In just a few months of time, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a decade worth of changes in business operations and digitizations. There’s no denying that the pandemic is acting as a catalyst for change as it has propelled a rapid migration to digital technologies in all industries and sectors. This quickening is not only evident in Canada but is seen across sectors and geographies all around the world.
For several local businesses across Canada, this was the perfect time to reassess their digital initiatives and surprisingly many businesses leveraged web development in Toronto to enhance business operations. It was not just a trend, it was the only way businesses could survive by adapting to the new digital norm. From contactless shopping, online delivery to self-service, websites and applications were imperative to every interaction with customers.
The flexible ways of adjusting were prerequisites to meeting daily changes in customer behavior and shopping trends. With innovative, customer-friendly, fully functional websites, businesses were able to make much more profit than with the previous traditional methods. Reputable web development companies in Toronto were able to create better value for local businesses through multiple digital channels across various social networks and online platforms.
How COVID-19 Made Digital Transformation Essential?
Remote Work
According to statista, there were around five million Canadian employees working remotely in March 2021. With such an increase in work from home, several businesses depended upon digital collaboration to improve interaction with customers. Even educational institutions such as schools and colleges facilitated remote learning through E-learning applications and online educational portals. These new initiatives through digital transformation provided customers, employees and students continuity in their respective fields without much disruption.
Omnichannel Commerce
As mentioned before, the travel restrictions and lockdowns forced several physical businesses to shut down operations. Even customers who were against technology and smartphones, had no choice but to depend on online shopping to meet their needs. Local businesses that leveraged web development In Toronto, were able to meet customer demands and deliver services much more efficiently than they used to with traditional brick and mortar shops.
Every business in Toronto, including grocery delivery services and restaurants, adapted to digital solutions such as websites and applications to keep services flowing. Infact consumers found this digital strategy much more convenient as they did not have to wait in line to pay bills and online shopping was cost effective as well. Even post-COVID, businesses will be adopting strategies that blend both physical and digital channels together to create better opportunities and profits.
More Automation
Brands have experienced a tremendous push towards automation, which has enhanced their ability to create better experiences for customers. With the implementation of contactless services, the number of processes that had been handled directly by employees were reduced significantly. This made it easier for businesses to create positive, safe experiences for their customers as the interactions were less and both employees as well as customers were safe.
Digital automation also created immense potential for employees by helping them in managing everything from inventory to email subscription lists. This trend has become significantly prevalent in warehouses, large retail stores and shopping malls across Canada, as automation enhanced employee productivity and met customer demands promptly.
The Importance of Technology
Prior to the pandemic, several businesses viewed websites or applications just as an online interface that created a digital image for the business. Ever since the emergence of the pandemic and the wide scale internet usage, businesses have understood that data can be analyzed from websites and help build a better customer base.
Businesses started to look for prominent web development companies in Toronto to help create interactive, user friendly websites. These websites tremendously helped the sales team and marketing teams to focus on potential customers and generate more relevant leads online. It provided them with insights, analytics and user preferences, providing businesses with opportunities to obtain more customers and overcome competitors.
Platformification
As mentioned earlier, not only online classes were conducted on digital platforms to avoid disruption during the pandemic. Even large-scale conferences, tech meets and events were being held virtually. Local businesses were able to target audiences more precisely through webinars and discussion forums.
They were able to reach a wider audience with very little expense which would not be possible with traditional marketing or branding strategies. Businesses of all sorts effectively promoted their services and provided offers or better value to attract audiences to their websites. The audiences that came to the website were able to see products or services advertised and hence could get in direct contact with the business.
Conclusion
The pandemic has significantly accelerated digital transformation for businesses in Canada. This demand for digitization will not end with the pandemic but will continue to encourage business innovation and technological adoption even in future. If you want to stay ahead of competition and meet customer demands hassle-free, then leverage the multiple benefits of digital transformation before it is too late.
Author Bio:
Cindy Williams is a blogger in Canada. She is working as an outreach coordinator for Web Sharx, a company offering web design in Toronto. She graduated with honors from the University of British Columbia with a dual degree in Business Administration and Creative Writing.
