Automation has been the core focus surrounding the IT systems over the past 20 years. The whole focus of these IT systems was to make enterprise's operations efficient, reduce cost, increase productivity etc. So while Enterprises have invested in these IT systems and have received dividends, it has not resulted in building sustained differentiation for them. For example, while ERP implementation has automated the processes, brought in operational efficiencies, helped in metrics tracking and monitoring, they have not become a source of competitive differentiation for the companies implementing them. That is because, literally every company in that industry has implemented the same or similar ERP Systems for their business process automation. Organizations today are investing in Digital Transformation and customer centricity because they believe it will lead to fundamental competitive differentiation for them.

The 2 key themes where Digital Transformation has the potential to make a lasting impact are "Customer Experience" and "Business Efficiency". Many Industry pundits believe that the age of Information that we had witnessed for the last decade or so is over, and we are transitioning into the "Age of the Customer". Herein, customer experiences will be defined and differentiated by:

- Personalization of variables like content, experience, pricing, recommendation, service, etc.
- Real-time and aware applications that create differentiation by leveraging preferences, insights, context & location awareness.
- Deeper & on-going Customer Engagement to build higher affinity, loyalty and advocacy.
- Omni-channel support to give flexibility to customers to leverage the channel of their choice.

The Business efficiency theme in Digital Transformation focuses on creating differentiation through one or more of the following: