The Denim Industry’s Digital Makeover: Where to begin?

Sourcing denim should be as easy as buying a pair of jeans, that is with a click of a button. For most of us, this still seems like a distant future, but are we actually getting there?

Change within the denim industry is needed not only because of the pandemic, or because of advancements and availability of new technological tools such as 3-D design, Machine Learning, and the Internet of Things.

Digital transformation is needed to enable a paradigm shift within organisations with the aim of bringing them closer to their end customers. In the case of the denim industry it would be consumers.

But where does one start?

Digital Transformation in Denim - Setting New Standards of Service

As challenging as it is to sell in today’s world, it is becoming far more difficult to buy. With new technologies, product standards and service offerings emerging, customers will find it incredibly difficult to validate their purchase decisions.

The buying process in the B2B world isn’t linear and requires simultaneous interactions that end in an exchange of information. Access to the right information at the right stage ultimately drives a better buying experience for the decision-makers on the other side of the denim supply chain.

A study done by Gartner found that customers who received information that enabled them to make more deliberate buying decisions were almost 3 times more likely to champion a high-value offering.

Hybridise Your Business Model - Rethinking The Customer Journey

Covid-19 caused organisations to skew from the traditional “face-to-face only” sales approach and adopt a hybrid model of digital and self-serving interactions when engaging with their customers, similar to e-commerce. Even as in-person interactions reemerge, many buyers prefer to switch between offline and online engagements depending on practicality and timing.

Research on the subject indicates that more than 85% of B2B professionals in South Korea, China, Spain, Italy, Brazil and the U.S. believe that an omnichannel approach was a more effective way to prospect and secure new opportunities.

With omnichannel experiences gaining traction, addressing pain points will require organisations to rethink their structure, practices and skills to boost productivity.

The first step in achieving the competency to drive value in a more connected (digital) world is to put your customers at the centre of all your decisions. Then add depth and scale to key resource areas such as communication, creative production, digital and virtual design specialists and analysts. This may require you to spend more time evaluating whether you need the support of an external partner with the right experience and agility to build those capabilities according to your organisation's digital maturity.

To thrive in technology-enabled markets, denim mills need to redefine their priorities to include investing in increasing cross-functionality, building business intelligence and optimising the entire customer journey from start to end, one segment at a time.

About INQOVA Technologies Ltd.

INQOVA is a digital solution partner that specialises in denim manufacturing and supply chain.

We help our partners grow sustainably by leveraging the right technological tools to optimize processes and enhance marketplace differentiation. With INQOVA’s 6-steps to Digital Success, we identify strategic opportunities, create authentic experiences, and fuel innovative ideas.