Customer service and social media data are both turbulent sectors that have a lot going on in 2017, and the SaaS industry is growing rapidly. Media platforms are always on the move and organizations are constantly looking for the right deployment of media monitoring and webcare. OBI4wan is growing fast and we continue to strive for the best solution for reputation management, webcare, chat bots and media insights!
1. Merger with Buzzcapture leads to market leadership.
2. It’s raining prizes: OBI4wan praised for innovative solutions and strong growth.
3. New innovations make OBI4wan a strategic partner.
2017 was an important year for OBI4wan in our relatively short existence. Earlier in 2017, we acquired software company Buzzcapture. Where Buzzcapture has its focus on reputation management and (social) media monitoring, OBI4wan specializes in customer contact and social engagement. The combined offer makes us market leader in the Benelux, while also broadening the horizon to Germany and surrounding countries.
“OBI4wan’s unique solutions offer our customers complete insight and control over webcare and customer service, chat bots, reputation management and consultancy insights. Customers such as bol.com, Hartstichting and the Chamber of Commerce are reaping the benefits these solutions present”, says Alexander de Ruiter, CEO of OBI4wan.
The software sector has been a driving force in the Dutch economy for many years and continues to build on revenue, profit and internationalization. To make this visible, Main Capital organizes the annual Main Software 50. This year, OBI4wan entered the annual top 50 list. Our founders Alex and Alexander proudly received the award for ‘Cloud Champion’.
“When we look back on the past year, we are especially proud of what we have achieved. Our strategy and focus on growth as well as an excellent customer experience are reflected in a shower of prizes and great nominations at the end of 2017. Icing on the cake, but our focus continues “, says Alexander.
It was announced in October that OBI4wan had been nominated for the Deloitte Technology Fast50. This election of the fifty fastest growing technology companies in the Netherlands was created to recognize the exceptional growth performance of the Dutch tech industry. We took the 23rd place based on a growth rate of 415% over the past 4 years. Last month the nomination for FD Gazelle was added to the list. This is also an annual election for the fastest growing companies in the Netherlands.
The market is changing rapidly and digital customer service is more important than ever. The only way to stay ahead is to converse with your customers. How do they see the future of customer service and what do they need? That is why we are proud to help our customers improve their online reputation, offer an excellent social service process and strong support through AI applications.
A wonderful example is our collaboration with bol.com and their route to a feasible social operation. Within OBI4wan’s completely renewed social interface we worked on a smart bot, with the working title ‘OBI4 Billie’. This bot can be applied to all direct message channels and, together with a focus on conversation management, led to a productivity increase of 24%.
Another branch with a lot of potential is that of Research & Insights. This gives an extra dimension to the large amount of data that businesses have to deal with nowadays. With Insights, we respond to the need of communication managers and marketers to make the insights from social media clear and action-oriented. This is combined with other types of data for a complete overview. We work together with worldwide renowned Reputation Institute. Seven drivers provide insight into the reputation of organizations such as IKEA and Vodafone to make their reputation transparent on the basis of online, offline and social data.
“Innovation is in OBI4wans DNA “, says Marketing Manager Levi Witbaard, who experienced the growth up close. He was one of the first employees of the SaaS supplier in Zaandam (the Netherlands). “This innovation, together with a focus on a great customer experience is the basis for our growth. We hold this vision and will extend it to Germany and neighboring countries.” OBI4wan recently opened its office in Berlin, where the solution is successfully applied by organizations such as Casamundo, Geberit and Deutsche Glasfaser.