As the denim supply chain acclimates to collaboration from a distance, some companies are rolling out new digital tools to stay connected with clients.
A “meaningful and continuous exchange with stakeholders” is how Rudolf Group approaches sales and conversion strategy. The lack of such an exchange and the uncertainty over the next few months, the company stated, trigger questions about how to properly serve the customer. Like retailers that rely on foot traffic, so, too, does the company’s denim innovation center in Milan, Hub 1922.
Though it can replicate the hands-on experience clients enjoy at Hub 1922, the chemical company aims to serve with the Hub-Club, a new digital product that offers an at-once look at the company’s offerings.
“Hub-Club brings Hub 1922 at our customers’ doorstep,” said Alberto De Conti, head of fashion the division at Rudolf Group.
The platform also serves a virtual showroom where “tailor-made developments” can be shared in real time. Inside the Hub-Club, clients have access to high-resolution visuals of the latest seasonal collections and an archive of previous seasons, and access to a download center where information of all Rudolf auxiliaries for garment processing can be found, including process parameters and technical data sheets.
The Hub-Club is an opportunity to drive positive change in how the company operates and interacts with customers. And De Conti foresees how the platform may be a necessary part in a long-term solution for companies that are forced to rebuild business and reevaluate budgets stressed due to the pandemic.
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“Time zones are a struggle of the past and as people get acquainted with this digital experience, they might want to cut on their travel expenses even after the COVID-19 crises is over,” he said.
It is for those same reasons that Cadica Group upgraded its existing app for customers. Though the original app has been used on the company’s sales side, the new version allows clients to discover the trim manufacturer’s collections in detail and maintain an interactive relationship with Cadica’s sales team.
“Digitalization is the real opportunity,” said Andrea Carnevali, Cadica Group CEO, adding that this “new normal” will continue to be a valid alternative even when it is safe to travel.
Without an account, customers can read the latest news from Cadica and consult a preview catalog on the app, or clients can request a login and password to access collections and independently select the samples they would like to receive. App users can also view webinars about the collections and materials, and video conference with Cadica sales representatives.