Without appropriate technology, employees leave
New innovative ideas are becoming harder to find and more expensive without the aid of technology. Without a modern digital strategy, existing efforts are yielding fewer new ideas.
When employees are always thinking about what’s wrong, but don’t have access to the right digital technology to solve their problems and frustrations, they move on. Those who don’t like technology need an attitude adjustment. Technology fuels new ideas and opportunities, but without it:
- Employees feel powerless to make things better
- Work becomes dull because of repetitive tasks
- They are burnt out trying to cope; they need to work smarter not harder
- Some should have a different job as they are not suited for their current role.
Actions can be productive or unproductive; it’s your choice.
Why innovative ideas are needed
We have all felt those moments when our heart drops, our stomach sinks, and our brains go into overdrive. At such times many become paralysed by not knowing how to react because they lack the digital technology applications to move forward.
With the pace of technological innovation we are experiencing, it’s natural to think big ideas will be forthcoming, to move a business forward into the future. However, for many, it is not the case.
The National Bureau of Economic Research found the productivity of scientific research is falling sharply across the board.
It’s an age of astonishing technological progress, but many businesses are having a harder time coming up with the innovative ideas they want and need to solve their problems and frustrations.
Innovative ideas sustain growth and sustainability
Constant exponential growth implies there is a need to have a massive increase in resources to keep up. It need not be the case with digital technology.
Digital technology is not a cost; it is a critical investment. If it seems to be taking you longer to achieve the levels of productivity, needed to make a breakthrough to reach your objectives, it is time to create a digital strategy.
As the total amount of knowledge grows exponentially, it becomes increasingly difficult to get on the front foot. Perhaps the best place for you to start is with digital marketing. Narrow your focus on automating repetitive marketing tasks and focusing on the customer experience.
How to encourage innovative ideas in your team
The best innovative ideas often come from the people closest to the work. Employees who deal with clients, processes and systems every day can see where time is wasted and where customers become frustrated. The challenge is giving them the tools and the opportunity to act on what they notice.
A few practical steps make a real difference:
- Ask staff to list the repetitive tasks that take up most of their week, then look for ways to automate them.
- Set aside regular time to discuss problems and possible solutions, rather than waiting for a crisis.
- Trial new digital tools on a small scale before rolling them out across the business.
- Recognise people whose suggestions save time, improve service or win new clients.
- Provide training so everyone feels confident using the technology you introduce.
Turning innovative ideas into results
An idea only creates value once it is put into practice. Many businesses collect good suggestions but never move them forward because no one owns the next step. Give each idea a clear owner, a simple goal and a date to review progress.
Start with changes that are quick to test and easy to measure. Automating appointment reminders, improving an online enquiry form or setting up email follow-ups for new leads can all show results within weeks. Early wins build confidence and make it easier to invest in larger projects.
Keep track of what works and what does not. A short record of each trial, the result and what you learned helps the business avoid repeating mistakes and gives your team a foundation for the next round of improvements.
As long as your digital strategies are well executed, there are no limits to digital marketing initiatives which can assist in creating your competitive advantage. Advertising brings in the customers, but it is digital marketing which keeps them buying from you.
