ADVENT OF DIGITAL
ADVENT OF DIGITAL
Understanding Digital
In the past few years, the rapid development in the field of digital technology and enhanced use of the same has altered our lifestyle and trends we were used to following. The digital has penetrated in our lives like no other. There are so many threads of it that we continue to use every day as a part of our routine.
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Can we truly understand digital? Because the underlying technology, the integration, the coming together of vivid processes, the alpha and beta versions, all of it sounds a little bit difficult. But, understanding digital doesn’t mean we have to know it in and out.
Let us get familiar with digital with the help of an example. We often go to the market for grocery shopping. There are a lot of vendors in that market selling similar kinds of vegetables at different rates. Nowadays, thanks to innovations, we can do all of our grocery shopping on apps like Big Basket or Dunzo etc. where consumers can buy from different sellers, coupled with perks of doorstep delivery.
Now from a consumer point of view, if we keep thinking about how the algorithm behind the app works, it wouldn’t make much sense. Meaning, for a consumer it is enough to understand the way digital works (along with privacy policy) and not get into algorithmic or technological nuances of it so that we can truly make our lives simpler.
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.” – Leon C. Megginson
Difference Between Web and Digital
Web and digital, two very common words that we come across all the time. Web is a part of the Internet that can be looked at with a special program called browser. Digital refers to resources that generate, store or process data. Now this might come off as a bit of a complex definition which by the looks of it shows tech savvy words.
Okay, let us try to delve deeper into it with an example. Few months back, one of my friend’s daughter was trying to pay her fees online. It was crazy how the college fees had dropped because of the Covid pandemic. Regardless, she fired up her laptop, went to Google web browser, opened her bank’s website, logged in, filled in all the formalities, and finally made the transaction. In this case, she used her web for paying the fees.
“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” –Albert Einstein
The next day she got a mobile phone as a gift from her father because she had started college. When she had to pay the fees for next semester, she did it using the mobile app of her bank – also referred to as mobile banking which is digital.
It has been evident that the web has its own set of limitations. Sometimes, the website is not built to cater to consumers very efficiently. But, digital options like mobile banking in this case work very smoothly and give a better experience.
Advent of Hybrid Digital
What is hybrid digital? When businesses combine one or two models and bring it in line with their current process to serve the masses with the involvement of digital then, we get to see something called hybrid digital. Artificial Intelligence, Intuitive learning, Machine learning, chatbots etc. all of them are making their presence by getting embedded in the current process or business model to make things run faster and smoother. This has been inherited and given birth to a new thinking in human civilization as they go on increasing the use of these technologies in their current phase.
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For instance, a working mother from a Literature course was asked to make up a story about technology. She was allowed to improvise. Here’s what she said –
‘Three years back, when it was my mother-in-law’s birthday, I remember I gifted her a watch which I ordered from Myntra. It was the first time I was buying something online. I liked the model, there was a good deal and hence I decided to make the purchase. I put it in my cart, proceeded to make card payment after which I received the OTP.
From the outside, I was acting like a real cool person who is totally aware of what she is doing, but on the inside, I wished for my money to not get stolen. It is just that you hear about so many scams happening online, you can barely keep your head straight.
While I was thinking all of it, Myntra gave a bright notification that my order was placed successfully. I had a big smile. Today I laugh at myself, for feeling so confused about it in the first place. ‘
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
– Steve Jobs
Today it is all so common to get things online, to do things online. Technology has integrated itself into our lives gradually. I hope you noticed how that working mother from the above story used a mobile app like Myntra to shop by going digital and received an OTP to complete her purchase which came through the web. It is these hybrid models that are making a huge difference in the way we exist in the online space.
Changing Dynamics of Digital
The world we live in is ever changing, super dynamic in terms of how people survive to live another day or to make a living. And this change will only intensify with new technologies coming in and advancing the digital transformation even further. Strategies that used to work in past times, have become outdated now. Hence, it is important for us to understand the changing dynamics of digital.
Let me elaborate with a true incident. One of my colleagues was coming through a city bus to the office before the Covid pandemic started. He saw a small tiff happening between a passenger and the bus conductor. The passenger was having a 2000 Rs note and the bus conductor didn’t have enough change. To the passenger’s surprise, the bus conductor had a Paytm app and was asking the passenger to pay for it online. But the passenger’s phone was dead. One of the days when we fail to charge our phone before leaving for work.
