The Digital transformation in enterprises is an unavoidable process for the development of companies. On this occasion, we spoke with Cristina Gadea, Head of Communication at Bester, about the importance of Digital Transformation in general, and in particular, in the renewable energy sector.

IN YOUR OPINION, WHY IS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION NECESSARY IN COMPANIES?

The digital transformation is a reality that is already part of the operations of companies; a large part has begun its digital transformation. The context changes continuously, and technology and new digital environments are present day by day. Either we transform ourselves, or we disappear. Although logically the Digital Transformation must be completely linked to business objectives and strategies, opportunities arise thanks to technology. We must take advantage of Big Data, the Cloud, the Internet of things, etc. to achieve the objectives of our companies in a more agile, decisive and successful way.

Companies must know that there is no other way to survive and compete than by getting on the digital transformation bandwagon to improve operational efficiency. Staying anchored in the past implies disappearing.

The Economist reports, “According to a recent study by Incipy and Inesdi, 79% of Spanish companies have recently started their digital transformation or even, in some cases, are already at an advanced stage of the process”.

WHAT HAS THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION MEANT FOR BESTER?

In Bester, we have been betting for Google for a long time and started working in the cloud, we have presence in different Social Networks (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube), but the jump is in taking advantage of it to improve our business, make projections, interact continuously with the client or potential client, and attend it in a fully customized way to generate business opportunities and build loyalty.

The training of employees is fundamental for digital transformation, because the most complicate issue is the fear of change, of the unknown. Employees should work in collaborative environments, share information in real time, and not work in obsolete departments.

In that sense, in Bester we have been promoting employee training for over 1 year. We still have a long way to go, but we’re advancing and, we have already jumped on the bandwagon. The most complex thing is to involve all the departments, collaborate together, the internal culture must be digital, promote the culture of innovation within Bester. And, first and foremost, align technology strategies with business objectives.

HOW DOES PRESENCE IN SOCIAL NETWORKS INFLUENCE BESTER’S BUSINESS COMMUNICATION?

Very positively, they talk about us, we can answer doubts, questions, and needs of the users, and we create a Community with our followers. Bidirectional communication generates business opportunities; the conversation around the brand grows year after year.

WHAT DO YOU VALUE MOST ABOUT DIGITAL COMMUNICATION?

Initially, it destabilizes businesses because of the challenge and effort involved, but then one realizes that the value it brings is huge. The user can interact with the brand as we would have never imagined, and the brand can send their messages through multiple channels and in different ways. New business models are generated, and users want and request that their life becomes more comfortable and easier, listening to them actively helps us to improve continuously.

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IS A PROCESS IN CONTINUOUS EVOLUTION, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU GOING ALONG WITH THE NEW TRENDS?

It gives me vertigo at the speed that we are moving, when I hear talk about Artificial Intelligence, this degree of customization that seemed incredible a few some years ago; the machines know what customers want…

The machines in real time, based on big data, make the decisions. And those decisions are improving, because the technology advances, and the number of data for it to perform its algorithms as well, since companies seek data continuously. So the machines, as if they were human, learn and solve.

Given this scenario, it is logical that sometimes we feel fear, or at least I personally do, but the challenge is to see the positive and know how to take advantage of it, human-machine cooperation.

Bester, as well as a large number of Spanish companies, has a long way to go, as I mentioned before, but the step towards the Digital Transformation has already been taken.