If digital transformation once felt like a buzzy consultant’s dream, today it’s as real as your morning cup of coffee. The past year has seen global spend skyrocket past $900 billion, but the tricky truth? Most big digital gambles don’t pay off. So how are the winners really winning? It’s not just about gadgets or code; it’s about people, teamwork, and a dash of courage. Let’s unpack five real-world stories—tablets, if you will—of organizations that are changing the game, one digital move at a time.
Mateco: People-First Pioneers in Equipment Rental
Mateco, a major name in rental equipment, wanted to streamline its operations across five countries. The company faced a familiar challenge: growth had made everything more complicated, not less. Instead of forcing everyone onto the same digital platform, Mateco took a different route. They focused on empowering local teams, offering customized training and change management tools. Using the ADKAR model, Mateco tackled resistance head-on by listening to concerns, identifying local change agents, and tying digital shifts to daily work. The result? 85% global alignment and a 30% cut in admin time. Lesson here: digital change is a team sport, and the best players are often on the ground floor.
DHL: Cloud-Powered Unification
DHL, the logistics giant, found itself bogged down by a mishmash of financial systems across its global footprint. To cut through the noise, DHL launched a greenfield clean core project with SAP, building everything fresh in the cloud. The goal: standardize, unify, and innovate. With a clean slate and smart tech, DHL is now able to roll out new features faster and respond to market changes before competitors even set up a meeting. The takeaway? Sometimes, starting over is the best way to move forward—especially when you’re running a global relay race.
Blanka: Scaling Up With a Digital Backbone
Blanka, a player in rapid global expansion, knew that old systems wouldn’t cut it when new markets came knocking. Their answer: a robust SAP Business Suite, purpose-built to cover worldwide operations and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. By investing in a unified digital backbone, Blanka avoided the classic pitfall of outgrowing their tools. Operational excellence became a given, not a challenge. In transformation, as in life, a strong foundation beats frantic patching any day.
Amer Sports: D2C Growth and the AI Edge
Amer Sports, parent company of the Arc’teryx brand, watched direct-to-consumer sales surge—but with great sales comes great logistical headaches. They turned to RISE with SAP, a cloud-based powerhouse that offered fashion-specific solutions, cost predictability, and a launchpad for AI. The result? Amer Sports can scale up during peak seasons, avoid costly in-house teams, and keep innovation humming. For companies riding the D2C wave, the right digital platform isn’t just nice-to-have; it’s the difference between riding the crest and wiping out.
Pandora: Sprinting Ahead With Scalable Systems
Jewelry titan Pandora faced a unique challenge: how to handle massive seasonal demand without breaking the bank or the IT department. Their solution was RISE with SAP, a scalable platform that supports rapid scaling and continuous innovation. Pandora’s “crawl, walk, run, sprint” approach to AI adoption means they aren’t just keeping up—they’re leading the pack. For businesses caught in the holiday rush or any seasonal spike, a flexible, scalable system isn’t just helpful; it’s essential.
From Theory to Tablets: What These Stories Teach Us
Beneath the buzzwords—cloud, AI, scalability—lie real people and real wins. Here’s what these tablet-tales tell us:
- Change starts with culture: Digital transformation is as much about people as it is about pixels. Mateco showed that local buy-in and human connection aren’t just nice; they’re necessary.
- Cloud isn’t a cure-all—but it helps: DHL and Blanka both prove that a unified, cloud-based approach can turn a patchwork into a powerhouse.
- Scalability is survival: Whether it’s Pandora or Amer Sports, companies that can scale up and down on demand are poised to thrive in the digital age.
- AI’s best friend is strategy: It’s not about throwing AI at every problem, but about picking the right moment and tool for the job.
Wrapping Up: The Human Side of Digital
At the end of the day, digital transformation isn’t just a collection of systems or tools. It’s a mindset—one that values agility, people, and learning as much as technology. The organizations leading the pack are those that treat transformation as an ongoing conversation, not a one-time event. Whether it’s Mateco’s local heroes or Pandora’s nimble sprinters, the secret sauce is always the same: put people first, stay flexible, and don’t be afraid to rewrite the playbook. In 2025, that’s the real tablet readers are opening every morning—and it’s got a happy ending.
References:
- https://www.prosci.com/blog/digital-transformation-examples
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypBSeb07aqQ
- https://community.nasscom.in/communities/digital-transformation/future-digital-transformation-insights-2025
- https://blogs.sw.siemens.com/realize-live/realize-five-digital-transformation-with-accenture/
- https://www.imd.org/beta-ibyimd/innovation/uncovering-the-real-digital-dividends-in-the-supply-chain/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablet_computer
- https://www.arcxp.com/2025/05/22/what-the-future-of-news-demands-insights-from-the-inma-world-congress-2025/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_literacy
