Digital Transformation Examples that Are Sustainable in 2024

Table of Contents

What is Digital Transformation?

Digital transformation, as the name says, is leveraging digital technologies to change how your business operates and customers interact entirely. With this digitalization, you can create new business models and processes and enhance customer experiences.

$6.8 trillion is already invested in digital transformation & 70% of organizations are ready with a digital transformation strategy.

For easy understanding, here are a few digital transformation examples for you:

• Small retailers start selling products online.
• Banks build mobile applications for swift interaction with banking services by customers.
• Healthcare providers built telehealth to provide patient care services without visiting patients in person.

Digital transformation is an umbrella under which large organizations, startups, small-scale businesses, and medium-sized businesses all benefit, irrespective of industry.

To avoid confusion, we have covered all the industries with real-life examples of digital transformation. Check out the list and see what digital transformation has for your business.

Game-Changing Digital Transformation Examples

Digital transformation is becoming more profound with each passing day. Some of the enticing facts and figures mentioned here highlight its importance.

• According to Markets and Markets, the digital transformation market size is expected to reach $127.5 billion by 2026.
• Statista expects the global investment in digital transformation will double by 2025, reaching $2.8 trillion.
• IDC assumes, by 2025, about 90% of the new process and product enterprise apps will infuse AI technology, making it a trendsetter.
• Gartner predicts that 90% of corporate strategies will specifically reference information as a critical asset and analytics as a crucial competency by 2022.
• According to Mckinsey, after the pandemic, dependence on telehealth increased from 11% to 76% during and after the Pandemic.

While adopting digital transformation is becoming a mainstream practice, it’s crucial to understand that only strategic implementation will deliver promising results.

To achieve the full potential of digital transformation, organizations must leverage a combination of capabilities, solve business or customer problems, and build new capabilities. Otherwise, following some innovative digital transformation examples and analyzing if those examples can add value for your organization is also an excellent way to achieve your transformation goals.

It is also important because the second wave of digital transformation is way more advanced. The first wave of digital transformation focused on removing legacy systems with cloud-based tools and moving data to the cloud.

Most businesses have successfully passed this stage and are entering the second stage, which involves integrating modern tools such as robotics, machine learning, Big Data, and artificial intelligence.

Some of the digital transformation examples that you must prioritize are,

• Adopting comprehensive cybersecurity and data governance strategy
• Modernizing IT infrastructure, like cloud migration or settling IT debt.
• Creating and launching new customer-facing apps.
• Reskilling and training employees to become citizen developers.
• Utilizing digital channels to capture and retain customers.
• Implementing modern technology stacks like AI, RPA, Data Science, etc.
• Motivating innovation and testing by creating an internal Innovation Hub or Lab

7 Digital Transformation Examples

So far, numerous industries have widely accepted digital transformation, and the sole reason is feasibility and broader audience reach. This is not just a statement; below is a list of industries with real-life digital transformation examples as a testimony.

Manufacturing

This is one of the hard-hit industries due to huge competition, and only the savior was transforming digitally. Since the manufacturing industry has accepted digital transformation, let’s understand every nitty-gritty detail.

What is digital transformation in manufacturing?

Digital transformation in the manufacturing industry is a shift from a traditional approach to manufacturing processes to modernized operations. It results in business performance enhancement. Plus, more customers are attracted to exploring the modern manufacturing ecosystem.

Which key technologies are optimally leveraged in digitally transforming manufacturing companies?

Digital transformation in the manufacturing industry is a shift from a traditional approach to manufacturing processes to modernized operations. It results in business performance enhancement. Plus, more customers are attracted to exploring the modern manufacturing ecosystem.

🟠 Internet of Things (IoT)
IoT ensures a 360-degree view of ground-level facilities, which optimizes the production floor, leading to a boost in performance and real-time address of challenges.

🟠 Machine Learning (ML)
The ML solutions work on algorithms that mimic humans and learn to work in the manufacturing environment. Besides, smart algorithms predict future outcomes so that you can make decisions accordingly. Moreover, ML ensures reduced wastage and errors, resulting in accuracy and precision. You can leverage ML algorithms in your manufacturing company to:

• Predict customer demand
• Shipping time
• Delays and challenges
• Risk preparation models

🟠 Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence analyzes, interprets data, and discovers decision-making insights. These capabilities can help you at various stages in your manufacturing business, such as:

• Predictive maintenance
• Predictive analysis
• Feature and production configuration
• Quality control and issue detection

🟠 Robotics
Software robots are highly trained to replicate how humans interact and work in manufacturing. These robots ensure:

• Data collection
• Automating monotonous tasks
• Automating assembly lines
• Figuring out data-driven decisions
• Ensuring control over complex processes
• Tracking performances
• Replacing humans in threat–inviting tasks

🟠 3D Printing
3D printing has been the new black in the manufacturing industry due to its contribution to agile production cycles. Parts used to get delayed in shipping, but with this additive technology, you can easily build prototypes. Besides convenience, the prototype development process is quite affordable.

