The Pros And Cons Of Digitizing Your Entire Business

Julie Starr • November 19, 2020



Over the last three decades, businesses have been getting increasingly more digital. There are now office-based companies that handle their entire business through a computer from bookkeeping to taking phone calls. Some manufacturing companies meanwhile are reliant on robots for their production process. Moreover, most companies use Business phone systems to streamline communications on any device and CMS systems while allowing them to transcript voicemails into emails, losing the need to write anything down on paper. There can be great benefits to going wholly digital and there can be drawbacks. This post weighs up some of the pros and cons.

The Pros

Improved speed

Digital technology makes things a lot faster by automating processes. Tasks like accounting have been dramatically sped up with the help of software. Less time doing tasks can also result in lower running costs because less manpower is required.

Improved accuracy

Digital technology can also result in increased accuracy. Many types of digital machinery can carry out tasks more accurately than traditional machinery – this includes everything from digital cutting machines to digital scales as found at https://www.arlynscales.com . Digital cash registers and accounting software can meanwhile help to prevent counting errors.

24/7 monitoring

 

Digital technology can allow processes to be constantly monitored. This is particularly thanks to the cloud and the internet of things, which have allowed business owners to monitor factory machinery and security cameras any location with an app on their phone. Businesses can also use a Siemens 6AV2124-0MC01-0AX0 touch screen display unit to enhance operational control and facilitate real-time data analysis. These touch screen units provide a user-friendly interface that lets operators quickly access system statuses, alarms, and actionable insights without the need for extensive training. By integrating such advanced hardware with IoT devices and cloud computing, businesses can streamline their operations, reduce downtime, and predict maintenance needs before failures occur.

 

No paper

Digitizing everything renders paper obsolete . There are many drawbacks to using paper – it requires more physical storage space, it has the potential to be damaged, and it’s not particularly environmentally friendly. Digital records are much easier to organize and can be shared more easily and efficiently than paper documents. 

The Cons

Initial cost

Going digital costs a lot of money. While you may save money in the long run by automating processes, you need to be able to afford the upfront costs of adopting the technology without taking out large debts. This puts off a lot of people from switching to digital processes.  

Security concerns

Digital technology is often connected to the internet, which opens the door to cybercrime. While there may be security benefits to switching to digital methods (digital records cannot be as easily burgled), you also need to be wary of the new security risks that come with an entirely digital business. Some companies still send sensitive documents by fax for this very reason. 

Increased energy usage

While less paper consumption means less deforestation, increased use of computers means higher energy usage. Not only does this have a negative impact on the planet, but it also means higher bills. Fortunately, computers are becoming more energy-efficient and so this is becoming less of a problem.  

Dependence on working technology

When everything is done digitally, you become dependent on technology. If this technology fails, your business could come to a standstill until you can fix the problem. Digitally-reliant businesses are often forced into downtime if there’s a power cut or internet problem. There may be ways to keep technology alive such as maintaining it well and having backup power generators on-site, but there may still be a risk of technology failing.

Greener Clicks: How to Reduce Your Environmental Impact with Sustainable Digital Marketing

