Digitalisation has long been on the agenda for many Swiss SMEs.
New software is being introduced, AI tools are being tested, processes are being automated, and digital platforms are intended to make day-to-day work more efficient.
However, more technology does not automatically mean better processes.
On the contrary: simply digitalising an inefficient process can ultimately just make a poor workflow faster and more complex.
The crucial question is therefore not:
“What can we digitise?”
But rather:
“What should we actually digitise?”
“Meaningful digitalisation does not mean using as much technology as possible. It means solving the right problems with the right solutions.”
Digitalisation is not an end in itself
Digitalisation should always serve a specific business objective.
Greater efficiency.
Lower costs.
Fewer errors.
Better customer service.
Faster processes.
Better data.
Greater scalability.
If no specific added value is created, the question arises as to whether digitalisation is necessary at all.
Not every analogue process needs to be digitised.
Some processes already work extremely well.
Others, however, cost time and resources every day.
It is precisely these differences that companies must recognise.
Poor processes do not automatically improve when they are digitised
A classic example:
A company receives information by email, then manually transfers it into an Excel file and later enters the same data again into a CRM system.
Now an additional digital tool is introduced.
However, the process remains the same.
The information is still being entered multiple times.
Only now it is being entered into several digital systems.
That is not true digitalisation.
It is the digital replication of an inefficient process.
Before a process is digitalised, one should therefore always check whether it needs to be simplified first or completely rethought.
Where SMEs particularly often fail to realise their potential
In many organisations, efficiency losses are not caused by major strategic errors, but by numerous small, recurring tasks.
For example:
- Entering data multiple times
- Processing documents manually
- Gathering information from different systems
- Checking statuses via email
- Coordinating approvals manually
- Responding to recurring customer enquiries individually
- Creating reports manually
Each individual task may seem insignificant.
However, over the course of a year, this can add up to hundreds or even thousands of working hours.
Identify the right processes first
Not every process has the same priority.
Companies should therefore start by analysing:
- Where do employees lose a particularly large amount of time?
- Where do errors occur regularly?
- Which tasks are constantly repeated?
- Where is data entered multiple times?
- Which processes cause unnecessary waiting times?
- Where could automation deliver a measurable benefit?
This analysis provides a basis for investment decisions.
Rather than digitising ten processes at once, it may make much more sense to start by optimising two or three processes with particularly high potential.
Automation isn’t always the right answer
Automation, too, should not become an end in itself.
A process does not have to be automated simply because it is technically possible.
The key factor is the balance between effort and benefit.
For example, meaningful automation should:
- save time on a regular basis
- reduce errors
- ease the workload on staff
- speed up processes
- reduce costs
- improve scalability
If the automation itself is more complicated than the original process, the wrong solution has probably been chosen.
AI opens up new possibilities, but not for every process
Artificial intelligence significantly expands the possibilities of digitalisation.
AI can, for example, be used in the analysis of information, document processing, communication, knowledge management or the automation of certain tasks.
However, the same applies here:
Not every process needs AI.
The right question is not:
‘Where can we use AI?’
But rather:
‘Where can AI create a concrete business advantage?’
This transforms AI from a trend into a strategic tool.
The right technology must be suited to the company’s structure
Another mistake is to view technologies in isolation.
New software should not merely fulfil individual functions; it must also fit in with the existing digital infrastructure.
CRM, ERP, websites, customer portals, accounting systems, internal systems and AI solutions should be interconnected wherever data exchange makes sense.
This results in integrated processes rather than isolated digital solutions.
This is particularly crucial for SMEs, as limited resources must be used as efficiently as possible.
Digitalisation must be measurable
Before a process is digitised, it should be as clear as possible what the expected outcome is.
For example:
Before: 30 minutes of manual work per transaction
After: 5 minutes thanks to automated processing
Or:
Before: three systems and duplicate data entry
After: a centralised process with automated data transfer
Such key figures highlight whether a digital investment actually creates economic value.
The approach of AM Consulting & Management
At AM Consulting & Management, we do not begin the digitalisation process by asking which software should be used.
We start with the business.
We analyse:
- existing processes
- operational challenges
- digital systems
- data flows
- opportunities for automation
- strategic objectives
On this basis, we develop solutions that are tailored to the business.
This could be existing off-the-shelf software.
An integration of various systems.
A bespoke software solution.
An app or PWA.
Automation.
Or an AI solution.
Technology is the means. Business value is the goal.
Summary
SMEs do not need to digitise everything.
They need to recognise what is worth digitising.
The greatest potential often lies not in introducing as many new tools as possible, but in the processes that waste time every day, cause errors or limit growth.
Meaningful digitisation therefore means:
Understanding processes. Setting priorities. Solving problems. Using technology in a targeted way. Measuring results.
At AM Consulting & Management, we combine business strategy, technology and bespoke digital solutions to ensure that digitalisation takes place where it makes a real difference.
Digitalisation should not be an end in itself. It should make your business better.