Good practice:

OPTIMISE

The OPTIMISE Programme was launched in 2011. Its ambition was to bring Irish design and craft to a global online audience. OPTIMISE Design Ireland empowers innovative, design-led Irish brands to improve their online presence, hone their digital capabilities and grow their global e-commerce sales, by bringing together best-in-class expertise across the digital, enterprise and design sectors.Each participating business benefits from an extensive digital audit, a website health check, by an expert digital marketing agency before taking part in a series of mentoring days and a masterclass.
There are four key phases to the programme and each is led by one or more of the partners:
1. Selection of companies, led by DCCI and Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs)
2. Digital audit, led by IEDR
3. Mentoring, led by DCCI and LEOs
4. Implementation, Trading Online Voucher Scheme led by LEOs
The IE Domain Registry (IEDR) is the owner of the OPTIMISE Fund, which supports Irish business owners in planning, developing and implementing significant web enhancements and e-commerce capabilities to their existing websites. The Design & Crafts Council Ireland runs the DesignIreland.ie online platform to connect audiences all over the world with Ireland’s makers,their studios and their inspiration. The Trading Online Voucher Scheme is delivered by the Local Enterprise Offices on behalf of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

By 2019 OPTIMISE assisted over 80 small and micro-business SMEs, DCCI and LEO clients to enable them to hone their digital skills and capabilities and enhance their e-commerce potential for growth of online sales. To date IEDR, LEOs and DCCI have invested €224,000 in the programme for 80 businesses.

Participants got fast-track access to the LEO Trading Online voucher scheme that offered financial assistance of up to €2,500. Sales have grown on average by 21%, and companies that are growing are employing 1.4 more people to manage their online presence. Importantly, 3 in 5 are exporting for the first time. DCCI clients that have engaged with the Optimise programme report that online sales have increased by an average of 41% since their commencement with this programme.

Implementation of the recommendations can be quite challenging since these micro-business SMEs lack time for it, as they are busy making their own particular craft. They often lack the expertise and do not have sufficient resources to hire experts to implement the changes for them.

Working with craft SMEs to scale and develop their digital presence and e-commerce capability is critical to growing each partner country’s design and craft sector and increasing their competitiveness in the global market place.
The OPTIMISE programme has interesting facets for other regions to learn from:
- Highly beneficial to craft SMES (and other companies) in many ways, including increasing competitiveness;
- Accessible to a broad range of SME businesses
- Develops market and export growth
- Develops online presence and awareness of craft products and their value
- Opens new markets and customers
- Creates a personalised relationship with customers to enable repeat business