The first half of 2024 is already behind us and we ourselves cannot believe how quickly it has gone by! This time has been very intense for us and has been full of new projects, webinars, conferences, but also awards and recognitions. In this article, we would like to share with you our most important achievements and events that took place in the last 6 months at Strix.
January
We started 2024 with (even a few) successes! Let's start with the fact that we won first place in the competition of the Chamber of Electronic Economy Digital Quality Mark, in the Agencies category. Digital Quality Mark is the first competition in Poland verifying the quality and effectiveness of services and tools offered on the e-commerce market. The aim of this event is therefore to identify business partners whose services and technologies used have a significant impact on the development of e-shops and their business results. All this is done to make it easier for companies to work with the best experts in the e-commerce industry.
The winners were selected during the competition's final ceremony in Warsaw. In the Agency category, Strix took first place, closely followed by companies such as Sempai and Media4U. Among the AI tools, the winners were Algolytics Technologies, Sovva and Apifonica. And in the SaaS e-Commerce category, eparagony.pl, Voucherify and merce.com were selected. We are proud and happy that our efforts to create a unique e-commerce service offering and our passion for innovation and technology have been recognised by a distinguished group of experts.
Puls Biznesu also awarded us a unique distinction, namely the title of Business Gazelle! It signifies that we are among the prestigious group of the most dynamic Polish companies in 2023. It is awarded to companies based on financial performance, transparency and the pace of development. In the last edition of the ranking, the title of Gazelle could be awarded to an organisation that has been operating since at least 2020 and in the last 3 years has recorded a clear increase in revenue, is continuously developing and is transparent, so we are all the more proud to be included in such an elite list.
However, this is not the end! In January, we were also awarded the prestigious Forbes Diamonds ranking. It is created annually by the editors of the Forbes Poland magazine and aims to award the most dynamically developing companies in Poland. The main criteria of the competition are financial results and the rate of growth of the company's value, so this award is an excellent confirmation of the rate of our development.
Meanwhile, we received a special Shopware Partner World statuette from our technology partner, Shopware, in recognition of our commitment to building the Shopware community and to thank us for our loyalty and excellent synergy in the implementation of e-commerce projects. We are delighted that our dispatches put in to popularise the Shopware platform in Poland have been recognised and we look forward with excitement to our next joint initiatives!
We also organised the first webinar of the Commerce Space series this year. In view of the growing popularity of online sales platforms and changing customer preferences, we talked about how the role of the merchant is evolving in the B2B industry and how this affects sales strategies. The webinar was hosted by the indispensable Łukasz Woznica, Head of Business Development at Strix. Among the issues discussed were:
- The sales person in B2B - what did this role look like before, and what is it like now?
- The online platform and maintaining close relationships with customers - can these be reconciled?
- Personalisation of the commercial offer in the online environment.
- Tools and technologies to support the trader.
- Opportunities and challenges in the digital transformation of B2B.
February
In February, we organised another B2B Lunch, this time at the Regional Chamber of Commerce in Katowice. This is a series of meetings where we meet in an intimate setting with B2B entrepreneurs to discuss key challenges, as well as tips for digital transformation. During the meeting, we talked about key trends and innovations in B2B ecommerce and shared knowledge about the latest technologies, ways to optimise purchasing processes, as well as effective online business relationship building. The event was also a great opportunity to network and exchange experiences with industry experts. Speakers included Maciej Michalski, Head of Desk at Ebury, Jakub Norman, Commercial Director at Faktoria Sp. z o.o., Łukasz Woźnica, Head of Business Development at Strix and Kamil Niedziewicz, Partnership Development Manager at Ergonode PIM.
