This past year has been a strange one for household digital names. So many of us are seeing headlines about crypto crashing, Meta (Facebook, Instagram) stalling, Twitter crumbling into an existential crisis, but what should businesses make of all this? 

At AND Digital, we know a key distinction to make with a lot of big ‘tech’ news and negative stories, is that these are really just products built on the underlying technology, and we’ve seen choppy waters in tech before.

When we had the dot com boom in late 90s/early 2000s it was followed by a bust and a lot of the early internet companies fell by the wayside. Crucially though, the underlying technology – the internet – remained intact and, as we know, has continued to evolve rapidly and is a major part of all of our lives. 

For many businesses it’s hard to know what, if any, conclusions to draw, but a clear truth is emerging – relying on third party products is making less business sense. So it’s time to take control of your digital tools, and if you hear yourself thinking the words “Well, I’m not really a techy person,” it’s maybe time to catch yourself and ask – why not?

Most “non-digital” industries are still reliant on those that are, and increasingly so. “Going Digital” is a phrase that can be quite daunting for those who simply have no idea how to go about it. We work a lot with “non-digital” organisations to help them get started on their digital journey whether that be building online presence, or making use of data they have about their customer base.

My colleague Peter Dale, Club Executive of Club Almeida in Glasgow, sums this issue up perfectly: “I think a number of businesses are still trying to understand what a holistic digital proposition looks like and what value it can bring to them. Everyone has a website and for the most part cloud adoption is strong. However, understanding how technology is able to create a seamless experience for end users is still being understood by many.” 

Trying to keep up with the times is an ever evolving challenge for all businesses. In the early noughties there was a lot of talk about moving to cloud, and those moves opened the door for wider reach and a more efficient way of working.

Recommended

• Women in STEM to Receive Government Funding Boost
• Glasgow Uni Researchers to Power Wireless ‘Microbot’ in the Brain
• DIGIT Deal RoundUp: January 2023

It’s easy to forget that most businesses are not tech businesses deep down – so they need help in keeping up with trends and techniques, and warnings about the ‘too good to be true’ digital offerings out there. Someone who goes into business to, say, deliver food boxes will generally be passionate and knowledgeable about food, not necessarily about their IT systems.

Often we see companies whose technical footprint hasn’t really evolved past the basics they were equipped with when the founders left university. 

If you’re one for setting resolutions, then 2023 could be the year to start thinking seriously about your businesses digital skills and teams. Digital proficiency is not an innate talent. It is like any other professional skill and process that requires a bit of consistent work everyday to stay strong.

Get all the latest news from DIGIT direct to your inbox

Our newsletter covers the latest technology and IT news from Scotland and beyond, as well as in-depth features and exclusive interviews with leading figures and rising stars.

To subscribe, click here.