How to quickly digitalize your company’s internal processes? According to a recent study, an industrial SME loses an average of 20% productivity due to paper-based management. As such, digitalizing internal processes represents one of the major challenges today for SME executives and digital transformation managers.
Indeed, in an industrial environment where the slightest error can cost thousands of euros, this transformation requires a methodical approach and suitable tools. Furthermore, optimizing internal operations becomes crucial in the face of growing traceability and regulatory compliance requirements. Thus, this article presents you with a proven method to quickly digitalize your processes while minimizing operational risks.
Key takeaways regarding how to quickly digitalize your company’s internal processes:
- Essential preliminary audit: Map and prioritize critical processes before any transformation
- Specialized SaaS solution: Favor an industry-dedicated cloud platform for accelerated deployment
- Change management: Involve field teams from the outset to ensure adoption
- Progressive deployment: Proceed through pilot phases to validate effectiveness before scaling
- Continuous measurement: Track precise KPIs to optimize transformation benefits
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1. Where to begin to effectively digitalize your internal processes?
Digitalizing internal processes requires a structured approach to guarantee the success of your transformation. Indeed, meticulous preparation helps avoid common pitfalls and optimize the investment made.
Moreover, this preparatory phase largely determines the speed and effectiveness of subsequent deployment.
1.1. How to conduct a complete audit of your existing processes?
The initial audit constitutes the foundation of your digital transformation project. Thus, this step allows you to precisely identify processes to digitalize as a priority:
- Critical process mapping: Inventory all standard operating procedures for production, maintenance, and quality
- Bottleneck identification: Analyze friction points that slow down your operations
- Digital maturity assessment: Measure your teams’ current technological level
- Strategic prioritization: Classify processes according to their business impact and technical feasibility
Nevertheless, this analysis phase requires the involvement of all business stakeholders to obtain a comprehensive and relevant vision.
1.2. What Are the Essential Technical Prerequisites?
Before undertaking digitalization, several technical elements must be verified and prepared:
- Suitable IT infrastructure: Verify network connectivity and mobile device equipment
- System integration: Ensure compatibility with your existing ERP, MES, and CMMS
- Enhanced security: Comply with regulatory compliance requirements in your sector
- Cloud/on-premise architecture: Choose the deployment mode according to your constraints
Consequently, this preliminary verification prevents technical blocks during the deployment phase.
1.3. How to define a realistic digitalization roadmap?
Strategic planning determines the success of your digitalization project. Thus, several elements structure this roadmap:
- Phased approach: Favor progressive deployment rather than global transformation
- Measurable KPIs: Define precise and quantifiable success indicators
- Operational planning: Organize deployment by department or site according to your priorities
- Necessary resources: Budget costs and allocate dedicated project teams
However, this roadmap must remain flexible to adapt to feedback from pilot phases.
2. Which Solution to Choose for Rapidly Digitalizing Your Internal Processes?
The choice of technological solution constitutes a determining factor for the success of your digitalization. Indeed, suitable technological tools significantly accelerate deployment while guaranteeing team adoption. Furthermore, the digitalization strategy must rely on proven platforms to minimize risks.
2.1. Why Opt for a Specialized SaaS Platform?
Specialized cloud solutions offer numerous advantages for rapid digitalization:
- Accelerated deployment: Benefit from reduced time-to-market thanks to cloud technology
- Multi-device support: Access your processes via smartphones, tablets, PCs, and augmented reality glasses
- Proven solution: Picomto supports numerous industrial companies in their transformation
- Optimized ROI: Avoid internal development costs thanks to a ready-to-use platform
However, the platform choice must correspond to the specificities of your industrial sector.
2.2. How to create and standardize interactive digital instructions?
Transforming standard operating procedures constitutes the core of digitalization. What tools facilitate rapid digitalization? Modern platforms offer advanced functionalities:
- Standard operating procedure digitalization: Convert your paper documents into interactive formats
- Enriched media: Integrate annotated photos, videos, and diagrams to clarify instructions
- Automated checklists: Create control forms with mandatory validation
- Multi-site standardization: Homogenize your processes across all your facilities
Moreover, this approach guarantees practice consistency while improving user experience.
2.3. What features to look for in a digitalization solution?
Selection criteria for a digitalization platform include:
- Intuitive creation: Allow business users to easily create their own instructions
- Targeted distribution: Adapt distribution according to each user’s roles and competencies
- Data collection: Automate information feedback from the field
- Real-time analytics: Track operational performance through advanced reporting
- Remote expert support: Benefit from remote maintenance and distance assistance
Nevertheless, these features must integrate harmoniously into your existing automated workflows.
3. How to deploy digitalization without disrupting production?
The transition to digital work systems requires particular attention to maintain operational continuity. Indeed, task automation must not compromise existing productivity. Moreover, business process management must be carried out smoothly to guarantee team buy-in.
3.1. What change management strategy to adopt?
Employee involvement constitutes a critical success factor. Thus, several levers facilitate this transition:
- Progressive training: Support field teams step by step in the learning process
- Business ambassadors: Identify and train relays in each department
- Targeted communication: Highlight concrete benefits for each trade
- Resistance management: Anticipate and address objections through constructive dialogue
Consequently, this participative approach maximizes team effectiveness during deployment.
3.2. How to Ensure a Smooth Transition from Paper-Based Processes?
Migration from paper media requires a cautious and methodical approach:
- Pilot project: Test the solution on a restricted scope before scaling
- Hybrid operation: Temporarily maintain both systems in parallel
- User validation: Gather user feedback before extension
- Continuity plan: Prepare a rollback plan if necessary
However, this transition phase must remain limited in time to avoid operational complexity.
