Use tech’s full potential to maximize your efficiency
This is the second of three reports on how organizations need to evolve their approach to technology. This report focuses on efficiency and profitability. The first report discussed growth, and an upcoming report will focus on compliance and resilience.
Contributors: Tony Dinola, Rob Ginzel and Mike Hennessey
Executive summary
Efficiency and profitability remain top priorities for today’s business leaders — but achieving them through digital transformation remains an elusive goal for many. Our latest survey finds that while 93% of executives plan to increase tech investments this year, about one-third say their data is inadequate for transformation. Optimized returns require aligning technology with business strategy — and enabling your people to unlock the full capabilities of that technology.
Today’s leaders understand that efficiency gains aren’t about the size of the spend — they’re about paving a pathway to smooth execution. This path includes:
- Phased rollouts
- User-driven design
- Data that supports individual use cases
- Metrics that measure efficiency
Pragmatic, fit-for-purpose digital transformation initiatives empower employees and accelerate operational agility, enhancing products, services and speed to market.
Introduction
Across industries, leaders see operational excellence as a way to improve margins, delight customers and sharpen their market position.
But many well-funded transformations stall when execution overlooks one key factor: people. If employees can’t adopt or use the technology, efficiency gains never materialize.
Transformation success depends not just on new technology, but also on how human factors, data and smart design shape those investments. Companies can achieve more with less — and generate profitability today that can be sustained for many years.
“We always encourage our clients to focus on people and process first,” said Grant Thornton Technology Modernization Principal Tony Dinola. “Understand the core requirements you are solving for, and procure technology that is purpose-built for those needs.”
The efficiency imperative
Sixty-seven percent of leaders ranked resource optimization among their top five technology objectives for this year.
As today’s leaders continue to ramp up technology spending, they’re learning lessons from the past on optimizing return from those investments. The competitive edge is no longer in large, monolithic systems, but in phased, right-sized transformations that fit the business need and can scale effectively.
The old playbook of big bang deployments is fading fast. Leaders are adopting more iterative approaches that allow them to adapt quickly and drive higher margins over time.
“Modern tech allows for modularized deployment,” Dinola said. “Instead of 24- or 36-month projects, we’re talking six- to eight-week cycles. You get value faster and can stop if it’s not delivering.”
While the IT function remains responsible for infrastructure and IT security, employees throughout the business are innovating with technology to solve problems — and IT needs to support them. The efficiency imperative isn’t just about picking the right tech — it’s about empowering the right people. And in a crowded landscape of options, efficiency comes from matching the solution to the real problem — and knowing when less is more.
Related resources
INFOGRAPHIC
SURVEY REPORT
INFOGRAPHIC
INSIGHTS
Human-centric design drives ROI
Fifty-nine percent of our survey respondents said user adoption challenges are one of the top three reasons that tech initiatives have failed at their organizations.
In today’s environment, technology must work for people — not the other way around. That expectation is now shaping productivity — and talent strategies.
A forward-leaning digital presence is a must-have recruiting tool for younger generations. If your technology feels dated, you won’t be able to attract or retain top talent.
In short, employee experience reigns as a competitive issue for business leaders. Companies that engage employees in shaping new technology use — through early demos, feedback loops and user-led design — see faster adoption and stronger returns.
Meanwhile, the employees who are among the first to embrace new technologies in the workplace build their reputations for adaptability and leadership.
“This is a great opportunity for leaders to gain a unique lens into their team,” said Grant Thornton Business Consulting Principal Mike Hennessey. “You’ll very quickly see who your upcoming leaders are and who your high potentials are. Those insights are valuable when it comes to executing change at scale.”
Many companies struggle to get their employees aligned with technology initiatives. Our survey showed that user adoption challenges are the top reason that past tech initiatives have failed. Yet respondents ranked employee satisfaction last among the metrics they plan to measure for the ROI on tech investments this year.
