People often hear our name and ask, “What does FATFREE do?” I generally sum it up by saying we help businesses digitally transform. Sometimes, the response to that is a blank stare or a candid, “I have no idea what that means.” So let’s define it, because it’s something every company is going to have to embrace sooner or later. Well, actually, sooner.

Digital transformation is simply creating new processes, products, or experiences through digital technologies. We help companies reimagine how they can do business better by streamlining processes, adapting to changing markets and consumer expectations, strengthening relationships, or saving time and money. Whether it’s as simple as a website or app, translating a rich, in-person shopping experience into the virtual world, or enhancing customer relationships through complex data, digital transformation is about tapping the wide variety of ways that technology can contribute to the future of your business.

If you’ve never been great with screens, you prefer paper over ether, or you work in a very hands-on industry, the idea of digital transformation may seem daunting or even unnecessary. But the reality is that digital transformation is critical to every company’s long-term survival—especially as the pandemic is changing the way businesses interact with their workforces and customers.

For example, as people are less likely to visit a physical location to conduct business, forward-thinking companies are moving quickly to create personalized digital experiences that bridge the human-to-human gap that’s been created. Is it worth the effort? Absolutely—study after study shows how frustrated consumers are by irrelevant emails and impersonal online interactions and how much more likely they are to do business with those who demonstrate a customer-first focus.

So, how do you bring your physical experience to the digital world? That’s where we come in. If your winery tasting room is closed, perhaps you can send out wine samples with links to online videos that creatively deliver on the experience you want your customer to enjoy. If your sales team usually relies on in-person visits to demonstrate a device or product, virtual reality may give prospects the three-dimensional, one-on-one experience and the robust information they need to make a decision. As you brainstorm ways to strengthen your position through your own digital transformation journey, enjoy this food for thought from Adweek.

Digital transformation already held the keys to our future—COVID-19 merely accelerated the shift. That means there are many great resources out there (including us!) waiting to help. You don’t have to figure it all out yourself.