Every consultant wants to "transform" your business. It's a compelling pitch: everything will be different, better, modern. But here's what I've learned: transformation is expensive, disruptive, and usually unnecessary.
Large-scale transformation projects fail at alarming rates. Studies consistently show that 70% of digital transformation initiatives don't reach their goals. Why?
The businesses that succeed with technology don't transform. They improve—systematically, incrementally, and measurably.
"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."
— Stephen Covey
// This principle applies to both business strategy and system design. Focus creates leverage.
Instead of asking "how do we transform?" ask: "What one thing, if it worked 50% better, would make the biggest difference to our business?"
For some businesses, it's client communication. For others, it's scheduling. For others, it's invoicing and collections. For others, it's marketing follow-up.
The answer is different for every business. But there's always one thing that, if improved, would cascade into other improvements.
Streamlined touchpoints that keep customers informed without overwhelming your team.
Automated booking that eliminates back-and-forth and maximizes resource utilization.
Smart invoicing and follow-up that reduces payment delays and improves cash flow.
This isn't sexy. It doesn't make for a good keynote presentation. But it works.
When you focus on one thing:
Transformation sounds impressive. Focused improvement gets results.
Let's identify the single improvement that would make the biggest difference in your business.