Digitalization is no longer a competitive advantage—it is a necessity. Companies are looking for ways to speed up processes, reduce costs, eliminate routine work, and make better use of data. The market is full of tools that promise revolutionary change—from intelligent document processing to automated warehouse management or HR systems. On paper, it often looks ideal. In practice, however, digitalization fails for much simpler and less technical reasons than one might expect.
Technology is not the problem. The problem is when people don’t want to use it
Companies usually invest enormous effort into selecting a solution – addressing security, encryption, compatibility, integrations, or GDPR. What they most often neglect, however, is usually the most important part: working with the people who will use the system every day.
It often happens that even after a modern solution is implemented, employees continue with their old habits. An accountant receives an invoice electronically but still prints it, checks it on paper, and files it in a binder. A warehouse worker gets a mobile app but prefers to write data down on paper “just in case.” The result? Companies do not work more efficiently, but in two ways at once – old and new simultaneously. And efficiency, which was one of the goals of digitalization, paradoxically decreases.
There are several reasons for this: insufficient communication, misunderstanding the purpose of the change, or fear that faster processes will lead to job losses. Without properly set communication, training, and support, even the best solution turns into “something we have to use because management wants it.”
Solid foundations: If the infrastructure doesn’t work, nothing works
Technical problems usually don’t derail digitalization—except for one category: basic IT infrastructure. If it is slow, unstable, or insufficiently covered, the entire project can turn against you.
A warehouse project in Romania is a textbook example. The company invested a lot of money in a modern solution for scanning items in the warehouse. The theory was perfect: a warehouse worker with a scanner finds the product location, checks available quantities and serial numbers, and inventory is completed in a few hours. Reality? After ten minutes of work, the Wi-Fi signal disappeared. The company simply did not have sufficient Wi-Fi coverage in the warehouse. Where the internet signal didn’t reach, the scanners didn’t work either. The very first practical use of the new technology failed – because of a basic oversight.
The lesson is clear: without functional foundations, no digital add-on has a chance to succeed.
Don’t be blinded by shiny new systems. Sometimes fixing the process is enough
Another common mistake is that companies want large, modern, and expensive solutions – even though they often only need to solve one specific problem with a simple tool. Routine retyping of data between Excel and a system can be replaced by a macro in a few hours. Manual tasks can often be automated using tools the company already has – without even realizing it.
That’s why it is crucial to first look at how employees work today. An independent perspective often reveals that “this is how we’ve always done it” doesn’t mean it has to be done that way. Sometimes you save thousands simply by asking: Are we still doing this in the best possible way?
New threats of digitalization: Where we wouldn’t have looked before
Digitalization brings not only efficiency, but also new security risks. Technology has become part of everything – including company fleets. Recent incidents are good examples:
- A vulnerability in the Kia Connect app allowed attackers to control vehicle functions within seconds.
- A data leak at the VW Group made it possible to determine the exact locations of vehicles and their complete history.
What was unthinkable a few years ago is now reality. Companies therefore need to broaden their view of security to include areas they previously considered unimportant – from IoT devices to cars.
Summary: Digitalization is a process, not a technology purchase
For digitalization to deliver real results, a company must:
- work with people so they understand and accept the purpose of change,
- ensure functional technical foundations, without which every new system becomes an obstacle,
- optimize processes before investing in expensive solutions,
- consider new security scenarios that digitalization opens up.
Digitalization is not about bringing technology into a company – it’s about people wanting to use it, infrastructure supporting it, and processes actually needing it.
LIKED WHAT YOU'VE JUST READ?
Feed your thirst for more! Subscribe and receive our news directly in your inbox.
