind of big-picture thinking is at the heart of all successful technology teams. They start every project by developing a clear, actionable assessment of your requirements before they begin designing the solution.

This is how NearForm operates. We have refined an in-depth workshop methodology  that makes optimal use of your time and works with our software accelerators to deliver superior solutions, faster. Your digital services provider should operate with a similar mindset: Instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all approach by plugging a gap with a product they are able to deliver, they should examine your unique requirements and meet them with a solution that is tailored to your circumstances and designed to swiftly deliver results.

The benefits of a great technology partner feed into every aspect of your business. When your chosen provider develops a new app or software solution for you, you get more than just a new piece of tech: You feel supported right through the process and beyond because you have a better understanding of why this solution is the best approach for your specific requirements.

It’s not just a new software product; it’s an improved workflow, a better approach to managing data or superior customer service. The solution is not just the sum of its parts — with the right provider behind it, it’s a new perspective on how to succeed.

The success of your digital transformation is less about the technology you acquire and more about the people you work with. You can buy as much technology as you like, but your capacity to embrace an ever more digital future and thrive in it ultimately depends on the skills of the people in your organisation and the partners you work with.

Technology has always centred on doing more with less, but that formula works only if you choose the right people to apply that technology. The introduction of automation and other disruptive technologies gives your team time they can dedicate to the kinds of creative projects that add true value to the organisation. But this creative aspect of digital transformation depends entirely on applying the appropriate technology in the appropriate way.

With the right digital partner on your side, you can use technology to harness your people’s adaptability to reskill and upskill, boosting your productivity, increasing efficiency and ensuring a happier, more fulfilled team now and into the future.