By Julie Starr • March 31, 2025
In the race to decarbonize our world, one area often overlooked is digital marketing. While it might seem inherently clean compared to print or physical campaigns, our online activities have a real and measurable environmental footprint. From servers powering your website to emails filling up inboxes, every click, stream, and scroll contributes to carbon emissions. At Taiga Company, we believe digital strategies can be powerful and low-impact. Here’s how to get started. Optimize for a Low-Carbon Web Why it matters: Websites and digital ads are hosted on servers that consume electricity, often powered by fossil fuels. Every time a user loads your site or ad, it uses energy. How to reduce your impact: Host green: Choose web hosts that use renewable energy or offset emissions. Clean up your code: Streamlined, efficient code reduces load times and energy use. Compress and reduce images: Smaller files mean faster pages and fewer emissions. Limit heavy media: Videos and animations are carbon-intensive; use them mindfully. A faster, leaner website isn’t just better for the planet—it also boosts SEO and user experience. Email Marketing with Intention Why it matters: Every email sent, received, and stored requires energy. Multiply that by millions of sends, and the impact adds up. How to reduce your impact: Clean your lists: Remove inactive subscribers to avoid waste. Segment wisely: Only send emails to those who will truly benefit. Use plain-text when possible: It’s lower in data and often more accessible. Reduce frequency: Send fewer, higher-quality emails with genuine value. Intentional emailing reduces not only emissions but also improves deliverability and engagement. Sustainable SEO and Content Strategy Why it matters: Search engines crawl, index, and serve up billions of web pages daily. Thoughtless content and bloated sites add to the load. How to reduce your impact: Create evergreen content: Focus on high-quality pages that stay relevant longer. Streamline your site structure: Fewer clicks to find content = less energy use. Use minimal plugins and scripts: Especially ones that load on every page. Green your CMS: Some content management systems are more resource-efficient than others. Sustainable SEO isn’t just eco-friendly—it’s good strategy. Fewer, better pieces often perform better than content mills. Rethink Marketing Automation Why it matters: Automated emails, ads, and data syncing can create a lot of digital clutter. That clutter eats up storage and energy. How to reduce your impact: Audit regularly: Retire old workflows and outdated automations. Optimize syncing: Reduce how often and how much data is transferred. Segment with purpose: Better targeting means fewer wasted sends. Use expiration dates: Don’t let outdated content or assets live forever. Efficient automation can reduce emissions and improve performance. Digital marketing isn’t going away—and it shouldn’t. It offers powerful tools for connection, education, and growth. But like all tools, it can be used more sustainably. At Taiga Company, we’re committed to helping organizations lower their environmental impact without sacrificing reach or results. Sustainable digital marketing is not only possible; it’s essential. Ready to make your marketing aligned with your company's corporate sustainability plan? Let’s start the conversation.

World Water Day 2025: How Beverage Brands Are Leading on Water—and Why Communicating It Matters

By Julie Starr • March 24, 2025
At Taiga Company, we work alongside brands who are not only doing the hard work of sustainability—but are learning how to talk about it in ways that connect with their stakeholders. This World Water Day , we’re reflecting on how leading beverage companies are advancing bold water stewardship goals and communicating those efforts clearly, thoughtfully, and strategically across digital platforms. Water is foundational to the beverage industry. From ingredient sourcing to packaging to community health, it’s a resource that demands attention—not just in terms of conservation, but in terms of how that commitment is shared with consumers, investors, regulators, and partners. Below, we’re highlighting three beverage companies whose recent water stewardship actions—and storytelling—stood out. PepsiCo: From Field to Community, Global Water Replenishment in Action PepsiCo launched 16 new water replenishment projects across nine countries in 2024 alone, restoring more than 1.7 billion liters of water to local ecosystems. These projects are practical and people-centered—ranging from irrigation efficiency in Texas to sustainable farming practices in the Dominican Republic. What stood out: clear project data, human-focused storytelling, and alignment with global frameworks. PepsiCo’s water webpage provides easy access to targets, progress updates, and case studies, helping stakeholders understand both the “why” and the “how.” Suntory Global Spirits: Water at the Heart of the Brand Suntory’s brands—from Maker’s Mark in Kentucky to Yamazaki in Japan—share a common origin: water. The company’s commitment to being net water positive by 2050 isn’t just a corporate goal—it’s integrated into brand storytelling, on-site conservation efforts, and supplier engagement. Their message is rooted in authenticity: water isn’t just an operational input, it’s an essential ingredient in their identity. Learn more on Suntory’s efforts via their LinkedIn post . Asahi Group Holdings: Building Local Water Resilience Together In the Netherlands, Asahi’s Koninklijke Grolsch partnered with stakeholders in the Twente region to develop a local water platform focused on reducing consumption and innovating wastewater reuse. This goes beyond operational efficiency—it’s about building water resilience within a shared ecosystem. Their community-first framing and long-term investment approach were key themes in this post . Why This Matters At Taiga Company, we believe that sustainability actions only go as far as their ability to be understood, felt, and trusted. Communicating water stewardship isn’t just about reporting metrics or sharing photos of wetlands (although both can help). It’s about giving stakeholders the context they need to see a company’s values in motion—clear commitments, thoughtful execution, and measurable impact.  If your team is evolving its water strategy—or simply looking for better ways to communicate what you're already doing—we’d love to be part of that conversation.
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