Until there is a vaccine—assuming there ever is—the next normal of work will require organizations to become truly customer- and employee-centric and empathetic. This is uncharted territory, and it will continue to be as we test and learn. At the same time, this isn’t our last pandemic, nor is this our last crisis. We should plan for another wave of COVID-19 infections. We should plan for natural disruptions to businesses locally and supply chains worldwide.
Becoming a digital health company is good for business, and it’s good for people. Not only does it leave an organization prepared for operating in disruptive environments; it sends a message to the market that the organization is resilient and innovative.
In the past, companies took their time and shaped their own approach to becoming technology companies. For many, doing so was part of their digital transformation strategy. But digital transformation itself didn’t evoke a sense of urgency for a unified, purposeful response. The pandemic exposed shortfalls in every digital transformation investment. Critical operational functions and business processes were broken, missing, or outdated. You could say that digital transformation itself was digitally disrupted.
When it comes to becoming a digital health company, we can’t make the same mistakes. We have to get the planning, logistics, behavioral monitoring, and supporting technology and processes right, right now. The health and wellness of customers and employees are everything. In times of pandemic disruption, humanity is the killer app.
Brian Solis is global innovation evangelist at Salesforce. He’s also a digital anthropologist, best-selling author, and keynote speaker. Brian studies market digital disruption, corporate innovation, and the evolution of markets and customer behaviors.
The pandemic shows that businesses must take on a new responsibility for the health of their employees and customers. Here’s a to-do list to get you started.
