For success, companies must constantly adapt to meet customer demand, sharpening their strategy to stand out from competition and follow changes in the market. Since the 20th century, digital transformation has therefore become an essential step to stimulate knowledge in an increasingly competitive market, improving their way of work and their ability to remain efficient in the face of demanding customers.
Here are three examples of companies that have succeeded in their digital transformation to inspire you.
1. Société Générale
A pioneer in digital transformation, Société Générale is committed to digital technology by favoring the collaborative aspect and relying on its employees to drive change. Their digital strategy aims to “develop digital skills and experiences of everyone, reinventing the banking relationship and build the bank of tomorrow”.
For this, it set up a major program of equipment for collaborative tools and it is betting on the development of digital skills internally, the attraction of IT talent, new working methods, and human resources.
To do this, it has implemented several actions in particular:
- SC Communities: created in 2013, this is the company’s social network that connects employees and allows the sharing of knowledge and best practices. You can find forums, surverys, wikipages, questions and responses, and organization events. Basically, it is a place of exchange and sharing where innovative ideas can be born.
- Participatory and stimulating experimental project (peps): In early 2013, all employees are asked to imagine the bank of tomorrow. It is a success and several ideas have already been deployed in the field.
- The “Digital for all” program: launched in 2014, this program enables all the group’s employees to take part in the digital transition, by equipping all workstations with collaborative solutions, making touch-screen tablets available, and strengthening network infrastructures. The objective is for employees to develop new skills and new services for customers.
- The HR of tomorrow: in 2015, Société Générale participated in the first HRackathon, the aim of which was to invent a mobile application capable of transforming the relationship between recruiters and candidates. The group also aims to improve the working environment by promoting mobility within the group and remote working. Finally, the bank is innovating in the field of training by launching new tools such as e-learning training, MOOC and a coaching application.
2. Air France
To achieve its digital transformation in less than five years, Air France did not skimp on resources by creating the Digital Factory in December 2017. This 700 m squared space, located at the company’s headquarters at Paris-Charles de Gaulle , is presented as a place of acceleration and incubation of digital projects at the service of Air France’s businesses.
Employees are supported there in the digital transformation using tools, methods, and expertise, such as a creativity room where employees can do design thinking and ideation workshops, or a prototyping room where new technologies are tested.
The Digital Factory has two missions:
1) Accelerate business projects thanks to a center of expertise,
2) Promote the acculturation of employees by offering a place of exchange and sharing open to all.
With the Digital Factory, Air France wishes to become a more digital and innovative company. The projects are tested in real conditions before being delivered. In the first year, twelve projects were delivered. They have made it possible to improve the travel experience of customers as well as the operational performance of the company.
3. La Redoute
Almost all households have known the La Redoute catalog, the benchmark for mail order sales. At the start of the 2010s, this former 1837 woollen mill was on the verge of bankruptcy. They were facing competition both by ready-to-wear players such as Zara, Mango and H&M, and by the meteoric growth of e-commerce start-ups, such as vente-privée, Zalando or Amazon, which cut prices and offered impeccable service to consumers.
The company then embarked on an incredible digital transformation based on four main axes:
- The offer: La Redoute had to completely rethink its offer by refocusing on clothing and home. It has thus developed its own identity, a “French style” sold at affordable prices and updated regularly.
- The customer: to adapt to new consumer behavior, La Redoute abandoned its catalog in 2015. It has thus developed its website and its mobile site to attract a younger and more connected clientele. It has also opened physical stores, along with real connected showrooms where salespeople are equipped with tablets.
- Service: improving the customer experience has become a priority for La Redoute. The company first redesigned its delivery service to deliver orders within 24 hours. It has also embarked on the personalization of the shopping experience by offering its customers a personalized offer and content. A team is working on the development of tools to anticipate new uses such as Artificial Intelligence, a personal assistant, voice control and more.
- Company culture: employees had to move from mail order jobs to e-commerce, which required many adaptations. Training, development of new skills, collaborative mode of operation, change of premises, organization and management were a few of the changes made. It was also necessary to restore their confidence in the company and to re-motivate them. In short, the digital transformation has been a real transformation both cultural and human for the company.
Conclusion
To succeed in your digital transformation, you must give yourself the means and not neglect the cultural and human aspect. These three French companies are fine examples of successful digital transformations but there are many more out there. Don’t hesitate to take inspiration from it to succeed in yours.