🟠 Real-Life Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
MacDon is an agriculture and harvesting equipment manufacturing company that has invested heavily in digitally transforming the business process.
🟠 Challenges MacDon Faced in Legacy Software
MacDon struggled with maintaining customer experience and could do anything but suffer. It includes an outdated website, glitches in a mobile application, and unmanageable data.
🟠 Solution MacDon Opt For
Since MacDon worked in the manufacturing industry, it requires navigation and adaptation. The agro-based equipment manufacturing company upgraded its system without planning to build from scratch. They migrated data from legacy systems using Big Data. In switching to modernization, the company identified many problems while discovering new features for enhancing customer experience.
🟠 Results Achieved by MacDon
MacDon, with digital transformation, has witnessed tremendous results, such as:
➨ Sales growth by 20%.
➨ Increase in eCommerce transactions by 50%.
➨ Double the number of site visitors before.

Banking

Digital transformation in banking has boosted the financial sector like never before. In the tech-dominant, and everybody being tech-savvy, the banking sector left no stone unturned to digitally transform its operations.

What is digital transformation in banking?

Digital transformation in banking is shifting from offline, physically interacting with customers to letting customers interact with banking through online platforms. The only hurdle the banking sector faces in implementing digital transformation is the massive and robust backend support because all digital initiatives meet failure if there is no strong backend support.

The adoption rate of digital banking is amazingly high, with 89% of customers leveraging mobiles to access digital banking services.

Which key technologies are optimally leveraged in digitally transforming banking?

🟠 Blockchain
Blockchain ensures secure, transparent, and feasible transactions in the fintech sector, which is one of the reasons for banking sectors leveraging it. Besides, Blockchain is equally responsible for improving user experience and precision.

🟠 Artificial intelligence (AI)
Artificial intelligence is solely responsible for building chatbots in banking applications, which ensures 24/7 answerability to customers. Moreover, Artificial intelligence ensures detecting and preventing of fraud and other malicious activities.

🟠 Cloud Computing
Banking sector leverages cloud computing to switch from legacy banking systems, scale banking business models, and adopt modern technologies like e-Signature and ID verification.

🟠 Real-Life Digital Transformation in Banking
JPMorgan & Chase is a multinational investment bank and financial service company that has opted for digital transformation. It is one of the greatest digital transformation examples in banking.
🟠 Challenges Faced by JPMorgan
➨ Large IT infrastructure makes it difficult for new technology implementation.
➨ Conservative company culture is not ready to welcome digital process transformation.
➨ Innovation becomes restrictive.
🟠 Solution JPMorgan Opt For
➨ JPMorgan invested in AI, cloud computing, and blockchain to make banking services and process more agile.
➨ JPMorgan ensured change management so that employees could cope with digital transformation.
➨ Besides, Chase partnered with other fintech companies to explore technologies and experts.
🟠 Results Achieved by JPMorgan
➨ Better customer satisfaction than the older version
➨ By automating processes, there is a slash in cost.
➨ Improvement in banking efficiency.

Healthcare

Healthcare is another digital transformation example that has heavily invested in digital transformation.

What is digital transformation in Healthcare?

The use of digital technologies to enhance healthcare services is known as digital transformation in healthcare. It means using electronic health records (EHR), telemedicine, and mobile health (mHealth).

Using digital healthcare, you can uplift patient care dramatically. For instance, one can leverage EHR to communicate with healthcare service providers to get access to telemedicine.

As per a recent survey, the US healthcare market is expected to grow by USD 504.4 Billion in 2025 from USD 86.4 Billion in 2018.

Which key technologies are optimally leveraged in digitally transforming the healthcare industry?

🟠 Big Data
Big Data helps prevent diseases, maintains the quality of life, ensures a reduction in treatment costs, and predicts outbreaks. Healthcare professionals can leverage Big Data to collect ample data and build strategies.

🟠 Electronic Health Records
EHRs store patients’ health information and improve communication amongst healthcare service providers, allowing patients to get every detail about their health and improve life care quality.

🟠 Telemedicine
It utilizes telecommunications to provide healthcare services across the globe. It reduces costs, and patients can even access healthcare services from remote locations.

🟠 Mobile Health
Doctors leverage mHealth to deliver patient care, including applications to track data, send medication reminders, and connect patients with healthcare providers.

🟠 Artificial Intelligence
AI improves diagnosis, ensures new disease treatments, and customizes care.

