Find Opportunities in Digital Operations: How to Find and Fix What’s Holding Your Business Back
By Brendan Byrne Thursday, January 23, 2025
Let’s face it: digital operations might not follow a perfectly paved road, but there are clear steps you can take to uncover opportunities and move your business in the right direction. Whether it’s streamlining workflows, upgrading systems, or improving customer interactions, the key lies in asking the right questions and knowing where to look.
In this blog, we’ll explore the three places where opportunities often hide: your frontline employees, your external market, and your strategic direction. By digging into these areas, you’ll discover actionable insights to enhance your operations, reduce inefficiencies, and gain a competitive edge.
Step 1: Start with the Frontline
Your employees — the ones who interact with customers daily — are an untapped goldmine of insight. While they might not always have solutions to the problems they face, they’re often the first to spot frustrations and hear directly from customers about what’s not working.
Ask yourself:
- What do your employees say about recurring customer complaints?
- Are there consistent bottlenecks or inefficiencies in their daily workflows?
- Are employees empowered to share feedback about processes and systems?
Sometimes, solving problems begins with simply listening to those on the frontlines.
Step 2: Look Outside to Your Market
Opportunities aren’t just internal; sometimes, they’re about catching up to (or staying ahead of) industry standards. Your competitors and market trends can offer valuable benchmarks for where your operations might need attention.
Consider:
- What’s expected from businesses in your industry right now?
- Are your systems and processes meeting those expectations?
- What are your competitors doing better than you, and why?
Keeping an eye on external factors can help you identify where you’re falling short — and where you need to innovate to stay relevant.
Step 3: Align with Your Strategy
Your strategic direction defines your focus. What sets your business apart? Whether it’s price, customer service, or speed, your operations should support that advantage.
For example:
- If price is your advantage: Focus on streamlining costs, reducing waste, and improving efficiency to maintain razor-thin margins.
- If customer service is your strength: Implement systems to track customer feedback, train staff, and ensure smooth issue resolution — maybe even consider a chatbot for round-the-clock support.
- If speed sets you apart: Prioritize connected systems, quick checkouts, and fast delivery processes to stay ahead of competitors.
You can’t do everything. The goal is to focus your efforts on what truly differentiates your business and build operations to support that vision.
Why This Matters
Digital operations are the backbone of your business’s success. By identifying opportunities across your frontline, market, and strategy, you’ll uncover the insights needed to:
- Enhance customer experiences
- Improve efficiency
- Stay ahead in a competitive market
If you’re ready to take the next step, check out our in-depth guide:
Your business is full of untapped opportunities — you just need to know where to look. Let’s find them together!
👉 Contact us today to start building operations that align with your goals and set you up for success.