In our recent 30-minute webinar, we featured Lukas Baranauskis, the driving force behind BE Group's online sales and marketing. He provided a concise overview of the transformation undertaken to implement an e-commerce solution for selling traditional steel products online. BE Group stands as one of the leading trading and service companies in steel, stainless steel, and aluminum within Sweden, Finland, the Baltics and Poland.
The start of the Transformation
Lukas shared the narrative of their e-commerce journey during the webinar. The decision to embark on this change stemmed from the outdated state of their existing webshop, prompting an upgrade with the new webshop launching in 2021. Recognizing customers' demand for new solutions, BE Group aimed to proactively embrace digitalization trends, acknowledging the necessity for heightened efficiency amid growing competitor pressure.
In 2019, BE Group initiated a pre-study to identify requirements, establish a clear vision, and define measurable goals for their investment. Opting for Litium as their platform and partnering with Exsitec (formerly Spoton), they took crucial steps to enhance internal competence in e-commerce. This included hiring Lukas as a full-time resource to play a key role in driving the transformative change.
Key strategies for a successful transition
In ensuring a smooth transition, Lukas emphasized key strategies that were important to the success of the shift. One crucial aspect involved consistently communicating the advantages of the change internally. Recognizing the challenge of changing established routines, Lukas stressed the significance of repeated explanations regarding the reasons behind the change. For example successfully conveying to the sales team that digital tools were beneficial demanded continuous efforts.
Continuous education was emphasized as a crucial ongoing process to help all departments adapt to new features and learning experiences.
Fast forward three years, and the ecommerce solution is now well-established. BE Group has seen a growing customer base, smoother purchasing processes, and expanded market presence, leading to improved customer relationships. Notably, e-commerce has significantly boosted sales, claiming a larger share of the total sales.
Lukas shared valuable insights on how they navigated their transformative journey. For example, researching internal company needs, assessing e-commerce market maturity, setting clear goals, establishing a budget, and seeking assistance from experienced companies.
Results of the change
Lukas provided insights into the outcomes of the implementation. E-commerce sales saw a substantial 115% increase, with the number of orders surging by 143%, and a remarkable 753% boost in log-in accounts. Lukas confirmed the attraction of numerous new customers, many of whom shifted from other channels. Positive customer feedback and word-of-mouth marketing played key roles in bringing new customers to the webshop.
He also discussed the timeline for observing results after implementing the e-commerce changes. Lukas advised considering your specific situation and the novelty of the solution. Positive outcomes became evident around six months after implementation, but launching a new solution might take up to a year, depending on the market. It's essential to allocate sufficient time for explanation, education, and SEO efforts.
In summary Lukas explained that they are very happy with the results and what they have accomplished so far. The plan forward is to continue to develop, improve and grow. The hardest thing is to prioritize when there are so many things you want to do.
If you want to understand more, listen to the recorded webinar that you find here.
If you want to read more about BE Group and the reason for choosing Litium as their platform, you can read more here: https://www.litium.com/case/begroup