Digitizing a small business: where to start?
70% of digitization projects fail. (Source: McKinsey, 2019) Not because technology doesn't work. But because companies buy software before they know what they're solving.
"We need a CRM" is a classic example. Someone buys Salesforce (5000+ EUR per year). Six months later, 2 people use it and even they go back to Excel.
Digitization isn't an IT project. It's a process project.
Why most fail
1. Starting with software, not problem
"We need a new system" is the wrong sentence. The right sentence is: "We spend 3 hours daily copying data from one place to another."
First sentence leads to buying software. Second leads to solving problem.
2. Trying too much at once
"We'll digitize the whole company!" - that's a 12-24 month project. And 12 months later, nobody is motivated anymore.
Start with one thing. Solve it. Then next.
3. Not thinking about people
New software is useless if nobody uses it. People use what makes their life easier. Not what's "strategically important".
Where to actually start
Forget the word "digitization". Answer three questions:
1. What takes the most time every day? Not "in general" - specifically. How many hours daily? Who does it?
2. Where do most errors occur? Where do customer complaints come from? Where is data often wrong?
3. What's the most annoying task? The one nobody wants to do. The one that gets postponed.
Answers show where to start.
5 most common problems and solutions
1. "Documents are scattered"
Problem: Files in 5 places - computers, email, Dropbox, paper. Solution: ONE place (Google Drive, OneDrive). All files there. All. Time: 1 week to migrate + 1 month to form habit. Cost: Free (Google 15GB) to 10 EUR/month (more space).
2. "Same info in multiple places"
Problem: Customer phone in Excel, email, and business card wallet. Solution: ONE database (Notion, Airtable, Google Sheets + form). Time: 2-3 hours to set up + 2 weeks to form habit. Cost: Free.
3. "We forget follow-ups"
Problem: Someone promised to call client but forgot. Solution: Task system (Todoist, TickTick) OR CRM reminders. Time: 1 hour to set up + 1 week to form habit. Cost: Free.
4. "Email is chaos"
Problem: 500 emails in inbox, nobody finds anything. Solution: Folders + rules (auto-sorting) OR project-based communication (Slack, Teams). Time: 2 hours to set up + 2 weeks to form habit. Cost: Free.
5. "We copy data manually"
Problem: Order comes by email, then copied to Excel, then to invoice. Solution: Automation (Zapier, Make) OR one system that does everything. Time: 2-4 hours to set up. Cost: 10-50 EUR/month.
System integration covers that last problem in detail.
30-day plan
Week 1: Map Write down what you actually do. Not "manage projects" - but "open email, copy info to Excel, send reply". 3 days, 30 minutes each.
Week 2: Choose one What hurts most? What's most frequent? Choose only one.
Week 3: Test Don't buy anything. Try free version. Does it solve the problem? If not - try another.
Week 4: Implement If it works - use every day. Show team how it makes their life easier. If not used - ask why. Adjust.
What NOT to do
1. Don't buy before you know Salesforce, HubSpot, Monday - these are good tools. But they cost 100-500 EUR monthly. Before buying, know what you're solving.
2. Don't try everything at once One thing at a time. When that works - next. Otherwise you scatter attention.
3. Don't expect automatic adoption People won't use new tool because "it's better". They'll use it because someone shows how it makes their life easier.
Summary
Digitization isn't an IT project. It's a process project.
- Find one problem
- Solve it simply and cheaply
- If works - next
- If not - try differently
70% fail because they start in wrong place. Don't start with software. Start with problem.