General details
EDIHs involved
Customer
Customer size: Micro (1-9)
Customer turnover: 1 491 310 € (2023)
Challenges
Founded in 2009, UAB "Start in" operates under the patented trademark "Starttravel" and has built a strong reputation for its expertise in organising trips, conferences, training sessions, and various other activities for institutions, companies, and organisations both in Lithuania and abroad. Additionally, the company offers a wide range of tourism services, including ticket sales for flights, trains, buses, and ferries; holiday trip planning; accommodation bookings; transfer services; travel insurance; car rentals; airport parking reservations; visa documentation preparation; and specialised trips to exhibitions, among other services.
As part of its commitment to innovation and sustainability, UAB "Start in" faced a critical challenge: automating its business processes and service sales to optimise both time and financial resources. This initiative brought to light several specific areas in need of transformation, such as:
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Enhancing service accessibility for its target customer groups
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Enabling quick and seamless ordering experiences
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Streamlining sales management processes
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Implementing automated invoicing systems
To address these challenges, UAB "Start in" collaborated with consultants from the EDIH4IAE.LT consortium. Together, they set out to identify and implement tailored digital solutions that aligned with the company’s goals. This involved a meticulous evaluation of digital tools to determine the most suitable options for each aspect of the business.
Solutions
The EDIH4IAE.LT consultants leveraged their extensive expertise to ensure a seamless implementation of digital solutions for UAB "Start in". This process was further supported by learning materials, guidelines, and recommendations provided by the DTA team. The consultants prioritised cost-effective optimisation, recommending the most suitable digital solution for the company: an advanced e-commerce platform integrated with business and event travel management services, specifically tailored for inbound tourism.
The proposed solution involved deploying a customised version of Raccoon E-Commerce & BI software, designed to facilitate a comprehensive event travel booking experience. This platform enables users to plan a complete trip around events hosted in Lithuania—such as concerts, festivals, and exhibitions—by selecting additional services like hotel accommodations, car rentals, excursions, event tickets, and local transfers, all in one convenient system.
The e-commerce platform was selected for its user-friendly interface, allowing customers to order and use services quickly and effortlessly. Given that the software is licensed by a third-party provider, the EDIH4IAE.LT consultants also played a crucial role in establishing communication with the software suppliers. They assisted UAB "Start in" in negotiating licensing terms and coordinating deployment procedures, ensuring a smooth transition to the new digital system.
This collaborative effort demonstrated the value of tailored digital solutions, enabling UAB "Start in" to enhance its service offerings while minimising operational costs and improving customer experience.
Results and Benefits
At the outset of this digital transformation journey, consultants from the EDIH4IAE.LT consortium conducted a comprehensive digital maturity assessment to evaluate the company’s needs, the potential benefits of the solution, and its overall feasibility. In close collaboration with UAB "Start in," they developed a detailed action plan for implementing the proposed digital solution. This joint effort culminated in the decision to integrate and adapt a tailored version of Raccoon E-Commerce & BI software, a strategic choice aimed at boosting revenue, expediting process execution, and reducing operational costs.
The implementation of this software introduced a significant upgrade to UAB "Start in’s" service delivery. The proposed solution enabled the company to present a catalogue of available services directly on its website, offering customers a streamlined, end-to-end booking experience. For business travel services, the platform provides: Selection of the most convenient itineraries, accommodation and transfer options, organisation of meetings and business events, car rentals, travel documentation management, etc.
Customers interact with an intuitive interactive wizard on the website to identify their specific needs, explore tailored options, and receive personalised service offers. This seamless process allows users to order services, complete payments online, and access all relevant documents within their personalised dashboard.
From the initial formulation of the digital challenge to the final deployment of the solution, the EDIH4IAE.LT consultants offered unwavering support. Their involvement extended beyond technical expertise to include the sharing of their extensive knowledge, networks, and best practices. Additionally, to reduce the investment risks associated with integrating this new solution, the consultants identified and recommended alternative financing options.
This collaborative approach ensured a smooth transition, empowering UAB "Start in" to deliver more efficient, accessible, and customer-centric services, while strengthening its operational sustainability.
Perceived social/economic impact
The digital transformation initiative significantly empowered UAB "Start in" to operate with greater efficiency and effectiveness. By leveraging the opportunities provided by the EDIH Network and its extensive ecosystem, the company was able to establish valuable partnerships, ensuring access to the best-fit solutions for its needs.
The implementation of Raccoon E-Commerce & BI software played a crucial role in this transformation. By automating routine daily tasks, the software not only reduced manual workload but also boosted overall productivity. Additionally, it enabled a detailed analysis of the sales cycle, leading to strategic adjustments that resulted in an impressive 18% increase in sales. These insights allowed the company to align its processes more closely with its objectives and long-term strategy.
The digital solution also transformed customer management, simplifying the handling of both existing and potential customers. This improved efficiency in managing customer relationships, fostering stronger engagement and supporting sustainable growth.
Measurable data
The technology implemented by UAB "Start in" brought significant advantages through the optimisation and digitisation of travel services. It enabled seamless integration of the service catalogue, streamlining the management of not only services and orders but also critical aspects such as sales, including invoice processing and sales forecasting. Additionally, it significantly enhanced the company’s marketing capabilities by automating tasks like sending mass emails and reminders, managing automated messages, conducting surveys, and analysing their results. The solution enabled a detailed analysis of the sales cycle, leading to strategic adjustments that resulted in an impressive 18% increase in sales.
DMA score and results - Stage 0
In the beginning of working with the company a digital maturity assessment was performed, being the overall score of 7%. The results of each of the areas of the Digital Maturity Assessment at T0 are:
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Green Digitalisation: 10%
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Data Governance: 0%
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Automation & AI: 0%
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Digital Business Strategy: 23%
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Digital Readiness: 9%
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Human-Centric Digitalisation: 0%
DMA score and results – Stage 1
In the beginning of working with the company a digital maturity assessment was performed, being the overall score of 40%. The results of each of the areas of the Digital Maturity Assessment at T1 are:
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Green Digitalisation: 30%
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Data Governance: 61%
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Automation & AI: 20%
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Digital Business Strategy: 53%
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Digital Readiness: 31%
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Human-Centric Digitalisation: 46%
Lessons learned
The knowledge and expertise of the consultants from the EDIH4IAE.LT consortium played a pivotal role in the successful implementation of UAB "Start in’s" digital challenge. Their guidance facilitated significant resource savings, timely and informed decision-making, and the reduction of investment risks. Additionally, their external perspective helped broaden the company’s understanding of the challenge, addressing aspects that might have been overlooked if the company had relied solely on internal insights.
A key takeaway from this collaboration was the importance of engaging a diverse range of consortium members and external partners. This inclusive approach not only enriched the quality of services provided to clients but also ensured a more holistic understanding of the challenges, resulting in tailored and effective solutions.
In identifying the optimal digital solution, three primary criteria guided the decision-making process:
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Usability
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Focus on an attractive, distraction-free design for the UAB "Start in" website.
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Creation of an intuitive user interface to enhance user satisfaction and engagement.
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Efficiency
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Availability of critical functions and reports at the click of a button, ensuring speed and ease of access.
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Flexibility
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Expandable functionality to accommodate future growth and evolving needs.
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Seamless integration with other systems to ensure interoperability and scalability.
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These criteria ensured that the selected digital solution not only addressed current business challenges but also provided a strong foundation for future innovation and development. The experience underscored the value of a collaborative, multi-faceted approach to problem-solving, driving impactful and sustainable transformation for UAB "Start in."
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