How did Romanian companies show interest in digitization in 2022?

Softlead, the only marketplace platform in Romania that helps companies to choose the right software solution, based on Digital DNA, launches the annual graph that indicates the appetite for digitization of companies in Romania. The information reflects the interest in software purchasing for the year 2022, measured by the requests for software offers received on www.softlead.ro.

In 2022, over 72% more requests for customized offers for software solutions were received through the Softlead platform compared to 2021, with the total value of the projects being estimated at over 6.2 million euros, 50% more than in the previous year. The average value of digitization projects was 9,603 euros, down 11% compared to the same period of 2021.

Although the number of projects was much more consistent, the decrease recorded from the perspective of the average budget is due to the increase in the number of digitization offers for SaaS (Software as a Service) applications for niche business segments (medical offices, laboratories, etc.).

The access to the requests for offers that we receive through Softlead gives us an optimistic perspective on the digitization process in Romania. Companies are making increasing efforts to educate themselves, to choose the right solutions, to support software implementations through budgets and to accelerate business development through technology.

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Beyond all these graphs and numbers, we provide every year, there are other interesting data that confirm our perspective. For example, through the Softlead platform, 20% of the requests for proposals for digitization were sent over the weekend by top management representatives of companies, which means not only that there is interest, but also that efforts are being made to increase automation, efficiency, and transparency processes, three important aspects especially in times of crisis, transition or accelerated development, Alexandra Roată, Co-Founder Softlead.

Types of software applications with increased appetite for purchase

In 2022, enterprise software solutions were once again on the list of priorities of Romanian companies, so that the most important applications in this category were also found among the requests received through Softlead: ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software solutions – 22,9%, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) – 22,4%, application dedicated to organization – 12,79%, Document Management – 11,3%, Management solutions – 10,4%, Project Management – 3,65%, Accounting – 3,32%, Human Resources – 2,82%.

Industries with a high appetite for digitization                                                                                                                          

According to Softlead data, the appetite for digitization is much most visible in certain industries, where the need for efficiency, automation and transparent access to data are essential Thus, in the top of the industries that requested offers for software acquisitions and implementations are: service companies (16,87%), healthcare (15,49%), manufacturing (14,42%), construction (11,66%), IT&C (8,1%), retail (5,83%), transport (4,6%) or finance (4,14%).

For each of them, the need for digitization meant either replacing the existing solution (26% of requests) or taking the first step towards automation (76% of requests were for implementing a software solution for a business that had never been digitized).

SMEs – at the top of companies needing software applications

At the top of the list of companies needing advice on choosing the right software applications are small and medium-sized companies, a trend already confirmed in previous years.

Thus, in terms of turnover, most requests for dedicated digitization tenders came from companies with turnover below €500,000 (55,6%), while companies with turnover above €5 million accounted for over 15% of all digitization requests.

A common feature of companies that have requested digitization offers through the Softlead platform is that 86% of digitization requests are submitted by the Top & Middle Management segments of companies, indicating a clear validation of the need for efficiency and automation through applications software.

Through Softlead integration with Termene.ro, the statistics on digitization are complemented by the analysis of the evolution of companies that have requested software offers. Thus, 16% of companies that requested a request for proposal through Softlead in 2022 doubled their turnover in the previous year, an indicator of both the potential for supporting software purchases and the need for digitization (a growing company has obvious needs for automation, streamlining, increased transparency, access to data, etc.).

The fastest signing of a digitization contract

In 2022, the fastest time to sign a software purchase and implementation agreement through Softlead was 2 days, which is common for SaaS solutions that do not require customization through additional development or integrations, and where there is a clear need and a budget correctly estimated by the customer.