Danske Shoppingcentre chose NexusOne for digital transformation

20 March 2022

Knowledge, transparency and decency are the main reasons for a successful course.

The potential was obvious when Anni Thøgersen was put in charge of Danske Shoppingcentre's marketing department a few years ago: 18 local shopping centres each had their own marketing platform: Their own website, their own local customer app and individual email marketing set-ups.

"We could see that there was enormous potential in developing a common digital strategy and establishing a new common customer-oriented platform with that as a starting point. For the local centres, there was an immediate gain in the economies of scale, and now we as an organisation have gained ownership and access to first-party data with the obvious opportunities that lie here, says Anni Thøgersen, CCO at Danske Shoppingcentre.

After a tender round, the task was placed in the hands of a team from NexusOne, Emplate and Journeywise. And during 2021, work was done on analysis, roadmap and implementation. And finally, in early spring 2022, Danske Shoppingcentre launched the first stage of a comprehensive benefits programme, built on a common and completely new data-driven IT architecture and new data platform, from which all 18 shopping centres are now harvesting.

"In short, we have not previously had enough knowledge about our customers. And certainly not across the individual centres. We will now achieve this with a common system architecture, says Anni Thøgersen.

In other words: Better experiences for customers and a unique insight into data for DSC via an advanced Business Intelligence set-up.

A talk about the process of developing and implementing the new data platform also reveals that – in addition to a natural focus on the supplier delivering strong competencies into the project – there has also been a close and trust-based collaboration, and not a classic customer-supplier relationship:

"You don't know what you don't know. This becomes very clear in connection with a tender and a project such as the one we have carried out. And here it has been crucial that NexusOne has always been ready for solutions, and has not caught us or taken advantage of the fact that we have had to change direction on parts of our solution along the way. And for us, it has been absolutely crucial that there is enormous transparency in everything NexusOne does. It supports the trust we have in each other. And makes it possible to look into problems – whether it is about process or finances – and find a common solution. Every time,

The transparency was also evident in connection with Danske Shoppingcentre's choice of systems.

"We didn't know what we wanted, and here NexusOne was very open in their presentations of the pros and cons of the different systems. Also in relation to their own insights and preferences, she says

Small internal organisation places special demands on external partners

The fact that the choice fell on NexusOne in collaboration with Emplate and Journeywise was largely due to the fact that the team from NexusOne was on the same wavelength as DSC's project team from day 1.

"We don't have an IT department ourselves in DSC. Therefore, we need a partner who can take us by the hand and who can loyally work with the opportunities and limitations we can offer.

Even though NexusOne was and is the experts, we were on the same wavelength right away. Already in connection with the pitch, you could feel that they wanted to take us by the hand. I also think it was important that both NexusOne and ourselves were characterized by being a relatively new organization with a lot of entrepreneurship as a driving force.

However, being entrepreneurial also means that situations have arisen along the way where everything did not go as expected.

– When a few hiccups have arisen in the process, there has been a great ability and willingness to solve the challenges quickly. For example, we had not been able to agree on the extent to which we should be involved in connection with the testing phase. And that has meant that we were pushed to the limit, and that NexusOnes' estimated hours also ran out. But again, it helped us that there has been an open and trusting collaboration all the way. We were able to uncover and solve the problems. And then we moved on, says Anni Thøgersen and elaborates:

"The process has been so intense and important to us that it has been crucial that we share values.  We have pushed each other to the limit, and when it comes to that, the human aspect – decency – really comes into play, she says.

Next steps

"Now we are in operation, and we need to get to know the system. Therefore, we are also entering into the operating agreement with NexusOne, where the system must be maintained, but where we also need to develop it. The centres will quickly experience savings, but it has not been a cost-cutting exercise. So now is the time to execute and show results, says Anni Thøgersen.

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