The challenge of international growth
Introduction.
Managing an international sales network can be a challenging task, especially when both internal and external employees are involved. In this blog post, we discuss how a Flemish manufacturing company with international distributors tackled this problem by using SharePoint and metadata.
In practice
Situation Overview
The challenge
The company was dealing with different pricing and product agreements for each international distributor. It was challenging to maintain an overview and share information efficiently. So they looked for a solution that was both efficient and scalable.
The solution
The first step was to automatically translate data from their existing system into a metadata structure in SharePoint. This structure made it possible to accurately search information from different dimensions.
3 digital ingredients
The recipe for success.
1. Access Management
Another important aspect was determining who had access to what information. For internal employees, there was direct access to the SharePoint environment. External employees were given access to a Web portal linked to the SharePoint environment.
2. Automation and rights
The system was configured so that metadata determined which distributor had access to which information. This ensured that the appropriate permissions were automatically assigned in the remote portal. Once the configuration was complete, everything else ran automatically.
3. Internal workflow
For the internal staff, the task focused on preparing the information for the external distributors. This information went through an approval process and, once approved, was made available to the externals through the web portal.
Conclusion
The use of SharePoint combined with a well-thought-out metadata structure has helped the Flemish manufacturing company efficiently manage their international sales network. The system is not only efficient but also scalable, making the company ready for future growth.
This approach allows companies to streamline their information management, get the right information to the right people and ultimately scale their international sales network effectively.
Expert Video Series
Rather watch than read?
You could already read above how such an international sales network scales several important steps. Would you rather hear this story from the mouth of our Founder & CEO Tim Govaert? Then check out the video below!
Tim Govaert
Founder & CEO
Tim, a hotelier by training with a passion for IT, has been an entrepreneur for more than 20 years. His personal mission?To develop technology for the well-being of people.
In 2017, this mission took shape. The creation of ProcessDelight, and later the Digital Comfort Factory, allowed him to fully focus on empowering people through digital comfort to become the indispensable success factor in the business world. The combination of years of expertise in digital transformation and his mindset as an entrepreneur makes Tim the ideal interlocutor for any organization looking to ensure its future in a rapidly changing landscape.