🟠 Real-Life Digital Transformation in Healthcare
Atria Senior Living looks after the health of senior citizens across cities in the United States.
🟠 Challenges Faced by Atria Senior Living
➨ Lack of interoperability
➨ Security concerns
➨ Staff acceptance
➨ Costly solutions
🟠 Solution Atria Senior Living Opt For
➨ Implemented a single cloud-based software for all locations to improve interoperability.
➨ Implemented security measures like encryption, access control, and internal audits.
➨ Provided training and support to staff members for adopting modernized technologies.
🟠 Results Achieved by Atria Senior Living
➨ Improved care quality by monitoring patient’s health & potential problems.
➨ Saves travel costs by connecting with patients over video conferencing.

Transportation

The transportation and logistics industries have recently shifted from a traditional approach to digital transformation.

What is digital transformation in transportation and logistics?

It uses modern technologies to build blocks like new ERP and MRP systems to reduce costs and enhance efficiency. Logistics 4.0 welcomes artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things, and cloud infrastructure.

These new-age technologies ensure real-time tracking tools for vehicles and shipments, optimize routes and predict maintenance needs. To be precise, the Internet of Things allows transportation companies to track assets and predict upcoming challenges.

Which key technologies are optimally leveraged in digitally transforming the transportation & logistics industry?

🟠 Artificial intelligence (AI)
For optimizing routes, organize inventory, and forecast demands.
🟠 Smart Eye
Delivers AI-based driving systems and ensures automotive interior. Besides, this technology ensures the detection and prevention of accidents.
🟠 Internet of Things
Monitor assets, conditions, and enhance safety.
🟠 Big Data
Identify trends, enables strong decision-making, and optimize operations.

🟠 Real-Life Digital Transformation in Transportation Example
Tesla, an American multinational automotive and clean energy company, leveraged automotive transformation and dived into electrification and self-driven vehicles.
🟠 Challenges Faced by Tesla
➨ Regulations: innovation was restricted due to the highly regulated automotive industry.
➨ Legacy systems: Implementing modern technologies is challenging due to the large legacy IT infrastructure.
🟠 Solution Tesla Opt For
➨ Invested in AI/ML and cloud computing to ensure modernization in IT infrastructure and make the process agile.
➨ Implement a change management program so employees can adapt to digital process transformation.
➨ Partnered with digital transformative companies to bring new technologies to process and make it agile
🟠 Results Achieved by Tesla
➨ Reduction in cost due to electrification.
➨ Customers can book appointments through a mobile application and track their vehicle services.

Small Businesses

Due to COVID-19, many small and medium-sized businesses have shifted from traditional-based doing of business to digital transformation. Most SMBs are in their formative stage of digital transformation, yet they are expecting and experiencing major growth in their business.

What is digital transformation in small businesses?

Digital transformation tools like digital payments, remote working technology, e-commerce platforms, streamlining digital processes, enhancing cyber-security, and cloud storage solutions are a few digital process transformation examples brought into small businesses.

Which key technologies are optimally leveraged in digitally transforming small businesses?

🟠 E-Commerce
Due to wider reach to audiences through e-Commerce, leveraged this technology to sell products and services online and on-demand.
🟠 Social Media
Get in touch with customers, promote their products and services, and ensure brand awareness.
🟠 Mobile Applications
Offering customers convenience so they can access your online store from anywhere, anytime.
🟠 Customer Relationship Manager
Know customers better with this platform since it fetches their details when interacting with your online store.
🟠 Web Analytics
This gathers information and helps you monitor traffic to understand the user behavior with the website. The data improves website performance and increase conversions.
🟠 Marketing Automation
Automate and streamline marketing campaigns to save time and boost operational efficiency.

🟠 Real-Life Digital Transformation in Small Business
IKEA is a leading furniture brand that designs and sells all home accessories. The furniture-based company decided to transform its business after a leap of eight decades digitally. For transformation, the company hired a subject matter expert.
🟠 Challenges Faced by IKEA
➨ Running brick-and-mortar + online store
➨ Supply chain management issues
🟠 Solution IKEA Opt For
➨ Developed an e-Commerce platform for selling products and services online.
➨ Leveraged algorithms to manage the supply chain.
➨ Connected in-store and online interactions with clients to understand their preferences.
🟠 Results Achieved by IKEA
➨ The company tripled its sales in three years of digital transformation.
➨ The company modernized its inventory management, logistics, and supply chain management.

Education

Another COVID-hit sector is Education, which didn’t waste much time and decided to transform and survive digitally in the most crucial times. The pandemic made educators and the education system leave the traditional classroom pattern, pushing them to teach from anywhere.

What is digital transformation in the education sector?

