Something doesn’t have to be broken for you to know it could work better. Sometimes the clearest sign is simply that getting work done is becoming more complicated than it should be.
1. You have the same data in several places
Sales has one figure.
Finance has another.
And to find out which one is correct, you have to open the ERP, check an Excel spreadsheet and ask someone on Teams.
🟣 What could be happening?
Your systems may not be connected, or your information may be too fragmented across different tools.
This is where system and data integration can make sense: connecting ERP and CRM systems, applications, sensors or databases to reduce duplication and give teams access to more reliable information.
2. Someone is still doing the same manual tasks every week
- Downloading data.
- Copying it into another file.
- Preparing the same report.
- Moving information from one tool to another.
🟣 What can you do about it?
Many of these tasks can be automated.
And process automation does not mean replacing every piece of software in your company. Sometimes, simply connecting the tools you already use or developing a specific feature is enough.
3. You have plenty of data, but struggle to make use of it
Your company generates information constantly: sales, production, incidents, consumption, customers, machines…
But whenever someone asks a specific question, you have to pull information together from four different places.
🟣 The problem here isn’t a lack of data
It’s not being able to use it effectively.
Centralizing, integrating and connecting that information can turn scattered data into genuinely useful insights.
And if that data also needs to be shared with other companies or organizations, working with data spaces may also make sense.
4. You have installed sensors, but barely use the data they generate
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Energy consumption
- Location
- Machine status
Sensors are useful, but an IoT project should go far beyond simply displaying numbers on a dashboard.
🟣 What else can you do?
Create alerts, detect anomalies, identify patterns, combine sensor data with other information or automate specific actions.
At Purple Blob, we work on IoT solutions covering everything from connectivity and sensor deployment to data integration, analysis and use.
For example, we worked with Sarenet on a project involving sensors and a LoRaWAN server integrated into its infrastructure.
We have also worked with Ingeniería del Cantábrico, assessing the coverage required to connect future water meters in Castro-Urdiales.
5. Your customers need several platforms to complete a single task
- One app to check one thing
- A website for something else
- Another portal to complete a different process
From the company’s point of view, this may make sense because each system belongs to a different department. From the user’s point of view, not so much.
Integration can also improve the user experience
For Ermua City Council, for example, we worked on integrating different municipal applications and services into a single app.
Digitalization is not just about changing internal processes.
It can also mean making a service much easier for people to use.
6. You only think about cybersecurity when there is a problem
An audit is coming up
A customer asks about NIS2
A certification needs to be renewed
Or, in the worst-case scenario, a security incident occurs
🟣 Security should be reviewed before that happens
Access controls, infrastructure, applications, backups, procedures and vulnerabilities are all areas that should be assessed proactively
At Purple Blob, we provide cybersecurity services for businesses, including audits, NIS2, ENS, system hardening, business continuity and DevSecOps
7. You want to digitalize your business, but you don’t know where to start
You have several processes that could be improved, tools that could be connected and tasks that would make sense to automate. The problem is that everything seems like a priority.
Trying to do everything at once isn’t always the best option
In many cases, it makes more sense to start with one specific problem.
- Automate one process
- Connect two tools
- Digitalize one task
- Test sensors in one specific area
Then, if it works, scale it up.
Does any of this sound familiar?
Not every one of these situations requires a major digital transformation project.
Sometimes, the right solution is much smaller than it seems.
At Purple Blob, we help companies and public administrations with digitalization projects, process automation, system integration, software development, IoT, data spaces, cloud and cybersecurity.
If you recognize any of these situations in your organization, you probably already have a good place to start.
Tell us what your organization does and we’ll help you identify a first practical use case.
Frequently asked questions about business digitalization
How do I know if my company needs digitalization?
Common signs include processes that take too long, repetitive manual tasks, information spread across several tools or systems that no longer match the way your company works.
What business processes can be digitalized?
Almost any repetitive process or one that relies too heavily on manual work: data management, reporting, maintenance, production, customer service, asset management, document management or communication between systems.
Does digitalizing a company mean replacing all its software?
No. In many cases, you can start by connecting the tools you already use, automating specific processes or developing a particular feature. Digitalization does not necessarily mean replacing everything.
When is custom software development worth it?
When off-the-shelf tools do not fit your company’s processes, require too many manual steps or cannot integrate the information you need.
What are the benefits of integrating business systems?
System integration allows different applications and databases to share information, reducing duplication, errors and manual work. It also makes it easier to access more up-to-date and reliable data.
Where should you start with a digitalization project?
The best approach is usually to start with one specific problem: a process that takes too much time, information that is difficult to access or a task that is repeated constantly. From there, you can assess which technology solution makes the most sense.
