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Summary – In the face of intense competition and investor pressure, digitalization is reinventing productivity, quality, customer satisfaction, and innovation by streamlining processes, leveraging data, and building proprietary tech assets. Targeted automation, modular ERP systems, collaborative tools, and omnichannel journeys streamline operations and experience, while integrated reporting, predictive analytics, and secure data governance strengthen reliability and agility. Solution: deploy a cross-functional, modular open-source roadmap driven by data, and formalize intellectual property to maximize valuation.
In an environment where competition is intensifying and investors scrutinize every performance metric, digitalization stands out as a true lever for value creation in businesses. Beyond a mere project execution model, it influences all strategic dimensions: productivity, operational quality, customer satisfaction, and innovation.
By optimizing processes, leveraging data, and building proprietary technology assets, digitalization contributes to higher market valuations. This article explores how each digital building block—from automation to intellectual property—helps grow an organization’s value, illustrated with concrete examples from the Swiss economic landscape.
Process Optimization and Operational Performance
Digitalization streamlines internal workflows and reduces execution times. Each automation and integrated business tool boosts overall efficiency and lowers operational costs.
Smart Automation and Modular ERPs
Targeted automation of repetitive tasks delivers significant time savings for operational teams. It structures workflows around modular, scalable Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems tailored to specific business needs. By isolating low-value tasks, staff can focus on high-impact strategic missions.
Open-source ERPs, complemented by custom modules, offer appreciated flexibility in hybrid environments. Open-source ERPs avoid vendor lock-in while ensuring controlled scalability. Maintenance and upgrades then fit naturally into a defined and prioritized roadmap.
A typical Swiss industrial manufacturer recently deployed an open-source ERP coupled with automated order-planning scripts. This initiative cut order processing times by 30% and reduced stock-management errors by 20%. The example shows how a modular approach plus automation frees up resources for innovation.
Collaborative Tools and Mobile Applications
Adopting cloud-native collaborative tools improves coordination across departments and increases process transparency. Document-sharing platforms, internal chat systems, and integrated videoconferencing streamline communications. Teams gain agility and responsiveness when unexpected situations arise.
Industry-specific mobile apps complete this ecosystem by providing instant access to critical data. They enable decision-making in the field, shrinking the gap between incident detection and resolution. With secure APIs, they integrate seamlessly with existing back-office solutions.
A logistics provider in French-speaking Switzerland rolled out a secure mobile app for delivery management. Drivers access schedules in real time, adjust routes, and confirm deliveries via QR codes. This digitalization improved on-time performance by 25% and reduced return rates by 15%, demonstrating the direct impact of a mobile tool on operational performance.
Streamlined Workflows and Integrated Reporting
Consolidating processes on a single platform enables monitoring of all key indicators. Customized dashboards, connected to ERP and CRM systems, offer a consolidated view of operational and financial performance. Leadership teams can steer activities based on reliable, real-time data.
Automating reporting eliminates manual data collection and review tasks. Daily or weekly KPI updates occur transparently without human intervention. This data reliability builds trust among decision-makers and accelerates the decision-making process.
For instance, a Swiss services company unified its financial and operational reporting on a locally hosted platform. Productivity, cost, and quality indicators update automatically each night. The system detected a budget overrun in a cost center, reducing the forecast variance by 10% the following quarter.
Enhanced Customer Experience through Digitalization
A seamless, personalized customer experience becomes a major differentiator. Omnichannel journeys and digital services boost satisfaction and loyalty.
Chatbots and Omnichannel Interactions
AI-driven chatbots provide 24/7 support for routine inquiries, alleviating support teams. They handle simple requests instantly and escalate to a human advisor when needed. This responsiveness builds trust and lowers visitor abandonment rates.
All communication channels—website, mobile app, social media, instant messaging—are unified in a centralized CRM platform. Contact histories are accessible with one click, ensuring consistent responses across touchpoints. The customer relationship becomes smoother and more relevant.
A Swiss financial services provider implemented a chatbot that answers common questions about banking products and credit simulators. Upon launch, the bot handled 40% of inquiries without human intervention and maintained a 92% satisfaction rate. This example highlights omnichannel engagement’s effectiveness in boosting customer involvement.
Online Ordering Journeys and Digital CRM
Digitizing the purchase journey—from product selection to invoicing—speeds up conversions. Smart forms and secure payment modules simplify the experience. Each step is optimized to reduce friction and minimize cart abandonment.
The digital CRM collects behavioral and transactional data to personalize offerings. Targeted marketing campaigns leverage refined segments, generating higher open and click-through rates. This analytical granularity increases the ROI of commercial initiatives.
A B2B sales platform in German-speaking Switzerland revamped its ordering funnel by integrating multiple payment methods and an instant quotation system. Conversion rates rose by 18% in three months, illustrating how a streamlined interface and connected CRM can transform the purchasing experience.
