Don’t go digital for the sake of digital
‘Accelerated innovation’, ‘Leading in the new’,‘Digital disruption’ are all buzzwords we’re used to hearing in the digital transformation space. It’s a competitive, fast-paced market and I’m often impressed by the new applications of technology. However, the more I see the more I question; Have we become so fixated on being one of the first to do something that we have lost sight of what we are trying to achieve?
What I mean by this is that often we’re hit with a new trend, be it artificial intelligence, augmented reality, voice automation etc. It’s exciting and it’s unknown and once proven to be of some sort of value we’re all racing to get our hands on it. And because that race is so quick we don’t stop for a water break to question do we really need it? Do our customers want it? Will it make us any money or deliver any sort of value to us as a brand?
An example of this is last year I went to a virtual reality convention. It had exhibitions from almost every industry, one of them being fashion. I put on the headset to watch a 360 ° catwalk of multiple models styling different looks. My opinion… what was the point??? Understandably people have different reactions, but my personal one was that of nothingness. It had zero impact on my experience or my intent to purchase. On the other hand, I tried Audi’s application. I got to sit in the driver’s seat, get familiar with everything in the interior and feel the drive on different terrains. It redefined the meaning of a test drive which addressed a customer pain point for me. I don’t fancy ruling out a weekend to go to a bunch of dealers to drive several cars so this alternative was much more convenient. The use of VR here really had an impact on me and my impression of Audi as a brand.
Now I’m not anti-emerging tech, in fact quite the opposite, but my point here is that brands should be focusing more on solving customers problems than keeping up with the Joneses. If we focus on designing a service that adds value to a customer in some way and then work in the latest technology around it, you can create something long lasting rather than something that will boom and die as quick as the trend does. Developing a service just to be present in a new market can cost you more than not entering the market at all. Leading with problems instead of solutions enables deeper understanding of what will drive customer and business value. Your users are unique, so match them with a service that answers their unique needs rather than pushing a square peg into a round hole.
What’s your thoughts? Feel free to comment below and if you’d like to read more on some of the latest digital trends, check out my full blog, or get in touch!