Grant Thornton Business Consulting Director Rob Ginzel said company leaders should work to make sure employees see how the technology being implemented will benefit them. If tech makes work easier and more meaningful for employees, their colleagues and managers, implementation typically goes smoothly.
“When employees see their peers and leaders using new technology comfortably, that builds trust and curiosity,” Ginzel said. “It turns adoption from a compliance exercise into a desire to work in new and innovative ways.”
Working with imperfect data
Thirty-four percent of our survey respondents say their data is inadequate for transformation.
A key barrier to transformation has long been data readiness. Many organizations assume they must have perfect data before taking action. But today’s most successful leaders think differently: They fence the data needed for specific use cases, move forward with what’s available and improve quality over time.
For example, Grant Thornton worked with a client on an automation project for a cash receipts process that cleansed only the data needed for that use case — without overhauling the company’s entire data program. The client had been taking more than $1 million in annual write-offs because of poor data quality and time-consuming manual tasks. The automation eliminated 80% of those annual write-offs.
Many organizations are also rethinking what qualifies as valuable data. In a time of dashboard overload, employee experience, sentiment and peer-to-peer feedback generate a richer story by capturing adoption trends and obstacles.
“Qualitative signals — including employee sentiment and user feedback — add context to what frustrates and excites end users,” Ginzel said. “They help leaders understand adoption barriers and guide continuous improvement.”
The takeaway: Digital maturity is built on small, focused wins. You don’t need perfect data to start creating value — you need the right mindset and use-case clarity.
Tracking the right metrics
Sixty-three percent of our survey respondents ranked reducing operational costs as one of the top three ROI goals for their tech investments.
Today’s most insightful leaders know that adoption metrics predict ROI, and cost savings are maximized when technology achieves high levels of adoption.
Frontline usage, engagement and experience signal whether technology tools are driving the intended value.
“We focus on speed to value and end-user adoption — how fast are we getting tools into people’s hands, and how quickly are they making an impact?” Dinola said.
Meanwhile, tracking behavior change — not just usage — can show leadership where hidden resistance may be stalling outcomes. Leaders should analyze how ways of working have evolved.
When people spend less time on low-value tasks and use new capabilities to drive better decisions and improve quality, they’re bound to deliver superior performance at a lower cost.
To drive technology improvements and transformation forward, companies need to align incentives and metrics with adoption and behavioral outcomes.
Key takeaways
Technology implementation initiatives have shifted in recent years as companies increasingly find value in targeted improvements that align with the business strategy and make an immediate impact.
Here’s how company leaders can use technology adoption to deliver improved efficiency and profitability:
- Prepare IT to support user-led tech innovation throughout the business. In the past, digital transformation lived in the IT silo. Today, real gains happen when individual business units and IT co-create solutions with shared KPIs and mutual accountability.
- Prioritize the user experience. Too many transformations do not involve the employees who use the tools daily. Human-centric design means solving for user friction — and letting the frontline shape the future.
- Manage data wisely. Organizations often chase more data, not better data. But more effective tech decisions come from relevance, not volume. The shift to smaller, focused, actionable data is changing how teams invest.
- Start small and scale selectively. Today’s leading organizations think like startups as they approach technology-enabled change. They test small, learn fast and scale only what works — using metrics to guide expansion, not justify cost.
- Incentivize new behaviors and ways of working. It’s no longer enough to measure outputs such as implementation time or budget adherence. Today’s ROI is about actual business outcomes: reduced friction and empowered people drive efficiency and profits.
Driving efficiency and profitability through tech implementation is no longer about scale, budgets or technology-first strategies. It’s about building alignment across people, process and tech — and balancing pragmatism with measurable outcomes.
By embracing phased rollouts, designing for user needs, acting on the right data, and measuring the use of technology to drive efficiency, today’s leaders can generate profitability today while paving the way for scalable success.
