The speed in which technological advances are developing, means digital transformation is no longer just a business process. Our daily lives have also been permeated by this change: shopping, bank transactions, working, and even the way we interact with each other are just some of the things affected by digitalization.

As a society, we know technology will continue developing tools that facilitate our daily lives. That’s why companies need to accelerate the pace of their solutions by proposing innovative processes that fit with the needs and demands of the next consumer generations.

In her Forbes article, Olivia Salas, Regional Marketing Manager at Red Hat Mexico says that “public and private clouds, mobile apps and virtual services need a new generation of storage, automation, analysis, and management solutions. One innovation gives rise to the next. New technology optimizes processes that in turn, produce more advanced goods and services. And consequently, customers demand additional improvements because they become used to a certain level of day-to-day experiences.”

And it doesn’t look like progress will stop any time soon. To join in the digital transformation foray, you have to stand out from other businesses, invest correctly, and have qualified experts to guide the process.

Businesses that believe this transformation is unnecessary run the risk of falling behind and seeing their business development stagnate. This could lead to negative consequences such as losing customers because you are unable to compete with brands that are natively digital, and becoming slow to react (because you don’t have the necessary tools to be one step ahead of market changes, or a possible crisis), or not taking advantage of new digital platforms, running but getting nowhere, and limiting your company’s scope.

Salas also says that “according to IDC, by 2020, 40% of Latin America’s top companies will depend on their ability to create digital products, services, and experiences. Meanwhile, in 2017, two out of five companies have dedicated digital transformation teams.”

Companies have the responsibility to understand new business models and adapt to their customers’ needs. A company’s digital transformation is fundamental for positioning it as a brand that is interested in improving its goods and services, thereby building its customers’ trust.