There is no denying it: the ubiquity of digital technology now affects every sector of activity. New technologies are flooding the market and having an impact on all lines of business. Yet, despite significant progress in recent years, our Walloon SMEs are struggling to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the digital economy. Why are Walloon SMEs so reluctant to ride the wave of digital transformation? The Digital Agency has examined this issue in its 2018 Digital Maturity Barometer.
A lack of awareness
In your view, which company would stand in the way of its own growth? None, you might say. Think again – the answer is: 65 per cent. Yes, 65 per cent of Walloon companies say they do not want to increase their visibility by launching an online sales platform. This amounts to putting the brakes on the very growth of their own businesses. Surprising, isn’t it?
This tendency to underestimate the importance of digital technology stems from a clear lack of digital awareness amongst Walloon business leaders. Some mistakenly believe that their products are not compatible with e-commerce. Others are reluctant to make new investments to recruit staff or train their employees in digital skills. Still others overlook the undeniable benefits of ‘drive-to-store’ initiatives designed to attract a specific target audience to your physical shop. Think about it: as a customer, how often have you checked the availability of an item before heading to the shop?
In a competitive and digitalised economy like ours, it is essential to have a strong and effective online presence to attract the right audience.
A lack of training
A lack of awareness naturally leads to a lack of investment in digital training. Although digital transformation is on everyone’s lips and affects us all, it remains a relatively vague concept. Business leaders are not sufficiently trained – nor do they provide their teams with enough training – on the challenges and opportunities associated with an online presence.
In fact, barely 10 per cent of Walloon businesses have trained any of their employees in a digital-related subject. The lack of e-business skills is a real obstacle to the undoubted benefits that digital tools offer our local businesses. It is therefore essential to invest in technological infrastructure and to place digital at the heart of business strategies.
A lack of adaptability
Online shopping is attracting more and more Belgian consumers. The last decade has been marked by a profound shift in shopping behaviour. It is worth noting, however, that nearly half of Belgian online shoppers look abroad to order products or services online.
But why this preference for ‘cross-border’ shopping? It seems that Belgians do not always find what they are looking for at home. Belgian e-retailers face numerous challenges in competing with foreign retailers and meeting the needs of an increasingly connected audience.
And with good reason… Barely 41 per cent of Walloon businesses have a website. Of these 41 per cent, 58 per cent are used solely to provide information to customers and therefore do not reap the benefits of e-commerce. Digital culture is now firmly embedded in consumer habits. That is why it is time to bridge the gap between what consumers want and what retailers offer. And this requires a process of raising awareness, training and adaptation.
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