This article is part of our Business Technology and Digital Transformation resource section
Digital transformation is an essential process for businesses in all industries. In today’s technologically advanced and digital marketplace, brands must make sure they are using the best and latest technology and digital tools. The trouble is that it can be challenging to keep up when there are constantly new developments happening. Digital transformation should be viewed as an ongoing process, and in 2026, there are a few useful tips that will help you modernize and improve in key areas. Interested? Keep reading to discover a few of the best digital transformation tips for businesses in 2025 that will help you excel over the next 12 months.
Table of Contents
Provide Security Awareness Training
First, it is a good idea to provide cybersecurity awareness training for your team. 95% of cyber attacks succeed due to human error, which means that you need to show your team how they can work safely and avoid common scams. You could have the best cybersecurity products in place, but if your staff do not know how to work in a cyber-secure manner, you will always be at risk. Additionally, with attacks becoming more sophisticated, even those with awareness can struggle to spot modern scams.
Security awareness should be treated as an ongoing part of digital transformation rather than a one-time training exercise. Businesses can provide regular guidance on password management, phishing attempts, social engineering, device security, and safe handling of sensitive information. It is also useful to establish clear procedures for reporting suspicious emails, unusual account activity, and potential security incidents. This creates a workplace where employees understand that cybersecurity is part of their everyday responsibilities.
Embrace AI Solutions
AI is a necessity in 2026 as you are falling behind the times if you are not embracing AI-powered solutions. AI can help businesses to excel in many ways, including process automation, forecasting, personalization, and predictive maintenance, just as a few examples. It can be hard to know how to utilize AI when there are so many solutions, so you need to research the best tools for your industry for solutions that will help you streamline and improve in 2026.
Businesses should avoid adopting AI simply because it is a popular technology. Instead, identify repetitive, time-consuming, or data-heavy processes where AI could deliver measurable improvements. Customer service, content creation, data analysis, document processing, sales forecasting, and internal knowledge management are examples of areas where AI can potentially support employees.
It is also important to establish clear guidelines for how employees use AI systems. Businesses should consider what information can be entered into AI tools, how outputs should be reviewed, and which decisions should continue to require human oversight. A practical approach is to begin with smaller AI projects, measure the results, and expand successful implementations across the organization.
Build a Strong Technology Foundation
Before introducing multiple new digital tools, businesses should make sure their underlying technology infrastructure is capable of supporting them. Outdated systems, disconnected software, and unreliable networks can make digital transformation more complicated and expensive.
Technology should work together rather than creating additional silos. Businesses can review the software their teams currently use and identify unnecessary duplication, manual processes, and systems that do not communicate effectively. Improving integration between important business applications can make information easier to access and reduce the amount of time employees spend moving data between platforms.
Understanding the role of technology in business can also help organizations make more informed decisions about where technology can support operations, communication, customer service, and long-term growth.
Leverage Open Banking
Open banking has become a major trend in recent times, so 2026 is a good time to leverage this revolutionary banking model if you have not already. What is open banking? This is a banking model that allows banks and other financial institutions to share customer data with third-party providers. This allows for easy integration into payment systems, streamlines financial operations, and the ability to provide personalized offerings for customers. Open banking can enable the development of new financial products and services that are driven by data, which can help to improve the user experience.
For businesses that handle payments or financial information, digital transformation should also focus on creating convenient and secure customer experiences. Payment systems need to be reliable, while customer data should be handled responsibly. Organizations should assess how financial technology fits into their existing infrastructure and whether new services can reduce friction for customers or employees.
Make Data-Based Decisions
Leading on from this, all decisions should be data-based in 2026. If you are not using data analytics to make strategic decisions, you are operating in the dark and taking unnecessary risks. Data analytics can provide you with deep insights into internal operations, market trends, and customer behavior. This allows you to make informed decisions and identify patterns and trends. With the use of data analytics, businesses are able to fine-tune and adapt with accuracy for much higher levels of success.
However, collecting large amounts of data is not enough. Businesses need to determine which metrics actually matter and establish reliable processes for maintaining data quality. Teams should have access to dashboards and reports that make important information easy to understand and use. When data is accurate, accessible, and presented in a useful format, decision-makers can respond more quickly to changes in customer behavior, operational performance, and market conditions.
