COSMO CONSULT starts digitalization check with direct competitor comparison

Many medium-sized companies lack the necessary staff to develop and implement digitalization concepts. As a specialist in end-to-end solutions, the COSMO CONSULT Group guides medium-sized businesses on the path to digitalization. With their “Digital Maturity Check,” the software and consulting company now offers a digitalization check that allows businesses to analyze their current degree of digitalization and see how they stack up in their industry. The result is also a starting point for comprehensive digitalization consulting.

One out of two medium-sized companies rate their own degree of digitalization as high. This is according to a study conducted by the McKinsey management consulting company. The reason for this is a lack of understanding, as many CEOs still see digitalization as strictly an IT issue. They fail to recognize the strategic opportunities the trend offers – the chance to access new markets or bolster the focus on customer value by offering digital amenities. It’s a risky mistake to make, given that the way we consume, communicate and interact is changing rapidly. Generation C (for “connected) is only now slowly gaining attention as a target group. Gen C refers to young people who were born in the mid-nineties or later and grew up with high-speed Internet.

Many decision-makers are aware of the issue, but they’re poorly prepared to act on it. The reason for this is the sheer complexity of the matter: Digitalization is not a software that can be introduced within a set period of time. It affects not only IT but also strategy, corporate culture and the entire corporate organization. It's about target groups, markets and long-term competitive differentiation. Implementing such far-reaching changes normally requires a powerful strategy and a detailed roadmap. However, many medium-sized businesses lack the necessary staff to combine industry expertise with digitalization know-how and change management.

This is precisely where the experts at COSMO CONSULT Group come in. As a Microsoft Dynamics partner specializing in end-to-end solutions and digital consulting, they help medium-sized companies develop their own individual digital transformation concepts. It all begins with the “Digital Maturity Check.” With the help of a COSMO CONSULT advisor, the customer completes a digitalization survey. In addition to technical aspects, the questions also cover processes and communication. The result can then be compared with the level of similarly structured companies in the industry. “Benchmarking with the competition is important, since that direct comparison often makes it easier for companies to see where they stand with regard to digitalization,” says Uwe Bergmann, Chairman of the COSMO CONSULT Group.

Phase two involves analyzing the results of the Digital Maturity Check, describing gaps, defining goals and developing a digital vision for the future strategy of the company. In the final stage, the COSMO CONSULT advisors then work with the company to create an individual roadmap for the path to digitalization. Together, they establish priorities and look for solutions in order to realize goals from a technical and organizational standpoint. “It’s not about trying to revamp the entire company overnight. What’s far more important is doing small projects that either benefit in particular from digitalization or have strategic significance. Such “quick wins” help to embed change management in the minds of the employees,” explains Bergmann.

In the end, digitalization also changes the IT landscape. ERP software remains a focus but in different terms. Future demand will center on open technologies that can be flexibly expanded using mobile apps or solutions for project management, collaboration, data analytics or the Internet of Things (IoT.) “We have extensive digital consulting expertise and over 20 years of ERP experience to contribute to our projects. At the same time, we’ve also been continuously growing our portfolio. Now, our customers can get all the tools they need for digitalization in one place,” stresses Bergmann.