How Digital Transformation Accelerated Expansion in the International Ceramic Tile Market

The dynamic growth in sales and expansion into foreign markets presented operational challenges to Cerrad, especially in the IT area.

There was a need to optimize tools supporting sales and customer service in digital channels of the B2B commerce platform and integration with existing systems. Limited scalability posed a barrier to rapid development, particularly in markets where demanding customers expected an excellent experience and high-quality services.

The rapid increase in sales in Poland, Central and Eastern European countries, other EU states, and the USA led to a critical point - the existing IT infrastructure was no longer able to meet the growing operational demands. Furthermore, the visions of expanding into new markets were jeopardized by the current system limitations and customer dissatisfaction resulting from a lack of adaptation to their expectations.

Cerrad also identified that customer experiences are a key element in building a competitive advantage. The existing B2B e-commerce platform did not meet customer expectations in the face of the new market situation, and the accompanying service capabilities significantly impeded the company's development.

One of the most severe and vexing problems turned out to be lack of data consistency between existing systems, leading to the unavailability of current sales information - so crucial for customers wanting to plan and fulfill orders.

The key to the success of the project was in-depth research conducted before its initiation. The analysis confirmed the pivotal role of an intuitive and efficient B2B customer order system as a competitive differentiator. This involved not only understanding the customer's needs but also precisely defining the functionalities that would place the customer at the center of the process, without neglecting the business objectives of the initiative. During the implementation of changes, the primary goal was to implement key functionalities that would have a direct impact on business success. Initially, Cerrad planned to simultaneously introduce a new ERP system and change systems in the Customer Experience area. However, the decision to split the program into two streams proved to be appropriate, focusing on the customer area as a priority.

Cerrad, aiming to expedite the implementation of their new B2B e-commerce platform, chose SAP Commerce Cloud technology - one of the most advanced and scalable solutions in the e-commerce market. A key factor that enabled a swift implementation was the Prosperer accelerator provided by Hycom.

The implementation of the new B2B Commerce system at Cerrad is not just a technical matter but also an adaptive process. At Hycom, we placed great importance on ensuring that the system was intuitive and met the expectations of both Cerrad's customers and their employees.

A crucial stage in this process was conducting a two-day training session for Cerrad team. We trained them in system operation, focusing on how they could effectively support their customers in its use. But our efforts went beyond internal training.

Before the official launch of the e-commerce solution, we provided access to a closed group of Cerrad customers from various countries. Their task was not only to test the system in practice but also to provide us with valuable feedback after going through the entire purchasing process. After a week of such testing, we collected all the survey results and feedback. Based on the gathered data, we derived the most significant insights, which we then presented to the customers during the launch phase. The final improvements made on the system's launch day and in the following month were a response to these specific needs and suggestions.

Through a comprehensive digital transformation, Cerrad has strengthened its position in the rapidly evolving ceramic tile market. The new B2B commerce platform ensures higher service quality, data consistency, and differentiation from competitors.

The success of this transformation was built on a combination of modern technological solutions with a deep understanding of customer needs and their active involvement in the design process. On the launch day, Cerrad decided to make the platform available to both the Polish and foreign markets, such as Slovakia, Ukraine, Germany, and France, preparing it for rapid deployment in additional markets.

The key to success was flexibility in adapting to customer needs and effective collaboration with a technological partner. Now the company is ready to expand into the international ceramic tile market. The entire described process was completed and launched in just six months, underscoring the high business value generated by this project for the client.