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
My colleague offered to pay for the ticket. Post which it really hit him while he shared the story with me, how it all has been changing all at once, all too fast. Today there are auto drivers, maids, bus conductors and so many coming from the lower part of the income pyramid and have upgraded themselves for the comfort, efficiency, and betterment of their lives.
The less educated people, the rural sector all are trying to stay part of the digital space more than ever. The government policies like Jan Dhan Yojna was a big step toward financial inclusion because for the people to benefit, they had to own a bank account. The experts say, adversities like Covid pandemic had only fast- forwarded the process by at least 10 years.
Life in Digital Age
What is your day like? What is your routine? The answers to this question might be very subjective, but you might notice some very common things.
For instance, let’s talk about the day of a bachelor who is a software engineer. He woke up to the repeated sound of his alarm. He went for a quick 20 minutes’ jog and tracked his steps on a digital watch. Post which he got ready for office and booked a share cab online. While in the cab, he scrolled through the news app.
“You HAVe All the rEASON in the world to achieve your grandest dreams. Imagination plus innovation equals realization.” – Denis Waitley
He reached the office, turned on his desktop, and started his day with coding. He sent deliverables to his boss over mail and connected his client over Zoom meeting for discussion. He had a tea break and checked the Family WhatsApp messages. He resumed work and completed it by evening. While on his way back home, he ordered food online so that it would reach around the time he reached.
He returns back to the room, sets an alarm for the next morning and goes to sleep.
If we talk about a day of a college student, his routine would also be pretty much the same from setting an alarm for the morning to watching series in the night, the difference being perhaps he would access his college lectures online and submit assignments to concerned teachers.
Whatever the nature of our work is, we have been depending on digital options very regularly. The apps of daily commute, tracking fitness, work, and entertainment have become a part of us. The interaction has increased so much that we feel they were always there.
Business Transactions in Digital Age
There used to be a time when people used to have constant fear about keeping their money safe. There were so many poor people who used to stash their cash inside their kitchen containers. Many didn't go out in the fear of money being stolen in their absence until financial inclusion made its way into our lives.
But, the revolution of digital payments has changed the face of business transactions. In very simple words, the transactions are now possible without going to a bank. Many Fintechs contribute to this change. Banks didn’t wish to lose market share to new players. Hence, they too changed their way of servicing customers by introducing mobile banking apps.
“Innovation accelerates and compounds. Each point in front of you is bigger than anything that ever happened.” – Marc Andreessen
Look at the roadside vendor, an entrepreneur, a salaried employee, a famous actress, or a big corporation almost everyone has come under the umbrella of payment digitization. Why? Because it makes life simpler. Because, it provided a solution to so many problems aiding in keeping money safe, faster transactions, low risk of theft, and perks like getting cash back on some lucky days.
Myths of Digital
Let us burst the bubble of some digital myths
Old People Are Not Comfortable with Smartphones
There are so many old people who know how to handle a smartphone, at least the basic part. I saw an old lady do a google search using audio or send an audio WhatsApp message as she couldn’t type the spelling properly.
The ones who don’t know how to use smartphones are seen telling their kids or grandkids to get a cab online. The point is, even if they don’t know sometimes, they encourage the use of it.
Digital is for Urban
The Indian Government launched ‘Pradhan Mantri Digital Saksharta Abhiyan’ under its Digital India initiative to make six crore Indians residing in rural India digitally literate.
Digital is Tech-Oriented
Beyond the necessary technical part, the people and culture are also important. Openness to change and the ability to explore is what is required for digital to soak in society.
Digital is for Educated People
Educated or uneducated, in this day and age looks like everyone owns a phone. Many people who haven’t even been to school are possibly using the apps for entertainment and necessity both.
Personal and Professional Dynamics of Digital
It is less about the way people accept or adapt to the digital options that are available, more about how well they are acquainted and good at using digital. Let us look at a skill that helps to encompass professional and personal dynamics of digital –
Handling Content
We receive tons of information online as everyone has the power of pen. People ink their thoughts on so many digital platforms to make a difference. Being able to contribute to this and handle what you come across to make things simpler helps ease tangled unclear thoughts.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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| MR. PRAKASH ARYA |
Enthusiast, Strategist, Keen Planner and Strong Charisma, these are some of the motivations with which I associate myself. I describe my self as an eProfessional, who evangelizes digital media as Entrepreneur, Mentor, Management Consultant, Speaker and Writer and Domain Knowledge Expert. In my phenomenal more than two decades of long career, I have played varied roles and been an eSpecialist in the sphere of Digital and Online Communication as well as in eBusinesses in different organizations in India and abroad
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