Footway: How a small workforce powers big retail with Google Workspace
Swedish online shoe retailer Footway uses Google Workspace to structure its data storage systems for more efficient day-to-day processes, saving time by automating mail-outs with Gmail and Google Forms.
Based in Sweden, Footway is an online shoe retail platform connecting footwear manufacturers with customers in 11 European countries.
Swedish online shoe retailer Footway uses Google Workspace to structure its data storage systems for more efficient day-to-day processes, saving time by automating mail-outs with Gmail and Google Forms.
Google Workspace Results
Mail-out daily workload reduced by two hours
• Facilitates a clear and stable system for data storage with highly secure permission controls for internal and external sharing via Google Drive
• Encourages spontaneous collaboration and flexible working thanks to Google Chromebooks
• Automates mail-outs to bloggers using Gmail and Google Forms, saving time and extending reach
By offering customers a choice of 30,000 shoe styles at reasonable prices with a straightforward returns policy, Footway has become one of the largest online shoe retailers in Europe. Founded in 2011 and based in Kista, Sweden, the company has grown to become a market leader and four years ago acquired the Heppo and Brandos brands. In 2017, Footway expanded from the Nordic market to seven other European countries: Poland, Holland, the UK, France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
“One of our strategic objectives is to automate processes and increase efficiency in our organization. We want to work more efficiently every day. One of our main goals with the Google Workspace project was to get everyone working in the same platform with good structure.” - Louise Liljedahl, HR Manager and Co-founder, Footway
To build the business, Footway has had to prove to its customers that buying shoes online is quick and easy. That means, at the backend, processing returns and queries efficiently to provide a seamless consumer experience. However, as the company’s IT infrastructure grew organically, its data storage procedures were not clearly systematized, which made it difficult to implement the efficient, time-saving processes that enable Footway to provide its excellent customer service. The company needed to move its team onto a system that would resolve this issue, and make compliance to ever-changing data regulations easier. Implementing Google Workspace was the answer.
"One of our strategic objectives is to automate processes and increase efficiency in our organization," says Louise Liljedahl, HR Manager and Co-founder at Footway. "We want to work more efficiently every day. One of our main goals with the Google Workspace project was to get everyone working in the same platform with good structure."
Systematizing data storage
“Google Drive helps us keep everything in the right place. And it is definitely an easier way to share things when it comes to working with external partners, as we know exactly who we’re sharing documents and information with.” - Louise Liljedahl, HR Manager and Co-founder, Footway
In order for a relatively small team to run a big retail operation, good organization and process automation are key. Before working with Google Cloud, Footway’s communications and data storage processes were not systematized, making it difficult to work effectively. "Our internal IT had many different places to save files, and, for example, no structure for where to save pictures or graphic elements or where to archive agreements," explains Louise. "Another trigger for change was the GDPR. To be compliant, we needed to see who has access to what information, and looked for a good audit systems to control those permissions". To do that, Footway implemented Google Workspace.
With support from implementation partner Avalon Solutions, the migration of the company’s calendar, contacts, and email data using CloudMigrator was swift and seamless. "The transformation process was very lean and quick," says Louise. "We had a small test group of six people working with Google Workspace for two weeks to see how to move over to Google Sheets from Excel, for example. Everyone was very enthusiastic."
To systematize its storage and make day-to-day working easier, Footway moved its document and images to Google Drive. This means Footway can control access both internally and externally. "Google Drive helps us keep everything in the right place. And it is definitely an easier way to share things when it comes to working with external partners, as we know exactly who we’re sharing documents and information with."
Increasing automation
“We’re excited about how Google Workspace can help us as a company to grow in a stable way. We can automate processes and use Google products to work more efficiently.” - Louise Liljedahl, HR Manager and Co-founder, Footway
Following the move to Google Workspace, Footway automated communications with influencers and bloggers using Gmail and Google Forms. This saves time and means more bloggers can be contacted.
"We send automatic emails through Google Workspace to different influencers to set up cooperative agreements and partnerships," says Louise. "Using Gmail and Forms has helped us to go from having contact with 4 bloggers a day, to 200 a day. The person responsible saves two hours a day from his or her workload with this new process."
Achieving stable growth
Thanks to Google Workspace, Footway’s data is now organized in a way that is easily accessible and highly secure. "It’s much easier to find company and client information because it’s structured," says Louise. "That saves a lot of time when searching for something."- The ways people can collaborate have also been transformed, as Footway made the switch to using Google Chromebook, encouraging more flexible working and spontaneous collaboration. "Before, people would take notes on paper and come back to their computer to write everything down. Now they use their Chromebooks instead and have more small, spontaneous meetings."
Now, Footway plans to extend the use of Chrombooks and to use the functions Google Workspace offers to further automate the company’s daily processes and grow the business. "People tend to be fearful of change, but this one has been very positive for the whole organization," says Louise. "We’re excited about how Google Workspace can help us as a company to grow in a stable way. We can automate processes and use Google products to work more efficiently."