After-Sales Follow-Up and Digital Loyalty
Digital engagement doesn’t end at the sale: after-sales follow-up via a client portal and automated notifications enhances long-term satisfaction. Claim and warranty workflows are structured, ensuring transparency and traceability. Processing times shrink.
Surveys and feedback are collected directly through digital channels, enabling rapid adjustments. CSAT and NPS scores are monitored in real time, guiding continuous improvement initiatives. Digital proximity strengthens customer engagement.
A Swiss insurance company launched an online client area for claims reporting and case tracking. Policyholders receive automatic updates at each processing step. The solution increased customer retention by 35% and reduced average resolution time by 25%.
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Data as a Strategic Lever
Mastering data turns information into a competitive advantage. Robust governance and advanced analytics optimize offerings and accelerate decision-making.
Data Governance and Quality
Implementing governance processes ensures data reliability and regulatory compliance. Cataloging, cleansing, and traceability rules build a solid foundation for analysis. Trust in data is essential for deploying a data-driven strategy. To delve deeper into data governance, explore best practices in the data mesh model.
Centralized repositories combined with security and privacy policies prevent silos and duplicates. Business and IT teams collaborate to define quality standards and performance metrics. This coherence maximizes data value.
A Swiss public institution centralized its customer and transactional data sources in a secure data lake. Automated validation and monitoring workflows boosted data compliance from 65% to 95% within six months. This rigor ensured reliable performance and compliance reporting.
Analytics and Decision-Making
Self-service analytics tools empower business units to explore data independently of IT. Interactive dashboards deliver immediate insights into sales, production, or user behavior. Managers can adjust strategies in real time. To design interactive dashboards, follow our UX best practices.
Incorporating machine learning for scoring, demand forecasting, and anomaly detection enhances analytical value. Predictive models anticipate trends and guide investments. This proactivity strengthens market positioning.
A Swiss SME in the food sector deployed an analytics platform to forecast demand fluctuations. Forecasts reduced waste by 22% and optimized supply chain management. This example shows the direct impact of a data-driven approach on cost control and performance.
Data-Driven Agility
Data feeds roadmaps and innovation processes. Continuously measured KPIs guide priorities, including A/B testing. The organization becomes more responsive, adapting offerings and processes based on market feedback.
The data-driven feedback loop concept enables rapid prototyping and iteration. Decisions are backed by quantitative evidence, reducing uncertainty and risk. This dynamic fosters experimentation and continuous improvement.
For example, a Swiss energy services operator established a quarterly prototype launch cycle based on customer tests. Indicators gathered allowed three times faster iteration than before, accelerating the rollout of new connected services. This illustrates the value of a data-guided organization.
Building Intangible Assets and Intellectual Property
Developing proprietary digital solutions creates valuable technological assets. Owning intellectual property enhances agility and market appeal.
Designing Internal Platforms and Microservices
Building custom business platforms yields solutions aligned with strategic needs. Independent microservices provide strong modularity and simplify technical evolution. Each service can be optimized, scaled, or replaced without affecting the whole.
This approach avoids technological lock-in from proprietary solutions. Teams retain full control of code and architecture. Development and deployment flexibility become a competitive advantage.
A Swiss logistics player developed an internal shipment-tracking platform based on microservices. Each module handles a process segment: booking, transport, delivery, and billing. Modularity allowed rapid addition of an advanced tracing service for a major client, demonstrating swift adaptability.
Intellectual Property and Competitive Advantage
Valuing an intangible asset on the balance sheet relies on documentation, legal protection, and code security. Copyright and internal licensing grant temporary exclusivity for usage and commercialization.
Owning software assets paves the way for partnerships, third-party licensing, and better valuation during fundraising or sale. Investors factor these intangible assets into market value assessments.
A Swiss tech SME patented several modules of its industrial energy-management calculation engine. These modules, integrated into its main application, were recognized as capitalizable intangible assets, increasing company valuation by 15% in a funding round. The example underscores the importance of formalizing and protecting digital assets.
Reducing Dependencies and Controlling Costs
Developing in-house tools cuts reliance on external providers and costly licenses. Maintenance and licensing expenses are controlled long term. Updates align with a comprehensive strategic vision.
Acquired flexibility allows rapid pivots in response to regulatory changes or new business needs. Teams can prioritize developments based on expected ROI.
For example, a Swiss B2B services group replaced multiple third-party solutions with an internal software core. The transition saved CHF 120,000 in annual licensing fees and enabled new business features at no extra cost. Full code control translated into greater agility during tender responses.
Accelerate Your Valuation through Comprehensive Digitalization
Digitalization is not just an IT project but a cross-functional approach that optimizes processes, enriches customer experience, leverages data, and builds sustainable technology assets. By integrating these levers, a company becomes more productive, agile, and attractive to investors.
Edana’s experts support executive teams and CIOs in defining coherent roadmaps, implementing modular open-source solutions, and securing intangible assets. Transform your digitalization challenges into a true value multiplier.
