The digitalization of small businesses is underway... How can you make yours a success?

The 21st century is marked by digitalization. The Internet and social networks have rapidly become the primary source of information for consumers. The benefits: independence and time savings. As a result, digital transformation has become a reality for companies, who have adapted by creating an autonomous and efficient customer journey.

Although this approach was initiated in the BtoC sector, digitalization is now becoming a necessity for BtoB companies too. How far have French SMEs progressed in their digitalization? What are the benefits of embarking on this transformation, and above all, how do you get started? Here's an overview of the state of digitalization in French SMEs.

What is digitization?

The term "digitalization" means different things to different people. According to a recent survey of SME managers by Opinion Way (1), for 61% of them, digitalization means having an up-to-date website. Next, for 53% of those surveyed, it means being able to rely on an efficient IT department.

However, digitalizing a company is not just about technology. Rather, it involves a new vision of the company, with a new culture and new values. This implies profound changes in internal processes, for the different departments, and is not easy to implement. For the whole thing to work, it requires the total involvement of everyone in the company.

It's important to bear in mind that digitalization is a means of meeting the needs of customers and employees alike. Once the transformation is complete, the benefits are quickly identifiable by all stakeholders.

State of play: where do French SMEs stand?

France lags far behind its neighbors when it comes to digitizing its SMEs. The most likely reason for this is that business leaders are not yet aware of what is at stake. They are finding it difficult to define the global approach they need to take, in order to radically transform their business.

According to a 2020 BPI France Le Lab (2) survey of 1,800 SME managers, 87% of them have not made it a priority to convert their business to digital.

Yet we know that a company's performance today is correlated with its progress towards digital transformation.

However, since the outbreak of the global pandemic, there has been a certain acceleration in the digitalization of SMEs. This is one of the positive effects of the health crisis. The digitalization of companies has been boosted by the pandemic.

By 2021, no fewer than 66% of French SMEs (3) will have their own website, compared with 37% in 2020. Among the most visible companies on the Internet are those in the catering and accommodation sector. This is logical, given that 50% of these companies sell their goods and services online.

However, digitalization is struggling to find its place in the construction and logistics sectors. They tend to focus more on tools for simplifying internal processes:

• inventory management,
• schedule management,
• invoicing, etc.

The distinction is no longer between large and small companies, but rather between those that have taken the digitalization plunge and those that are still lagging behind.

The benefits of digitalization for your service company

Managers who are still reluctant to digitize their business see only the difficulties and short-term work overload. Yet those who have dared to take the plunge have no regrets.

Better communication and time savings

Mickaël Crouquet, head of the maintenance department at Sacofa, an electrical equipment installation company, is delighted:

"The company has 15 technicians on call [...]. Today, with the BigChange solution, the system, a true collaborative tool, enables us to communicate with each other, but also with the customer. I can see, directly on the Internet, what the technician has done during an intervention.

With such a tool, communication is facilitated and human error is greatly reduced. But that's not the only advantage of this kind of software.

"The solution enables us to store important data such as the history of interventions and photos of worksites."

All customer information is available at any time and from any mobile or fixed device. The time-saving benefits are obvious.

Tools that adapt to companies

The time it takes for IT tools to be implemented in companies, and for employees to get to grips with them, is often seen as a slowdown, or even a halt, to business activity. According to the Opinion Way survey (1), 45% of the SME managers questioned have not digitized their company, and, more importantly, have no plans to do so at present. Is this due to a lack of knowledge about the various options available?

Some managers have taken the plunge, and don't regret it, as Bruno BLIN, Managing Partner of Médiaction, a service company operating in so-called "sensitive" neighborhoods, points out.

"Our collaboration with the BigChange teams began in 2020. The first step was to understand Médiaction's core business. Then, a [...] customized solution was developed to match the company's expectations as closely as possible."

Digitizing a company is not about wasting time and money. Companies marketing this type of solution play an important role in supporting their customers. Once the tool has been customized, the customer's staff undergoes a training period. The software then evolves in line with emerging needs and requirements.

"Today, the BigChange solution is running very smoothly. We have contacts who answer our questions and help us develop the product in line with our customers' reporting and statistical requirements. The next step will be to integrate vehicle and service geolocation into the tool.

Key ingredients for successful digitalization

It's not enough for a company director to want to digitalize his business. Here are the key ingredients for a successful and profitable transformation.

A committed management team

For a business transformation to work, you need a management team convinced of the merits of this profound change. If certain employees have not grasped the added value of digitizing their company, they will not be the driving force behind change.

The team needs to push for and support this change among employees, whose working methods will be altered.

The best way to do this is to show examples of companies and employees for whom digitization has been beneficial. Teams will be able to see themselves in the future, and will be more confident about the direction their managers are taking.

A project team that structures, organizes and trains teams

Once the idea of digitization has been adopted by the company, it's time to appoint a project team entirely dedicated to this technological transformation. The team members first structure the program in stages, and begin working with the solution provider.

Together, they determine the company's needs and develop a customized solution, adapted to the company's sector of activity and the expectations of its managers. They then organize the deployment of the software within the company, and train the technical teams who will use the tools on a daily basis.

A dynamic involvement of field teams

Field teams are nevertheless involved throughout the digital transformation process. The idea is for them to take ownership of the new tools and embrace the proposed changes.

From the outset, employees are asked about their expectations and needs. In this way, the tool's customization is truly adapted to the company. Ambassadors can quickly be identified, and will be key opinion leaders in getting the whole team on board.

Support in deploying the digital solution

An integrated digital solution, which replaces the tools and software traditionally used by a company's teams, can be unsettling for some employees. Even if the aim is to make everyone's work easier, many people may be resistant to change by nature.

BigChange, which specializes in all-in-one solutions for field service companies, acts as a consultant and external partner. It supports its customers, and in particular the project team, in deploying the right solution for the company in question.

• Needs analysis,
• Process definition
• Software programming,
• Implementation within the company,
• Training employees in the use of a new tool,
• Adding functionalities,
• Solution enhancement.

The external service provider is a true long-term partner, in the deployment of the digital solution and its evolution over time.

The digitalization of companies in France is slow to take off, due to a lack of information among managers on the potential benefits, but also to a lack of support. Fortunately, some service providers have understood this: they now provide turnkey solutions to kick-start the large-scale digitization of sectors in demand.

(1) Opinion Way survey of 1,000 CEOs of SMEs (< 250 employees in France)
(2) BPI France Le Lab survey
(3) Crédoc France Num Barometer survey