In COVID, a few sectors needed not to be stopped, out of which education was one. To continue educating students, the sector started leveraging digital mediums to stay connected with the students virtually. From in-person to virtual classrooms, studies were conducted daily.

Digital transformation helped institutions, schools, and universities with modernized tools. These include faculty collaboration tools, updated ERP systems, and virtual learning labs.

Which key technologies are optimally leveraged in digitally transforming the education system?

🟠 AI Chatbots
Chatbots answer students’ queries on time, eliminating the delayed responses challenge. Chatbots can also be leveraged to make the long lecture conversational so that it becomes interactive, and students find it ideal for grasping the information.

🟠 Remote Proctoring
It is a service replicating the on-site proctor, ensuring the test-taker’s identity and securing the exam’s integrity.

🟠 Adaptive Learning
The sector can customize content and make the learning experience superior. It leverages smart teaching devices to get connected with learners. Besides, adaptive learning also delivers custom solutions based on individual requirements.

🟠 Video Conferencing for Online Studies
Video conferencing can ensure swift online assessment and virtual onboarding of international students. Even schools/universities can integrate video conferencing into their websites so that students can access and continue learning across borders.

🟠 AR/VR for learning enhancements
Using AR/VR, you can create a class-like virtual environment for your students. And it makes teaching a lot easier, especially elaborating on complex study methods. What will have your student’s hearts and the secret sauce to increasing engagement is making them familiar with places that they have never been to.

🟠 Real-Life Digital Transformation in Education System
St. Peter’s College is highly ranked in Australia. The school decided to transform the teaching system entirely.
🟠 Challenges Faced by St. Peter’s College
➨ Existing technology wasn’t meeting expectations
🟠 Solution For St. Peter’s College
➨ Training teachers for digital transformation and how to fit into it.
➨ Device management, remote support, and content filtering.
➨ Use of virtual reality to understand subjects better.
🟠 Results Achieved by St. Peter’s College
➨ Increase in number of attendance due to interactive sessions.
➨ Real-time answers to students’ generated queries.

Telecommunications

Telecommunications is another great example of digital transformation. With the increase in the usage of digital services, telecommunications need to leap. Modernizing IT infrastructure and increasing the dominance of mobile devices, digital transformation is the only solution left in the telecom sector.

What is digital transformation in telecommunications?

It uses digital services to implement new technology in the telecom sector to uplift customer experience and make them feel more connected with their near and dear ones.

The upliftment in the telecom sector comes into:

• Internet services
• Phone services
• Television services
• Business and home networking

Which key technologies are optimally leveraged in digitally transforming the telecommunications system?

🟠 Process Mining
This includes collecting data in event logs to achieve decision-making information for telecom business operations.

🟠 Internet of Things
IoT offers a platform with which you can achieve desired outcomes and uplift customer experience. Besides, the same modern-age technology offers predictive, diagnostic, and in-depth analysis for your telecom business.

🟠 Cloud Computing
This cloud-based technology delivers flexibility and extraordinary services that help maintain and uplift your telecom business.
🟠 AI/ML
AI/ML’s predictive analytics model helps you know system failure. Plus, it even lets you know the possible solutions to overcome the failure challenges.

🟠 Real-Life Digital Transformation in Telecommunication Sector
Verizon is a telecommunication company that has shifted to digital transformation.
🟠 Challenges Faced by Verizon
➨ Modernizing IT infrastructure
➨ Meeting digital age’s demand
➨ Change in culture and acceptance of transformation
➨ Declining customer satisfaction
➨ High costing
🟠 Solution For Verizon
➨ Invested in cloud computing and big data analytics
➨ Open culture for digital evolution
➨ Implemented automation
🟠 Results Achieved by Verizon
➨ Scalable and agile infrastructure
➨ Frequent launch of new products and services
➨ Increasing customer satisfaction

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why should you opt for digital transformation?

Several reasons inclined towards opting for digital transformation:

• Improvement in efficiency and productivity
• Generating new revenue channels
• Reduction in cost
• Improvement in customer experience
• Welcoming innovation opportunities

How to get started with digital transformation?

There are a few steps to get started with digital transformation in your organization:

• Evaluate your current business process, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Defines clear goals and objectives you expect to achieve from transforming your business digitally.
• Steps needed to develop a roadmap for transforming digitally.
• Implement the said roadmap.
• Keep on tracking your performance.
• Keep on noting your areas of improvement and rectify them.

What are some examples of digital transformation?

Below are some examples of digital transformation:

• Use of online platforms (e-commerce) to sell products and services.
• Leveraging social media platforms to connect and interact with customers and make them aware of your products and services.
• Storing data in cloud computing.
• Make decisions with the help of big data analytics.
• Artificial intelligence for automating your tasks.