As the digitalization of business processes within the fruit and vegetable sector gains in popularity and even becomes a key element in business development and continuity, the choice of options available to the market is widening. Yet some organizations prefer to develop their own in-house solutions. The main argument put forward is the strategic and specific nature of these digital tools, which would require in-house design and implementation.
But what are the limits to this decision, and above all, what are the advantages of entrusting this strategic mission to specialized service providers?
The digitalization of B2B relations in the F&V sector is the subject of much attention and discussion - as was the case at the recent Végétable Magazine webinar
Efficiency and attractiveness
It's hardly surprising that intelligent digital solutions are making inroads at all levels of the supply chain: their advantages are considerable in the current climate, where on the one hand, product expectations are high in terms of quality, provenance, traceability... and on the other, qualified personnel are sometimes in short supply. Automating sales flows means, among others:
⌚ Save time
✅ Avoid errors
ℹ️ Centralize information
🔮 Gain transparency
📊 Monitor activities
👛 Expand your supplier or customer product portfolio
🍓 "Better" source
👣 Trace
💚 Make essential professions evolve and remain attractive to younger generations
Why use a third party?
With a varied landscape of organizations in the fruit and vegetable sector, each company having its own specific characteristics, it may seem like good sense to think about developing your own solution in-house. However, here are a few essential points to bear in mind before embarking on such a project:
Developing a digital tool is one thing, but it will undoubtedly evolve according to needs, regulations, market conditions, etc. A specialized service provider has the advantage of having human and technical resources that are always up to date with the latest technological advances (backend, frontend, etc.). These multi-disciplinary teams also encourage emulation and enhanced creativity, which are beneficial to the development of innovations and customized solutions. They are never short of ideas.
Outsourcing can significantly reduce initial development and ongoing maintenance costs: the specialized third party spreads these costs over several services, allowing you to benefit from economies of scale.
A specialized service provider has the ability to deploy solutions more rapidly than in-house development: it has dedicated teams assigned to you and ensures the project runs to its deadlines. This ensures that your company can react nimbly to ever-changing market trends, creating a competitive edge.
Processes are continuously updated, both visibly and in the background, and it is vital that this activity never disrupts the business! If an expert third party is responsible for carrying out these updates you can be assured your business will not be jeopardized in any way.
Digitalizing means dealing with online data, which is often highly sensitive in nature. Entrusting this task to a strategic partner can be a great relief as your partner’s core business revolves around these activities. The partner will be at the cutting edge in terms of security and confidentiality, and will be surrounded with an ecosystem of suppliers, associates, auditors all of whom can demonstrate "concrete" certifications.
Last but not least, you are without doubt an expert in your world of fresh produce as you live and breathe it every day. Does it make sense for you to also become an expert in the world of technology & digitalization, a world that is undoubtedly changing and developing at an astonishing rate. How can you keep an objective, global eye on the technology marketplace when you are rightly focusing on your own world? Calling in an outside expert means you acquire a business partner who worries about technology on your behalf. You are acquiring a watchdog team that monitors developments in the market, technologies and innovations. Such a service provider adds inestimable value in terms of benchmarking, consulting and the ability to propose intelligent, effective and economical solutions to your business.
In conclusion, outsourcing your digitalization project offers many advantages, not least of which is peace of mind, provided you choose the right partner: they must know and be able to understand your business, your activities and your challenges. In this complex and colorful jungle of solutions, Consentio prides itself on offering both technological expertise, with a technical team boasting a wide range of skills, and unrivaled market knowledge, with staff who have worked extensively in the fresh produce sector.
Are you curious about our solutions and would like to know how we can help your organization through digitalization for more efficiency but without a headacke? Just ask a demo!
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