About our survey
Grant Thornton conducted the Digital Transformation Survey of more than 550 cross-functional senior executives across industries, focusing on tech alignment, investment priorities, ROI metrics, and integration challenges. Additional insights were drawn from industry-leading reports and macroeconomic analyses.
Contributor bios:
Tony helps clients with large-scale business and technology transformation programs, including implementation of platforms such as ERP, HRIS, CRM and automation. He has spent considerable time supporting finance and operations functions and his projects have included data management, technology strategy, automation and program management initiatives across multiple industries, including manufacturing, transportation & distribution, technology, healthcare and real estate & construction.
Rob has more than 20 years of experience as a change management and human capital consulting leader. He has consulted with organizations of various sizes spanning a range of industry sectors, including life sciences, consumer and industrial products, financial services, not-for-profit, healthcare and professional services. He has led multiple global business transformation initiatives integrating people, process, culture and technology adoption.
Partner, Business Consulting
Grant Thornton Advisors LLC
Mike Hennessey is a Partner in the Business Consulting practice of Grant Thornton located in Charlotte, NC.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Industries
- Manufacturing, Transportation & Distribution
- Technology, Media & Telecommunications
- Transportation & Distribution
- Energy
- Private Equity
Service Experience
- Advisory Services
- Financial Modernization
- Business Consulting
Mike is a former CFO with 20 years of diverse experience, including work in professional services and the private sector. With experience domestically and internationally, Mike has focused on providing sound financial leadership and guidance to enable entities to maximize shareholder value. Working collaboratively with his clients, Mike helps keep your finance function moving forward to evolve from traditional transaction and reporting to more efficient, analytical and data-driven processes.
Content disclaimer
This content provides information and comments on current issues and developments from Grant Thornton Advisors LLC and Grant Thornton LLP. It is not a comprehensive analysis of the subject matter covered. It is not, and should not be construed as, accounting, legal, tax, or professional advice provided by Grant Thornton Advisors LLC and Grant Thornton LLP. All relevant facts and circumstances, including the pertinent authoritative literature, need to be considered to arrive at conclusions that comply with matters addressed in this content.
For additional information on topics covered in this content, contact a Grant Thornton professional.
Grant Thornton LLP and Grant Thornton Advisors LLC (and their respective subsidiary entities) practice as an alternative practice structure in accordance with the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and applicable law, regulations and professional standards. Grant Thornton LLP is a licensed independent CPA firm that provides attest services to its clients, and Grant Thornton Advisors LLC and its subsidiary entities provide tax and business consulting services to their clients. Grant Thornton Advisors LLC and its subsidiary entities are not licensed CPA firms.
Tax professional standards statement
This content supports Grant Thornton Advisors LLC’s marketing of professional services and is not written tax advice directed at the particular facts and circumstances of any person. It is not, and should not be construed as, accounting, legal, tax, or professional advice provided by Grant Thornton Advisors LLC. If you are interested in the topics presented herein, we encourage you to contact a Grant Thornton Advisors LLC tax professional. Nothing herein shall be construed as imposing a limitation on any person from disclosing the tax treatment or tax structure of any matter addressed herein.
The information contained herein is general in nature and is based on authorities that are subject to change. It is not, and should not be construed as, accounting, legal, tax, or professional advice provided by Grant Thornton Advisors LLC. This material may not be applicable to, or suitable for, the reader’s specific circumstances or needs and may require consideration of tax and nontax factors not described herein. Contact a Grant Thornton Advisors LLC tax professional prior to taking any action based upon this information.
Changes in tax laws or other factors could affect, on a prospective or retroactive basis, the information contained herein; Grant Thornton Advisors LLC assumes no obligation to inform the reader of any such changes. All references to “Section,” “Sec.,” or “§” refer to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
Grant Thornton Advisors LLC and its subsidiary entities are not licensed CPA firms.
Trending topics
No Results Found. Please search again using different keywords and/or filters.
Share with your network
Share