In terms of digital transformation, the current context is defined by the orientation towards development, adaptation to socio-economic changes and the aspiration of entrepreneurs to keep up with the natural progress of technologies. Thus, we are talking about an effervescent environment in which software solutions have become a necessity for businesses in all industries.
However, in 2018 the context regarding digitalization was utterly different.
As a result, when Bogdan Neagu, the owner of Seatbelt (a company in the labor protection industry), decided to invest in digitalization, there was no significant pressure in this direction on the market – which pleasantly surprised us.
Despite advancements in digital transformation in various industries such as telecommunications, media and advertising, banking services, and e-commerce, Romania has yet to fully embrace this change in businesses. Most investments in digitalization were still in their early stages.
However, digitalization was certainly not a priority in industries such as labor protection. This industry has often been criticized for its cumbersome bureaucracy and overwhelming procedures.
“Adapting to the new way of working – digitized – was not necessarily simple. The change also created resistance for us, and we expected this because it meant taking the employees out of their comfort and familiarity zone. However, the benefits of digitization appeared quickly at all levels so that, approximately one and a half years after implementation, no one was skeptical anymore, and digitalization became normality.”
Owner Seatbelt
The implications of a technical niche market company undergoing digitalization
Seatbelt provides consultancy services and regular safety inspections, featuring top-rated brands in its portfolio. The company’s name is no coincidence as it serves as a protective belt for professionals during their work activities.
Thus, among the services offered by Seatbelt, we mention:
- OSH & emergency situations,
- SSM-SU training,
- Risk assessment,
- On-demand safety inspections,
- RSVTI services,
- SSM-SU files preparation and documentation,
- e-learning & training online.
Seatbelt’s slogan, “We are what we protect”, demonstrates its commitment to the company’s activity. As we began working together, we found that we share several essential values, including respecting our customers, taking responsibility for providing high-quality services, paying attention to details, and meeting deadlines.
As we said before, unlike other companies, Seatbelt quickly identified its business needs and thought of a process automation and digitalization strategy through intelligent software solutions.
And our team had the challenge of transforming the Seatbelt business approach into a flexible technical solution, considering the specifics of the business, market demands and dynamic customer needs.
From a technical point of view, the collaboration with our team of developers resulted in:
- a CRM-type solution with web and Mobile version
- an e-learning platform.
Our CRM solution helped Seatbelt surpass old structures and problems
Seatbelt sought our help when they were struggling to manage their customer information. With a large volume of data to handle, they faced issues such as loss of important information and lack of security, which influenced their day-to-day operations.
Employees used tools like Excel to keep accurate data records, but communication between offices and departments took a lot of work.
Before working with us, Seatbelt tried developing solutions with other companies, but none fully solved the problem.
Thus, our developers conducted a comprehensive business analysis and created a customized solution to address the client’s specific requirements. This solution facilitated communication between the office and field agents responsible for managing substantial data.
The CRM solution offers a range of user-friendly features that enable users to check in at a location, conduct an audit, monitor the status of premises, report issues, and check the condition of RSVTI equipment (such as lifts, cranes and forklifts).ts and more).
Also, Seatbelt consultants are notified via push notifications when their equipment is about to expire, they are assigned new work tasks from their manager, or when they need to set reminders for future visits.
Once the user finishes their task at the location, they can check out. This step allows them to ensure they have followed all the procedures correctly.
“The first solution developed for Seatbelt was a web and mobile CRM. The fact that we had experience developing complete CRM solutions and already came with valuable know-how from similar projects and industries helped us a lot.
We quickly understood what was wanted to be developed and the solution’s complexity. In addition, we realized that we must constantly remain open to changes and be flexible because the specificity of the field and the business required a learning process regarding what goes digitized in the company and what doesn’t.”
Project Manager @Roweb
“Throughout the collaboration, they were very flexible, considering the fact that Seatbelt’s needs are constantly changing and many times we had to put some projects on hold in order to realize others. They understood very well the Seatbelt way of doing things and have adapted so that they are permanently open to course changes.
Considering the fact that I am a demanding, demanding customer, I could say, they did a great job and were always with us, even with new ideas for creating platforms that met Seatbelt’s needs.”
General Manager at Seatbelt Consulting
Through the CRM solution, Seatbelt was able to ditch outdated procedures, communicate more efficiently and create a stable link between field agents and offices across the country.
In addition to improving the communication process, organizing procedures, reminders and setting deadlines, the custom solution developed by Roweb for Seatbelt also means:
- The possibility of mapping customer locations – which led to creating a complex database with information about the working points of Seatbelt collaborators so that they could be adequately verified.
- All-in-one task management tool – both Seatbelt employees and their customers can create and manage different tasks within the same platform.
- Accounting mode – the CRM can monitor all activities carried out by consultants and users.
- Accident mode – a feature that allows keeping a record of all accidents during working hours.
- Reporting system – easy to access and understand to track work progress.
“I took over the projects with Roweb in 2019, when they were already underway. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the guys are working on the project with enthusiasm and it was very easy for them to introduce me to the project as a partner, to show me everything they have done and are going to do, to explain to me what they need from me to complete the work.”
General Manager at Seatbelt Consulting
Seatbelt e-learning platform, developed in the context of the pandemic
Considering the suite of complex services that Seatbelt offers, the company decided to create a dedicated e-learning platform, built on top of the existing CRM technology.
Seatbelt wanted to create an unlimited information hub that can be used by remote users.
The platform allows management of everything related to e-learning and It is based on a set of technical standards for e-learning software products: SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model).
The Seatbelt e-learning platform is an ongoing project that we continuously optimize, customize, and extend to meet the dynamic needs of our clients. Thus, we take into account optimizing roles and permissions to cover all e-learning and management requirements.
The impact of Roweb’s solutions for Seatbelt:
From a broad perspective down to specific details, Roweb software solutions include:
- reducing employee costs by 15%, thanks to automation functions
- 4x increase in efficiency in carrying out certain activities
- 0% errors from out-of-sync data
“We started investing in digital transformation long before the pandemic by developing a CRM solution. The fact that we had already experienced digitalization, had time to adjust and fully felt its benefits helped us be much more prepared during the lockdown and remote work.
The e-learning solution’s development came on an already beaten ground, and things happened faster and easier. Both employees and clients were familiar with an Agile work system based on digital solutions. Adaptation was thus quick, generating business stability and strengthening our position as a leader in the market.”
Owner Seatbelt
We closely monitor the progress of all the projects we develop for our clients. In the case of Seatbelt, we can even provide a timeline of the impact that projects created with Roweb have had on their departments. Here are some examples:
The immediate post-implementation effect: The first results were perceived at the top management level. We worked closely with Seatbelt management to understand their vision and align our development process with their values and expectations. Then, we can talk about a quality increase in services and the efficiency of operations;
During the first six months of implementation: Seatbelt employees realize that their work has been considerably simplified by reducing repetitive and time-consuming processes. Thus, they have faster access to the necessary information and more precise work tasks and objectives they must pursue.
The regional managers also noticed the usefulness of digital solutions, being able to manage teams more efficiently, monitor their progress and take care of making reports.
The next phase of progress monitoring is 18 months after implementing the main functionalities. It consists of allocating a manager on the digitalization side, the entire company activity, thus aligning with an Agile approach.
“We were able to speed up the digital transformation process and create a solution that meets internal and external needs thanks to a highly adaptable development team that understood our business. The Roweb team quickly adapted to our requirements and offered us technical solutions for the newly emerging needs.”
Owner Seatbelt
Do you need a software development solution for your business?