Prioritize Employee Adoption
Technology investments only create value when employees are willing and able to use them effectively. One of the most overlooked parts of digital transformation is therefore employee adoption. Introducing a new platform without explaining why it is needed can create resistance and reduce the benefits of the investment.
Businesses should involve employees early in the transformation process and explain how new systems will affect their daily responsibilities. Training should be practical and tailored to different roles rather than relying solely on technical documentation. Organizations can also gather feedback after implementation to identify problems and make improvements.
Employee adoption is particularly important when replacing familiar legacy systems. Giving teams time to adapt, providing appropriate support, and communicating the expected benefits can make the transition smoother.
Work With Digital Transformation Specialists
Some businesses have the internal expertise to manage transformation projects, while others may benefit from external support. A specialist can help an organization assess its existing technology, identify opportunities for improvement, develop a transformation roadmap, and implement new systems.
When considering external support, businesses should look at the provider’s experience, technical capabilities, industry knowledge, previous projects, and approach to ongoing support. Reviewing the best digital transformation agencies can provide a useful starting point when researching potential partners.
The key is to make sure any external partner understands the organization’s actual business objectives rather than simply recommending new technology. Digital transformation should solve specific operational or customer problems and produce measurable improvements.
Modernize Existing Workflows
Digital transformation does not always require completely replacing existing systems. In many cases, businesses can achieve significant improvements by examining inefficient workflows and determining where technology can eliminate unnecessary manual work.
For example, repetitive approval processes, document management, customer communication, reporting, and internal requests can often be streamlined through automation and better integration. Businesses should map important workflows from beginning to end and identify bottlenecks before deciding which technology to introduce.
Project management platforms can also support transformation by giving teams greater visibility over tasks, responsibilities, deadlines, and progress. For organizations already using Jira, exploring approaches to the digital transformation of your business with Jira can help connect technology adoption with everyday project and workflow management.
Create a Long-Term Digital Roadmap
Digital transformation should not be treated as a single project with a fixed finishing date. Technology, customer expectations, cybersecurity threats, and business requirements continue to change, so organizations need a roadmap that can evolve over time.
A useful roadmap can divide transformation into manageable stages. Businesses might begin by improving infrastructure and cybersecurity, then introduce automation and analytics before moving toward more advanced AI and customer-facing technologies. Each stage should have clear objectives, responsible teams, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
Organizations should also review their roadmap regularly. A technology strategy that made sense several years ago may no longer address current customer expectations or operational requirements. Continuous evaluation allows businesses to adjust their priorities instead of investing heavily in technologies that no longer provide sufficient value.
Focus on the Customer Experience
Technology should ultimately help businesses provide better experiences. Customers increasingly expect fast communication, convenient digital services, personalized interactions, and reliable online experiences. Digital transformation provides organizations with opportunities to improve these areas while also making internal processes more efficient.
Businesses can examine the complete customer journey and identify points where customers encounter unnecessary delays or complexity. This could include website navigation, online payments, customer support, account management, or order tracking. Improving these touchpoints can make digital services easier to use while providing the business with valuable customer data.
A customer-focused transformation strategy can also help organizations connect different departments. Marketing, sales, customer service, and operations can benefit from having access to consistent information rather than maintaining separate systems.
Measure Digital Transformation Results
Finally, businesses should establish clear measurements for every major transformation initiative. Without measurable objectives, it can be difficult to determine whether a technology investment has actually improved the organization.
Depending on the project, useful measurements could include reduced processing times, lower operating costs, increased employee productivity, improved customer satisfaction, higher conversion rates, fewer security incidents, or increased revenue. Tracking these metrics before and after implementation can provide a clearer picture of the results.
Digital transformation can also be approached as a cycle of continuous improvement. Businesses can implement a change, measure its impact, gather feedback, and then make further adjustments. This approach helps prevent transformation from becoming a collection of disconnected technology projects.
Businesses should also remember that transformation is not limited to adopting new software. It can involve changing workflows, improving employee skills, strengthening cybersecurity, modernizing infrastructure, and creating more effective ways to serve customers. Organizations looking for broader examples of how technology can reshape operations can also explore revolutionizing business with digital transformation for additional perspectives.
These digital transformation tips will help you modernize in 2026 and give you a solid foundation for a successful year. It is challenging when there are constantly new trends and developments, but businesses in every industry must embrace digital transformation to modernize and improve in key areas.