3.3. What Are the Key Success Factors for Rapid Deployment?
Several elements determine the success of an accelerated digital transformation:
- Managerial commitment: Ensure visible support from leadership and frontline managers
- Responsive technical support: Guarantee technical assistance and continuous training
- Continuous improvement: Rapidly integrate user feedback into system evolution
- Benefits measurement: Regularly quantify gains achieved to maintain motivation
In summary, these factors create a virtuous circle that accelerates adoption and maximizes benefits.
4. How to measure and optimize digitalization benefits?
Analysis of collected data allows precise evaluation of your digital transformation gains. Indeed, key performance indicators reveal the real impact on operational performance.
Moreover, this continuous measurement guides improvement actions and justifies the investment made.
4.1. Which KPIS to track to evaluate your transformation success?
Essential metrics for measuring your digitalization effectiveness include:
- Execution time reduction: Measure productivity gains on recurring tasks
- Error reduction: Quantify the decrease in non-conformity rate and scrap
- Traceability improvement: Evaluate the completeness of operational tracking data
- User adoption rate: Monitor actual platform usage by teams
However, these KPIs must be adapted to the specificities of your business sector and processes.
4.2. How to leverage collected data for continuous improvement?
Intelligent use of operational data generates significant added value:
- Advanced analytics: Analyze real-time performance to identify optimization opportunities
- Proactive detection: Anticipate deviations and anomalies through automated alerts
- Data-driven optimization: Adjust your processes according to field metrics
- Experience capitalization: Enrich your instructions through user feedback
Nevertheless, this exploitation requires data analytics skills and suitable visualization tools.
3.2. How to Ensure a Smooth Transition from Paper-Based Processes?
Migration from paper media requires a cautious and methodical approach:
- Pilot project: Test the solution on a restricted scope before scaling
- Hybrid operation: Temporarily maintain both systems in parallel
- User validation: Gather user feedback before extension
- Continuity plan: Prepare a rollback plan if necessary
However, this transition phase must remain limited in time to avoid operational complexity.
3.3. What Are the Key Success Factors for Rapid Deployment?
Several elements determine the success of an accelerated digital transformation:
- Managerial commitment: Ensure visible support from leadership and frontline managers
- Responsive technical support: Guarantee technical assistance and continuous training
- Continuous improvement: Rapidly integrate user feedback into system evolution
- Benefits measurement: Regularly quantify gains achieved to maintain motivation
In summary, these factors create a virtuous circle that accelerates adoption and maximizes benefits.
4. How to measure and optimize digitalization benefits?
Analysis of collected data allows precise evaluation of your digital transformation gains. Indeed, key performance indicators reveal the real impact on operational performance.
Moreover, this continuous measurement guides improvement actions and justifies the investment made.
4.1. Which KPIS to track to evaluate your transformation success?
Essential metrics for measuring your digitalization effectiveness include:
- Execution time reduction: Measure productivity gains on recurring tasks
- Error reduction: Quantify the decrease in non-conformity rate and scrap
- Traceability improvement: Evaluate the completeness of operational tracking data
- User adoption rate: Monitor actual platform usage by teams
However, these KPIs must be adapted to the specificities of your business sector and processes.
4.2. How to leverage collected data for continuous improvement?
Intelligent use of operational data generates significant added value:
- Advanced analytics: Analyze real-time performance to identify optimization opportunities
- Proactive detection: Anticipate deviations and anomalies through automated alerts
- Data-driven optimization: Adjust your processes according to field metrics
- Experience capitalization: Enrich your instructions through user feedback
Nevertheless, this exploitation requires data analytics skills and suitable visualization tools.
4.3. What benefits to expect in the short and long term?
Digitalization generates staggered benefits over time according to different horizons:
- Immediate gains: Reduction in data entry errors and strengthened regulatory traceability
- Medium-term benefits: Increased productivity and accelerated onboarding of new employees
- Long-term impact: Development of organizational agility and enhanced innovation capacity
- Quantifiable ROI: Return on investment generally observed between 6 and 18 months
Ultimately, these multiple benefits justify investment in a suitable digitalization solution.
Conclusion
Rapid digitalization of internal processes is now accessible to all industrial companies thanks to new technologies and specialized platforms. Indeed, this transformation relies on a proven methodology combining preliminary audit, suitable technology choice, and controlled change management.
Request a personalized demonstration to concretely evaluate potential gains with Picomto and launch your transformation now.
FAQ
How can I digitalize a process?
Audit the process, choose a suitable tool, train teams, and deploy progressively.
What are the 3 pillars of digital transformation?
Suitable technology, change management, and operational performance measurement.
What are the digitalization tools?
SaaS platforms, mobile applications, cloud solutions, and data analysis tools.
What are the stages of digitalization?
Audit, planning, tool selection, pilot deployment, scaling, and continuous optimization.
What is the best automation tool?
Picomto for industry, combining ease of use and advanced business functionalities.
What is internal process digitalization?
Transformation of paper-based operating procedures into interactive and traceable digital processes.
What is the main objective of digitalization?
Improve operational efficiency, reduce errors, and optimize traceability.
What are the four major technologies of the digital era?
Cloud computing, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and augmented reality.
What is the difference between digitalization and digitization?
Digitization: conversion to digital format. Digitalization: transformation of business processes.
What are the types of digitalization?
Document digitalization, process digitalization, communications digitalization, and analytics digitalization.
What is process digitalization?
Replacement of manual processes with automated workflows and digital interfaces.
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