New technologies play a pivotal role in driving and shaping the digital transformation process for organisations across the world.

The impact of emerging technologies is multifaceted. It influences how businesses operate, how they interact with customers, and how they stay competitive.

Key developments

• Enhanced efficiency through automation – The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) to automate repetitive tasks and streamline processes is leading to better operational efficiency by reducing manual errors and resource requirements for mundane tasks, particularly those that are data driven.  
• Data analytics and business intelligence – Advanced analytical tools can now give organisations meaningful insight from large data sets. This is ultimately helping them to better understand customer behaviour, gain insight into market trends and ultimately inform decision making to optimise performance.
• Cloud computing - Cloud technologies now offer scalable and flexible computing resources. They facilitate large data storage, processing, and application deployment, allowing organisations to adapt quickly to changing demands as well as enhancing accessibility for remote teams.
• Internet of Things (IoT) - IoT devices enable the collection of real-time data from physical objects and environments. This data can be leveraged for various purposes, such as predictive maintenance, supply chain optimisation, and creating personalised customer experiences.
• Cybersecurity solutions - As digital landscapes expand; the importance of robust cybersecurity measures grows. New technologies provide advanced cybersecurity solutions, including threat detection, encryption, and secure authentication, to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance.
• Chatbots and natural language processing (NLP) - Chatbots powered by NLP are transforming customer interactions. They offer personalised and immediate responses, enhancing customer service and support. Additionally, NLP enables systems to understand and respond to human language, contributing to improved user interfaces and experiences.

Some of these things are transforming the way businesses can engage with their customers through websites and software applications. The successful integration of these technologies requires a strategic approach and a commitment to continuous learning and adaptation. Often, it also requires input from experts at companies likeLeighton so that you can ensure you make the right choices for your business and your customer.

Digital transformation in action

Apple Pay

Apple Pay has revolutionised the way most of us make payments both online and offline. With the click of a button or the tap of a phone you can seamlessly make transactions with minimal effort.

Apple Pay debuted in 2014 and gave users a way to make payments using Apple devices in store, online and within apps by utilising near-field communication (NFC)technology. This has simplified the payment process online significantly and thus lowered basket abandonment and boosted spend per head. More broadly the introduction of Apple Pay has aided the push towards a cashless society and is now available in over 60 countries and is estimated to have over 500 million users.

Uber

Remember the days when you used you have to book a taxi hours in advance? Uber – founded in2009 - and now has over 100 million active users, across 72 countries and dominates the taxi market due to its ease of access and speed of delivery.

Uber didn’t change the process of booking a taxi, they just revolutionised it using digital technology.

Digital transformation can empower your business to take advantage of industry opportunities and capitalise your market share. Done properly you can reap the rewards. Here at Leighton we’re here to help you understand how digital can support your business.