20 March 2019
What’s the future of digital transformation in Spain?
Alaina Ferretti
Brand and Marketing Manager
In two words: vast and unpredictable. As time goes by, new tools and technologies are developed. It's amazing how we have evolved digitally in just the first two decades of this century. Or do you not remember what it was like to have a computer (with a screen wider than your living room) with internet connection in the early 2000s, and the fights that broke out every time the Internet went out because someone made a phone call?
We’re a step behind
In almost any company in Europe they’ve gone from sending faxes to receiving emails, and now replaced that with corporate instant messaging apps like Slack. But that’s not the case of Spain. We are still stuck in old-fashioned email.
Spain is behind most of the western countries in terms of digital transformation. According to the Spanish Chamber of Commerce (who are no small potatoes), 8 out of 10 companies still don’t use the internet for sales. To be fair, 90% of companies in Spain are Small and Medium sized. But according to the same study, if we speak only in terms of large companies, almost 60% of them do not make online sales. We’re no longer talking about User Experience or process automation, not even Big Data. It’s a web page, the most basic digital marketing tool that exists today. Can you imagine the potential losses associated? It’s probably a lot more than you realize. And it is clear that business owners do not ask the same question. Therefore the need to create awareness of getting the most out of a business and have infinite possibilities in the digital world is a latent reality.
But ... the consumers? Are they digitally up to date?
More than half of Spanish population has ever made a purchase online (and no, we're not just talking about millennials). This means that the people are ahead of the companies. These companies have to make an effort to satisfy the demand, and transform themselves digitally. There is no other alternative. It’s innovate or die.
Digital talent is key to transformation, that is a fact. It’s the factor that generates that added value to a company, and it is precisely one of the biggest challenges that they face today: finding the right personnel. But how can you know what features a Web Analyst needs, or what tools should they know how to use? This is where the need for personnel specialized in recruiting digital talents in different fields comes into play.
Beyond that, Spain suffers a "severe quantitative and qualitative deficit of digital talent". This gap puts real and effective digital transformation of the country at risk. If we don’t catch up, Spain will increasingly lag behind the group of countries that (one day) will lead the new economy. It is a challenge that every large Spanish company should take on.
An example of a large company that accepts the challenge is Telefónica Spain. The president, Emilio Gayo Rodríguez, emphasizes that digital talent and work methodology are key in the digital transformation of the telecommunications giant, and that’s why he asks Spain to make an effort in supporting and creating more digital talent: to build up a competitive edge.
A near future full of uncertainty
We can’t know what the future holds--or if Spain will achieve the levels of digitalization of the major European powers in time. What we do know is that it’s essential to have a clear vision, know how to interpret the information we have at our disposal, and of course, have a clear focus on the client. Without this base, it will be difficult to analyze the changes your company needs.
Meanwhile, let's enjoy the present. If this has known you little by little, in our free ebook you will learn about the most relevant digital marketing fields in which we can help you, and how our experts can analyze your company’s situation and what you will need for effective digital transformation.
