How digitizing one small process can spark big change

At so many companies, I don’t see a lack of ambition to go digital. Quite the opposite!

What I often notice is that organizations want to go big right away — tackling massive, complex business processes.

And usually? Those projects stall before they even get off the ground.

So in this edition of The Netherlands Goes Digital, I’m flipping the script: let’s talk about starting small.

To make it practical, I’ll walk you through one of our client cases. Here, digitizing a small process actually became the flywheel for all kinds of great innovations.

Start with what you know

We worked with one of the biggest logistics players in Dutch waste management.

Their hazardous waste intake process was mostly manual.

Quick rundown:
A truck shows up with hazardous waste.
The driver writes down what it is on paper.
A forklift puts the waste on a weighbridge, it’s weighed, then stored in the depot.
The driver hands the slip to admin.
The slip is manually entered into one of three ERP systems.

This worked fine for years. But it was also:
❌ Error-prone
⏳ Time-consuming
🔄 Inconsistent when it came to data entry

Our fix? Swap the pen for a tablet that scans the waste’s barcodes.

A simple step-by-step on the tablet logs it straight into the system and pushes it to the right ERP.

But why digitize this process? After all, it’s just a small piece of the bigger puzzle.

Because:
✔️ The process was fully understood
✔️ The roles were clear, so we could get fast feedback
✔️ It didn’t touch other complex core processes → low risk
✔️ The impact was immediate

By optimizing this process:
📊 All data was entered uniformly
✅ Fewer input mistakes
🕝 Faster flow → the driver could do at least one extra trip per day
📈 Back office could process more orders, so the depot could handle more volume

No big revolution, but a visible improvement.

Build on the trust gained by early wins

Getting everyone on board with digital change isn’t always easy.

So, start with a clear, concrete process that delivers tangible results.

And highlight those first wins! Celebrate with cake, make sure people notice.

That initial success gave this organization tons of confidence. And we kept going!

We set up a rejection process so incorrect waste deliveries were quickly corrected, and fines were automatically sent to the supplier, a revenue stream they’d been missing because it was too much manual work.

We added weigh scales to the forklifts, so they no longer needed the weighbridge. Result? No more lines, fewer steps, and way more capacity.

It all started with that one small, manageable process. The rest followed.

Small steps spark big change

Starting small gave this company the confidence to take on bigger digital projects.

It also uncovered new opportunities and bottlenecks they’d never seen before.

With this small first step, we didn’t just optimize one process — we opened the door to optimizing others and even unlocked a brand-new revenue stream.

What started as “we need a fix” turned into an entirely new mindset around digital transformation.

Where will you start?

As you can see, digitalization isn’t a leap — it’s a journey.

And you’re better off starting on a path you already know.

Look for processes that are:
✔️ Clear and well-defined
✔️ Impactful on a daily basis
✔️ Involve known roles
✔️ Easy to test and improve

I’m curious: what will you tackle first? Let me know if you want to brainstorm!

And as a teaser for the next edition of The Netherlands Goes Digital:
Follow the money…

See you then!

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