Grant Thornton Releases Part Two of Digital Transformation Survey

The second installment shares respondents’ ideas on expertise implementation and its affect on effectivity and profitability
— 93% of enterprise leaders are investing in additional expertise
— 34% stated their information is insufficient for transformation
— 67% ranked useful resource optimization as a high expertise mission for this 12 months
— 59% stated consumer adoption challenges are one of many high causes that tech initiatives have failed
— 63% ranked lowering operational prices as one of many high three ROI objectives

The second of three experiences from Grant Thornton’s Digital Transformation survey — which gathered insights from greater than 550 cross-functional senior executives throughout industries — revealed that whereas 93% of enterprise leaders are investing in additional expertise, one-third (34%) stated their information is insufficient to assist transformation.

This second installment of the survey outcomes described how transformation success relies upon not solely on new expertise, but in addition on how human elements, information and sensible design form these investments.

In line with Tony Dinola, a principal within the Expertise Modernization apply with Grant Thornton Advisors LLC, firms can obtain extra with much less — and generate profitability right this moment that may be sustained for a few years.

“We all the time encourage our purchasers to give attention to individuals and course of first,” stated Dinola. “Earlier than investing in expertise, it’s crucial to know the core necessities you’re fixing for and procure the precise expertise that’s purpose-built for these wants.”

IT is an agile enabler for alternative

Further findings from Grant Thornton’s Digital Transformation survey revealed that 67% of leaders ranked useful resource optimization amongst their high 5 expertise goals for this 12 months. As right this moment’s leaders proceed to ramp up expertise spending, they’re studying classes from the previous on optimizing return from these investments.

“Fashionable tech permits for modularized deployment,” Dinola stated. “As an alternative of 24- or 36-month initiatives, we’re speaking six- to eight-week cycles. You see the worth sooner and might cease if it’s not delivering.”

Dinola added that whereas the IT perform stays accountable for infrastructure and IT safety, staff all through the enterprise are innovating with expertise to unravel issues — and IT must assist them.

Person-driven design seeds extra success

In line with the info, 59% % of survey respondents stated consumer adoption challenges are one of many high three causes that expertise initiatives have failed at their organizations.

Mike Hennessey, a principal within the Enterprise Consulting apply for Grant Thornton Advisors LLC, explains that in right this moment’s setting, expertise should work for individuals.

“Worker expertise reigns as a aggressive subject for enterprise leaders. Firms that have interaction staff in shaping new expertise use — by way of early demos, suggestions loops and user-led design — see sooner adoption and stronger returns.”

Hennessey provides that this can be a nice alternative for leaders to achieve a singular lens into their group: “You’ll in a short time see who your upcoming leaders are and who your excessive potentials are. These insights are priceless relating to executing change at scale.”

The survey additionally confirmed that consumer adoption challenges are the highest purpose that previous expertise initiatives have failed. But relating to measuring the ROI of expertise investments, respondents ranked worker satisfaction on the backside of the checklist.

Rob Ginzel, a director within the Enterprise Consulting apply for Grant Thornton Advisors LLC, stated firm leaders ought to work to verify staff see how the expertise being carried out will profit them.

“If expertise makes work simpler and extra significant for workers, their colleagues and managers, implementation sometimes goes easily,” stated Ginzel. “When staff see their friends and leaders utilizing new expertise comfortably, that builds belief and curiosity. It turns adoption from a compliance train right into a want to work in new and progressive methods.”

Align metrics with adoption and behavioral outcomes

One other key spotlight from the survey centered on value. In line with the info, 63% of survey respondents ranked lowering operational prices as one of many high three ROI objectives for his or her expertise investments.

Adoption metrics predict ROI, and price financial savings are maximized when expertise achieves excessive ranges of adoption. On the similar time, frontline utilization, engagement and expertise sign whether or not expertise instruments are driving the supposed worth.

“We give attention to velocity to worth and end-user adoption — how briskly are we getting instruments into individuals’s palms, and the way rapidly are they making an affect?” Dinola added.

In the meantime, monitoring habits change — not simply utilization — can present management the place hidden resistance could also be stalling outcomes. Leaders ought to analyze how methods of working have developed.

Dinola summed it up this manner: “When individuals spend much less time on low-value duties and use new capabilities to drive higher selections and enhance high quality, they’re sure to ship superior efficiency at a decrease value.”

To see further findings from Grant Thornton’s Digital Transformation Survey, go to: https://www.grantthornton.com/insights/survey-reports/advisory/2025/make-technology-an-engine-for-profitability.

About Grant Thornton
Grant Thornton delivers skilled providers within the US by way of two specialised entities: Grant Thornton LLP, a licensed, licensed public accounting (CPA) agency that gives audit and assurance providers ― and Grant Thornton Advisors LLC (not a licensed CPA agency), which completely gives non-attest choices, together with tax and advisory providers.

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