Today we have invited one of our first ever customers to speak about our services as well as the current situation in their sector.

StepOver is the perfect example of a company that has grown, step by step, alongside ourselves, placing their trust in us time and time again.

The company, which sells products for electronic signatures, started life as a small, local company in Germany, run by three people and with a project selling to an insurer. However, it has always had that international, exporter mentality that characterises many German companies.

Today it has offices in Genoa, London, Madrid, Minsk and Stuttgart, and it sells its products all over the world.

We have with us Matthias Idler, Assistant Corporate Director at StepOver Europe.

– How should a business strategy involving software and hardware products be devised at the outset, for it to be effective in the international market?

Well, basically, there needs to be demand; not only in the national market, but also in the international market.  Also, principles surrounding quality have a big impact on development. You need a product that provides a significant and lasting benefit to the user, all at an affordable price. Obviously the product has to cover plenty of bases, like “ease of use”, which is important for user acceptance; security, so that the benefits of the product can be sustained; and on a human level, a team of employees geared towards providing the client with a good service, with genuine enthusiasm and confidence, to satisfy the needs of the customer.

– Why have you continued to work with the same translation agency since the beginning?

Once you have found an agency that works well, that knows your products and how you work, that adapts to your needs and meets them, any change represents a huge effort and a loss in the quality of the translations; at least until a new supplier grasps the idea of what you want and how you want it.

As far as price is concerned, the agency has always been fair, and dealing with its employees has always been straightforward and pleasant. That brings us back to what I mentioned earlier: having a team well-prepared to give the client the best they can is fundamental to the success of any company.

Mondo Agit has won our trust through being able to respond to last-minute requests, providing all the linguistic services that we have needed since we began; so really, they are an all-in-one business like ourselves. When we needed to speak to a client who did not speak any of our languages, they were able to be there with us, when we wanted to translate and adapt our website for different areas and languages, they were able to do it, and when we had a several-page contract that we needed in a matter of a few hours, they resolved our emergency. They have always been there and they have never promised more than they have been able to offer; this, for us, has been essential.

– In today’s economic crisis, how can a company manage to grow and sell more, in more countries around the world?

On the one hand, it is important to open new markets and to expand sales activity throughout the whole world. This provides stability in the case of a national crisis. On  the other hand, offering products that help businesses to reduces costs and streamline processes is the key to success. This is exactly what our products offer, the return on the investment that most of our clients receive is truly extraordinary.  Actually, the question shouldn’t be how do we manage to sell, but: can a business, in times of such economic uncertainty, avoid the possibility of cutting costs?

Having said that, we’re convinced, and our experience up until now confirms it, that our products are in just as much demand during times of economic growth as they are during a crisis.

– What would you consider your biggest success?

Without a doubt, one of the best decisions that StepOver made was to develop the concept of unique security. Always being one step ahead of other suppliers has helped us to meet the requirements of our big clients in the health and banking sectors. Of course, security was an important factor in these clients’ decision to opt for the handwritten e-signature. Years ago, the market was characterised by a certain scepticism about legal issues. Many of our customers were pioneers in their sector.

– Thank you answering our questions today.

A pleasure, until next time!

Further information about StepOver