Team Digital on a mission to make IPCOM future proof

The main goal is to create a digital ecosystem in which all information is centrally stored: all group company ERP systems will be linked to a central database called iHUB (integration HUB), which is connected to the PIM (Product Information Management) database. As a result of this connection, data can flow automatically from suppliers to your ERP-system, your website/e-commerce and therefore to your customers.

Close collaboration with marketing
Digital transformation and effective marketing go hand in hand. Thanks to the tight collaboration between the digital and marketing teams, marketing automation and other sales tools can be integrated in this ecosystem. All interactions between your prospects and customers and your company will be monitored. This will provide us with more insights on customers’ behaviour and needs and will clearly indicate important commercial opportunities. As follows, we will be able to set up very effective campaigns to enhance cross-selling and improve our services and all sales teams will be provided with valuable information and knowledge to boost their results.

Jacosol: pilot project
As a pilot, the new Jacosol website has been created including an e-commerce. To be able to do this, all Jacosol products had to be mapped with a unique supplier code and other supplier information was gathered. Finally everything was validated in the PIM/iHUB and aligned with the ERP system. At the moment, the last tests and fine-tuning are being done and some key customers will be invited to set up an account and verify if everything runs well. Full release is planned in October.

The digital team will organize a few information sessions to present how they have set up the Jacosol pilot webshop. How does Jacosol manage which products are shown in the webshop and which are not? How can customers create an account and use the webshop? 

Interested in following one of these sessions? Let us know and we keep you posted.

Where do we stand today?
After the IPCOMVENTION, the team decided to begin data mapping at various companies and/or start integrating the ERP-system into the iHUB. At TIDL, Profisol, Waeyaert, Isowill and Kiesewetter data mapping has been initiated. Isopartner and IDT Austria are already in a more advanced mapping stage. Additionally, Isowill and Waeyaert have moved forward very well with the ERP integration and finally at TIDL, Regisol, IDT Austria, Kiesewetter and IDT Hungary this ERP integration has been initiated as well. 

Another digital project that has been successfully launched recently is a standalone webshop in collaboration with Horeca Vlaanderen (the Flemish sector organization for hotels, restaurants and bars). On its website https://energievriendelijkehoreca.be Horeca Vlaanderen encourages the sector to operate in a more energy-efficient manner. They suggest a few low effort actions for restaurants or catering companies to save energy. For example by replacing incandescent or halogen bulbs with LED lighting, installing light sensors instead of manual switches, and of course insulating pipes and radiators. 

The IPCOM digital team supported the creation of an online webshop where small businesses can buy a selection of insulation products and pay online immediately. Isolteam is exclusive partner for the insulation part of this project. We wish them good luck with it!

Are you also interested in this kind of standalone platform with an online payment module? 
Don't hesitate to contact us so we can look at how this system can easily be duplicated for you.

In Hungary, a new legislation is in place since July 1st 2018, which requires all Hungarian companies to send their invoices with a VAT above €300 directly to the government within 24 hours. To automate this process, the digital team has linked the invoicing part of IDT Hungary’s ERP system with the IPCOM central database called iHUB. From now on all invoices which meet with the right specifications are automatically sent to the Hungarian government: a very time efficient solution at a low cost.

This is a great example of how a digitally transformed ecosystem can save time and effort on the long term!