On the Red Sofa at ALSC Digital Strategies North America 2025, Chandan Trehan, digital supply chains and logistics lead at Bosch USA, shared key insights on leading successful digital transformation initiatives. 

He began by emphasizing the need for a thorough and honest assessment of the organisation’s current state and readiness for change. It’s not enough to adopt new technologies; companies must understand why they are transforming and recognise the urgency behind it. As Trehan put it, “It is very critical to do this objective assessment, objective evaluation and not look at digital transformation as just a technology refresh programme.”

A major theme in Trehan’s approach is people-centered transformation. He highlighted the necessity of involving employees early and often, making sure they understand the purpose behind the shift. He warned against letting employees view digitalisation as just another compliance task: “Make sure that you communicate the why part of change as much as you communicate the how and when… so that people feel that they are a part of this journey.”

To support this, Bosch runs a “digital fluency programme”, ensuring every employee – regardless of role – has a basic understanding of digital tools, particularly AI. This not only reduces fear but encourages grassroots innovation. A major win, he noted, is when frontline employees themselves identify AI use cases that improve their work.

When digital initiatives encounter obstacles, Trehan advises companies to remain flexible. Breaking the transformation into smaller projects allows organisations to fail fast, learn quickly, and pivot. Building a culture where it’s safe to acknowledge and learn from mistakes is key. He encouraged openness around false assumptions and changing strategies when needed.

Trehan concluded by urging organisations to aim high. “Go bold, go big, set up more audacious goals for transformation,” he said, while also stressing the need to be pragmatic in execution. The transformation journey may face roadblocks, but maintaining the end goal, learning along the way, and supporting teams with quick wins will ensure progress.

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