Łukasz Woźnica, Head of Business Development at Strix also led a webinar in the series Commerce Space, during which he discussed the most important issues related to the selection of an e-commerce system and analysed the key features and integrations of the platform that are essential for running an effective online business. Among the topics covered were:
- The specific challenges of B2B companies
- An overview of popular B2B e-commerce models
- Analysis of features, available integrations and scalability
- Costs of implementing and maintaining an e-commerce platform
- Predicting return on investment (ROI)
March
On the occasion of the Mobile Trends conference and the Mobile Trends Awards 2023, for which we were nominated in the Commerce category, we organised a networking event at Forum Przestrzenie in Kraków. In anticipation of the announcement of the award winners, we wanted to meet in an intimate atmosphere to talk, exchange experiences and spend time in an industrial space by the Vistula River.
At the time, we did not yet know that we would win the main award of the plebiscite for the mobile application project that we created together with EO Networks S.A. for Nesperta Europe, owner of the Semilac brand. This is the mobile industry's most prestigious award, granted to companies whose projects are characterised by creative design, innovation and customisation, so the award makes us even more pleased that our team's work has been recognised.
In March, a high-profile topic in the industry and beyond was the National Recovery Plan and the European Funds for Digital Development, under which Poland is to receive €60 billion. An important part of this plan is digital transformation, including investment in e-services, so we decided to discuss this topic in more detail during our Commerce Space webinar. Łukasz Woźnica was the presenter and our interviewee was Joanna Kłapyta, R&D Research Manager, private investment fund manager and mentor. Together, they hinted at which entrepreneurs and businesses can apply for EU support, and covered topics such as:
- An introduction to the European Funds for Digital Development and the National Recovery Plan
- Investing funds effectively in digital transformation
- EU funding opportunities for e-commerce development
- What projects can be submitted as part of digital transformation
- Application stages and documentation required by EU support programmes
In March, we were also a Partner of the conference "Quo Vadis, Europe?", organised by the Foundation for Economy and Public Administration. The event was a great opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the European community to date and to develop a vision of a strong Europe founded on cooperation, social participation and sustainable development. Participants discussed what challenges Europe is facing, how Poland can use its potentials to become an active participant in the development of Europe, and how socio-economic initiatives can contribute to the growth of local businesses. We are happy to support such initiatives and to be part of such important discussions.
April
In April, we took part in the 15th edition of the Poland & CEE Retail Summit 2024, one of the most important events in the retail industry. You could meet us not only at a joint stand with Mirakl, but also on stage! As part of one of the panels, we had the opportunity to talk about maximising e-retail potential through the marketplace. The discussion was chaired by Jakub Krolikowski Enterprise Lead CEE from Mirakl, and the panellists included
Borys Skraba, CEO of Strix, Stanisław Karpiński, CIO at BBK, Przemysław Orzechowski, Marketplace Director at Castorama Polska and Joanna Kuśmierczyk, Head of Marketplace at Decathlon Polska. It was a great opportunity to meet live and discuss the role of marketplace platforms on the e-commerce market and the benefits of their implementation.
This was not the only stationary event we attended in April, as we also took part in the first edition of Meet Commerce Poland in Warsaw. This is an event that brings together experts from the commerce and technology industry to talk about the challenges of Unified Commerce and scaling business with the latest technologies and innovations. At the Strix stand, you could meet our team: Borys Skraba, CEO, Magdalena Limanówka-Kuciel, CTO, Łukasz Woźnica, Head of Business Development and Katarzyna Gądek, Marketing Manager.
With the changing e-commerce and IT market, the effective use of technology is becoming a key element of business success. Therefore, in April, we decided to dedicate our Commerce Space webinar to the topic of MarTech. Participants included Borys Skraba, CEO of Strix, Aleksander Skałka, Director of Solutions Consulting & Sales Enablement at SALESmanago and Mike Korba, CCO & Co-founder of User.com. During the webinar, they addressed topics such as:
- The state of the MarTech market in 2024 + predictions for the future (how these trends affect customers).
- Key challenges of MarTech implementations in e-commerce.
- Business requirements analysis - where to start in building a MarTech strategy.
- Integration with existing IT infrastructure (data challenges, process synchronisation).
- Practical tips for personalising communications and increasing customer engagement.
