Brands doing digital transformation - what did we learn by training them?

Brands across many industries are talking about DX - or digital transformation. There is an ocean of news and reports on what brands should be doing to keep up with this trend. Some say it's all about integrating the latest software and systems, others say it's all about hiring new tech talent into existing departments, and some thought leaders say that all companies need to transform their businesses to become an Internet company. But what are the brands that are already transforming saying? ??

We have had the pleasure of working with numerous such industry trailblazers to deliver corporate trainings that help upskill their existing workforce. These are the brands that are changing the way they have been doing things for years, both inside China and outside. They are shaping new standards, upgrading their people, process and technology and taking the driver seat. Thus these are the brands going through the growing pains and challenges of going from traditional to modern.

And what they had to say about digital transformation was different from what most people hear and read about it on the news. We gathered their feedback and learnings and wanted to package it into a helpful article. Here are some of their insights. ??

AXA - Digital transformation is a lot about the learning process. And a good learning process is one that encourages fun and proactiveness. Having employees listen to long talks or memorise new vocabulary is not helpful, if they are only on the receiving end of information. Creating an environment where people are encouraged to ask questions, experiment and speak out is much more productive. This way every learning opportunity becomes a practical step towards new solutions, instead of a snoozy lecture.

Bayer - We hire excellent talent to drive innovation and digital transformation for us, but actually executives and top management need to lead these initiatives by example. Any employee wants to work under a leader who shares their goals, understands their work and speaks their language. This is not achievable if leadership is not engaged in the process of bolstering the company's digital literacy and tech savvy.

American Airlines - Digital transformation seems like a scary, chaotic beast only when the building blocks of getting there are unknown. Once we are able to break it down to the tools, processes and tech that is being used, DX becomes a series of simple steps to solve a problem. It is all about using the right tools and tech at the right time - they don't need to be complex, they shouldn't require scientists to use, it should be part of general knowledge in your company. At some point even calculators were considered incredibly complex. We just need to be aware that tech is simply the modern way of solving problems.

Decathlon - It is not one team's responsibility to drive digital transformation - in fact it is hard to expect a team of digital experts to know about retail shopping, automotive parts manufacturing, sustainability or other multitude of areas a company might be involved in. Every department should be empowered with digital and innovation skills. This is digital transformation, bottom-up, i.e is the best way to ensure that ideas and data are not siloed. Having "digital champions" spread around the organisation means less conflict when managing change and faster integration of new solutions.

IKEA - Digital literacy and tech skills are not just about building things ourselves - it's about knowing what is HOT and what is NOT! Being able to find the right partners, ask the right questions, recognise good vs. bad digital transformation is already half the battle. If we are not working on the cutting edge of innovation, we probably already have competitors who are. If we are not talking to the best digital agencies, others might find them first. Boosting the digital literacy of our teams helps them find and cooperate with the right providers better.

We hope these insights can help more amazing brands to define their digital transformation strategy and start off on the right foot. Please contact us to discuss your findings or ask us anything! ??

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About Le Wagon

Le Wagon is a global coding academy running the top-rated coding bootcamp (switchup, coursereport 2016-17-18). Through immersive coding bootcamps, Le Wagon teaches everyone the skills and entrepreneurial mindset needed to thrive - now and in the future.

We work with 'great' companies in China and globally, see our corporate training portfolio here: https://executive.lewagon.com.

We empower individuals, universities and companies in China, with offices in Shanghai, Chengdu, and Shenzhen. Our network of over 6000 smart individuals is active with learning events, workshops, job fairs, and coaching sessions. Web or WeChat developers, Product Managers, Digital Strategists, Data Analysts belong to our inclusive alumni community.