Author
Els Knevels
The legendary 2020. The year of the Australian forest fires, the #blacklivesmatter movement and the deadly explosion at the port of Beirut. Winter has not yet arrived, and yet we already speak of a 'memorable' year. Are we forgetting something? Oh yes, the COVID-19 pandemic that paused the whole world, just like that. The virus that still has the upper hand, limits our social contacts and keeps the oldest population in continuous quarantine. The same virus that suddenly put all of us behind a DIY desk in our living room...
On March 18th, 2020, the Belgian government obliged all businesses to have their staff work as remotely as possible. Large office blocks were exchanged for cosy home offices, digital meeting rooms popped up like mushrooms and the work-life balance became an exciting battleground. It remains a constant struggle for many companies to keep their heads above water. And the daily struggle to keep swimming or to drown is one that starts to weigh heavily after eight months. And by the way, we’re not rid of it yet. On October 19th, the measures were tightened up, the restaurants had to close, and working from home became the absolute norm once again. #staystron
Every disadvantage has an advantage
No matter how we spin it, the pandemic also set in motion a number of important evolutions. One of these is the big leap in the direction of digitization. At the beginning of this year, everything accelerated digitally. Online meeting rooms made their appearance, we massively bought stuff in webshops and our social contacts took place in so-called Skype cafes. In the blink of an eye our daily reality changed and in record time we evolved to a more virtual world.
Although the big sharks on the other side of the ocean have been ahead of us a long time, we wonder whether this crisis was necessary to force a digital transformation in Europe. However, the driving force behind this impactful transformation is often not an internal partner, but a well-known external factor.
Companies all over the world were almost obliged to take a digital leap in the dark and make the best of it. A lot of companies took the plunge and are now profiting from their new digital tentacles. In reality, of course, things often don't go so smoothly. What we do see, however, is that today we are forced to profile ourselves online as a company that is ahead of times.
Your favorite restaurant is furious about the second shutdown. His business has to close again. He shuts his doors and complains about the turnover he's losing. Rightly so, these are black days for the industry. But instead of staying on the sidelines, a breakfast shop a little further down the road set up a digital platform. Customers order their favorite dishes online and pick them up at a time of their choice. They changed tack, embraced digitization and their business continues to run. The choice is yours.
At the beginning of this year, consumers were forced to flip their digital switch and give their lives a virtual twist. Digital is the new norm. If you don't respond to this as a company, you fall hopelessly behind and you inevitably lose touch with your customers. We probably won't have to tell you what the consequences are for your customer experience. Do you want to keep your customers happy, let them come back or let them speak positively about your brand? Then it's better to start today than tomorrow with your digital plans.
Ten years of digital evolution took place in just 3 months. We are in an online rush, and it's happening right in front of us. Now. At this moment. So it's about time to jump on that digital wagon, take advantage of the evolution that is happening right now and get ready before it's too late. But how do you start?
You may not have had the courage to take the plunge as a company. And that’s okay. We understand that this transition to digitization is a tough step. We’re happy to help you with that. Choices have to be made. There are many options and even more online channels. And what about you? You have to make the right selection regardless, put together the right building kit and hope for a positive outcome. As a digital experience company we like to be at your side as a partner in making those right decisions. We help companies grow digitally, strategically and with the right tools at hand. This way you create the best digital version of your company.
Ready for the big step towards digitization
All right. We can't ignore this digital transformation anymore. That's clear by now. But what is the first step? At Dropsolid we like to start at the beginning, we don't prejudge the facts and we treat our customers as unique cases. First, we map out your current situation. What is already moving? Where are improvements possible? And how do we prioritize the opportunities? This is anything but a one size fits all approach. Because every company is different, has a personal (future) vision and strives for unique values and standards. So we don't push a ready-made solution right in front of your nose.
What is it that we do then? Together with you, we map out all touch points, look for digital opportunities and suggest a number of possible step-by-step plans. That's just the tip of the iceberg. It is important that we never lose sight of your future prospects, we provide a scalable framework and search for the balance between impact and investment.
