Companies at this maturity level tend to be in an early stage with regard to digital readiness (adoption of digital technologies). In your company, you are using some but not all mainstream digital technologies. Digital solutions are employed in a number of business areas – mostly in administration and management. You may reap more benefits from the implementation of specialised or advanced digital technologies.

Your company would benefit a lot if you consider accelerating the use of a number of digital technologies that could boost your sales (i.e. e-commerce, e-marketing etc.), improve business efficiency (Information Management Systems, ERP), improve customer satisfaction (web based tools to communicate with customers), upgrade personnel skills / increase personnel satisfaction and retention [remote business collaboration (teleworking, virtual learning, etc.)].

*Mainstream digital technologies refer to: connectivity infrastructure, company’s website, web-based tools to communicate with customers, live chats/social networks/chatbots to communicate with customers, e-commerce (B2B, B2C), e-marketing (online ads, social media for business etc.), e-government, remote business collaboration tools (e.g. teleworking, videoconferencing, virtual learning, etc.), Intranet portal, Information Management Systems (ERP, CRM, SCM etc.)

*Advanced digital technologies refer to (indicatively): Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, robots, virtual/augmented reality, CAD applications, IoT, smart sensors, blockchain, 3D printing etc.

Companies at this maturity level tend to be still in an early stage with regard to human-centric digitalisation (skills development for digitalisation). It is likely that your management has realized the importance and the potential of training the staff in digital technologies and they have taken some steps in that direction. As a next step you could put in place a detailed training plan to re-skill or up-skill staff. Some online tutorials and other self-learning options to acquire/increase digital skills are offered – but you could tailor them better to their specific needs and/or training requirements. You could combine training with experimentation opportunities and autonomy to execute decisions or to innovate. You should provide career development opportunities for digitally skilled employees while sufficiently re-design jobs for the digital age. Digital skills of staff should correspond to ones required for modernising their job functions. 

There is a lot of untapped potential for your company to setup a training plan based on your digitalisation plans for the near future. You could also benefit from related funding opportunities from different programmes to re-skill and up-skill your staff. As a result, the trained staff would be more receptive to the introduction of new digital technologies and more supportive to changes that otherwise would create fear for job losses. Increasing the digital skills would provide you with the necessary environment to hire advanced IT personnel and provide them a career path.

Companies at this maturity level tend to be in a moderately advanced stage with regard to data management (storage, organisation, access, exploitation and security of data). You have already put in place a concrete data management policy/plan/set of measures to manage and benefit from your data. Documents and processes are digitised in many business functions and operational areas. Most data are stored in a digitally structured form and there is a degree of data integration and interoperability between the different IT systems. You consider data analysis important for business operations and informed decision-making, which helps to optimise your processes and improve customer service. You have a plan for cybersecurity and have identified measures to be taken in the case of cyber-emergency. There is provision for data backing-up facilities and awareness among the personnel for the importance of protection against cyber-threats. Trainings and awareness events are available for the staff on the subject of cybersecurity. 

Being in this range, you still have a lot of potential to release for your company by making more and better use of data. You could further improve data integration and interoperability between systems that cover different areas (production, sales, marketing, HR, customer service etc.) that would help you make decisions on a more strategic level. You could make your data accessible in real time by different devices and locations including for your own staff (e.g. teleworking). When upgrading your data management capabilities you should implement robust data security policies, contingency and business continuity plans in case of serious cyber-threats.

Companies at this maturity level tend to be in a very early stage with regard to automation and intelligence (facilitated by digital means embedded in business process). No tasks are yet automated. AI and automation has not supported any business, commercial or operational activities. 

Companies at this maturity level tend to be in an early stage with regard to green digitalisation*. Environmental aspects are sometimes considered in digitalisation choices. Digital technologies might have started contributing to sustainable business operations (such as business model, service provision, production and manufacturing, etc.). However, digital technologies could substantially support the reduction of emissions and pollution and management of waste, or actively support the optimised use of raw materials and the delivery of the products to customers. Most probably digital solutions are not actively used to substantially reduce the organisation’s impact on the environment. Materials/products used by the organisation could be traceable. Energy could be sourced from sustainable sources off or on-site. Some administrative processes are paperless but not all. Environmental impacts in digital choices and practices could be taken into account in a greater extent.

*Green digitalisation refers to the capacity of an enterprise to undertake digitalisation with a long-term approach that takes responsibility and cares about the protection and sustainability of natural resources and the environment (eventually building a competitive advantage out of it).