Digital Transformation—the Customer-Company-Excellence-Matrix (CCXM)

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often underestimate that the “Googles” of this world cannot penetrate their segment because the goods they offer cannot be digitized. This is a misconception, as digital transformation is taking place in all areas and industries—without exception! Studies impressively demonstrate that only the speed of transformation depends on the industry and the business model, not the necessity for transformation itself. Hotel rooms or furniture transports, for example, cannot be digitized, but a new, digital player like Airbnb or mymovingpartner can also attack the business models of established hotel operators or furniture forwarders with digital technologies. As a result, the development of a digital transformation strategy is imperative for all companies. This is a component of the overall corporate strategy and determines how organizations can gain competitive advantages through digital technologies. By technologies, we understand the knowledge of scientific-technical correlations for technical problem solving (Schuh & Klappert, 2011). Put simply: technologies manifest themselves as technical solutions in products or services. Competitive advantages arise either through an increase in customer benefits and/or higher efficiency in value creation.