Once all this has been mapped out, we always start with a thorough analysis. This can go from a high-level research of the current website to a marketing strategy but also, for example, an SEO, competition or advertising analysis. Depending on your goals, wishes and needs, we propose a number of deeper analyses. At Dropsolid we cast this in overarching scans with one main focus point
- For example, you can opt for a 'Digital Marketing Scan', in which our strategists and digital marketers examine the state of your global marketing. This covers everything from SEO to competition and from social media to your current website.
- A 'Digital Performance Scan' goes even further. We also investigate the more profound goals and challenge them. KPIs are defined, we map out the customer journeys and give shape to the conversion funnels. Not enough? There is more!
- Our 'Digital Transformation Scan' digs so deep that tools, processes and other integrations are also explored. This way we look for the real deep-rooted pain points and we offer a suitable solution or alternative. We forget the past for a moment and start with a solid, new digital foundation. One that is aimed at anticipating everything the future has to offer.
What is right for your company? That depends on a lot of different factors. Together with you, we'll choose one of our 7 pre-defined scans, which contain more than 30 different analyses. These scans often involve much more than just an analysis. We also do a number of workshops to gain insight into your internal structure, way of working and current toolstack. We reflect, adjust and evaluate again. And that's just the beginning...
It doesn't have to be that big in the beginning. Even with a small intervention you can go a long way, you can always build further and already start the beginning of a little evolution. You don't have to run a full option automated marketing machine to keep up with the times. Start small with a handy implementation on your website, for example a Mautic integration on your Drupal platform. This way you can begin with marketing automation and prepare your business for the next steps
Don’t blame the world, find a solution
Does this mean that we have to throw millions on the table for a carelessly chosen digital infusion in order to be able to make this digital transformation happen? No. Absolutely not. It's more important to identify the right digital opportunities for your company. And we like to put the emphasis on your company. Because these analyses, opportunities and investments are different for each company.
After a business scan like this, together with you we go over the results, the next steps and the future opportunities. And then? Then the digital world lies at your feet. We offer an extensive range of solutions, possibilities and collaborations. So you're on the right online course towards 2021, and beyond.
Because this path is different for each individual company, it would be too divergent to explain all the tracks. That’s why we only cover a few possibilities:
Dropsolid Talent
Are you a self-managing team, but do you still lack some expertise? Our consultants act as an internal employee, with all the knowledge of our Dropsolid experts together. We make sure they keep up with the latest developments, put them in close contact with our own experts and make sure they constantly gain knowledge through the Dropsolid Academy. But they do sit between your employees, build a bond with your brand and know your company through and through.
For example, you didn’t plan an extra employee on the payroll? Then one of our consultants will be happy to help you out for a shorter (or longer) period of time.
Tailor-made individual track
Rather need help in the form of a specific project? Here, too, we have a number of comprehensive solutions. We always put the digital experience first. We believe that all online journeys run as efficiently as possible as long as the experience excels. And to take that experience to the next level, we propose an individual trajectory. These trajectories have a very broad interpretation: from digital strategy to an upgrade of your user experience or from an extensive online marketing track to the development of your own website or platform.
For example, do you have a very concrete question related to marketing automation or implementing personalization on your website? Then we will draw up an individual path for this.
From tabula rasa to excellent DXP
Sometimes starting with a blank page is the best solution. No legacy, no limiting integrations, no clinging to the past. Start with a new, stable basis and build on it. Dropsolid Experience Cloud offers you this. An open platform that ensures that all of your digital plans of the future are realized. Whether you want to take your current marketing to the next level, bring your existing tools together into a digital-first ecosystem or are ready to create digital experiences avant la lettre. Dropsolid Experience Cloud helps you to do so. You build relevant, consistent and personalized digital experiences that activate your visitors.
For example, do you need a new website with difficult functionalities, specific integrations or next level digital experiences? Our experts will explore all the possibilities for you.
Let the digital journey begin!
We have to keep up with digitization. The start has been made and we can't go back. The pandemic is pushing us towards a digital transformation and we have to seize this opportunity with both hands. We know that it’s not easy, but as a digital partner, we’d like to be at your side. Let's put our heads together, from a safe distance. Together we’ll discover how the digital transformation of your company can be a stepping stone to a promising future.