May
In May, we attended Impact'24, one of the largest conferences in this part of Europe, organised by Impact CEE. The event brings together global innovation leaders from many sectors to talk about their perspective on the future of technology. Borys Skraba, CEO of Strix, and Łukasz Woznica, Head of Business Development at Strix, were present. As usual, we were able to listen to lectures by experts from all over the world and see them live, which was an amazing experience! We are already looking forward to the next edition of this inspiring event.
This month, Strix was also a partner of E-commerce Challenge 2024, the 3rd edition of the networking forum for the e-retail sector, with the theme of maintaining e-client loyalty in the age of artificial intelligence. During the event, you could not only see us on stage, but also talk about online business development. One of the speakers at the conference was Borys Skraba, CEO of Strix, who talked about how to invest wisely in technology in your e-commerce. However, that is not all!
As part of one of the discussion panels, he led a conversation with Wojciech Tomaszewski, Vice President of the Board of morele.net. This was his first public appearance in the colours of morele, so we are even more pleased that we could talk! And there was a lot to talk about, because together we discussed how to innovate your business to succeed in the tight marketplace.
The topic of the May edition of the Commerce Space webinar, on the other hand, was phygital. How is it changing the rules of the game in retail and e-commerce? Our guest, Maciej Czapiewski, Director of New Technologies at MAGO, talked about the glories and shadows of this sales model, and the conversation was led by Łukasz Woźnica, Head of Business Development at Strix. During the meeting, they also touched on issues such as:
- How has the development of phygital affected the way customers perceive classic retail and e-commerce?
- How can stationary and online shops work together to create a more personalised and engaging experience for customers?
- Tools and technologies to support phygital.
- Phygital in practice. Are Polish consumers looking for innovation in traditional retail?
Watch the full video here
June
Digital transformation is gaining momentum and encompassing more and more industries. Thanks to innovative technologies, companies in various industries can improve their efficiency, be more responsive to customers' needs and improve their purchasing experience. One of these is the pharmaceutical and medical sector. The potential for digitalisation is huge in this area, which is why we could not miss us at this year's Digital Evolution for Pharma & Medical Forum 2024. On the first day of the event, Borys Skraba, CEO of Strix, gave a talk on digital transformation in the Pharma & Med industry and discussed at what stage digitisation is currently taking place in this sector, how to deal with regulatory challenges and how patients are benefiting from the solutions that new technologies offer them.
In June, we also took part in the Digital Experts Summit in Sopot. This is an event that brings together over 200 digital & e-commerce experts - from specialists to directors and managers. Here, you will talk to people who run the marketing and e-commerce departments of leading entities in the digital world on a daily basis.Borys Skraba, CEO of Strix, and Maciej Nikiel, COO of Strix, talked during their lecture about how to prepare a good RFI/RFP and provide an e-commerce agency with the necessary project details to deliver the expected results.
In turn, Katarzyna Gądek, Marketing Manager at Strix, and Łukasz Woźnica, Head of Business Development at Strix, led a workshop for the Regional Chamber of Commerce in Katowice, where they talked about how to start selling online and avoid the most common mistakes. They discussed, among other things, such topics as:
- Business strategy for an online shop
- Competitive assortment research
- Technological aspects
- Promotion of the e-shop
We are pleased to have been able to share our experience and practical tips on how to get started in the e-commerce industry.
June ended with a Commerce Space webinar, this time in a slightly different format, as our guest was Anna Stachura, an experienced Delivery Manager from Strix. During the meeting, she revealed the behind-the-scenes of managing projects for millions, hinted on how to effectively communicate on the agency-client line, and discussed common pitfalls to watch out for during project delivery. It was a great opportunity for e-commerce directors and managers to understand how digital commerce agencies approach project management.
We look forward to more!
The first half of 2024 is behind us, but we are not slowing down! The holiday period is ahead of us, which will be an opportunity for us to recharge our batteries for the coming months, but also to prepare for the activities we are organising for the autumn. Our plans are ambitious, so we are not resting on our laurels and are already preparing for an intensive event season and more ;) We will keep you updated on everything and are already looking forward to what the second half of the year will bring.