The Secret Behind Destiny's Rapid Growth: People

Text: Liesbeth Corthals - Photo: Studio Dann

As a provider of secure cloud communication solutions, you cannot miss an edition on digitization and so our editors went to Dstny, a – say the – Belgian cloud and telecom operator that offers small and medium-sized companies an alternative to the classic telephone exchange. Because the telephony services are managed on a platform in the cloud, many other services (agenda planning, security ...) can be linked to this. For example, Dstny bridges the gap between telecom and IT. Only the conversation was not so much about fixed and mobile telephony, internet, web and video conferencing. The founders / brothers Daan and Samuel De Wever, respectively Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer, prefer to return with us to the core – or the CORE – of their company.

Dstny was founded in 2008. “ Our focus was then on servicing medium-sized companies with 20 to 500 employees. That market was under-served. It was too small for large operators, too big for telephone shops. Today, 90% of the pitch we used to attract investors in 2008 remains the main focus of what we do. We remain focused on our target group ” It turns out successfully. In 2015 they are declared Promising Company of the Year. In the meantime, more than 300 employees work, spread over offices in Belgium, the Netherlands and France. With a pro forma annual turnover in 2019 of € 90 million, Dstny rose to the fastest growing cloud and telecom player in the Belgian B2B market.

“ Dstny has grown strongly in the short term. At one point, my brother and I felt that something was wrong. The customer is central to us and our entire business model is built on customer service, but it seemed as if our people had lost that focus due to growth. Then we sat down around the table with them. What did we want to stand for? As a group of people. What was really important to us? This brought us to the heart of the matter. Together we drew up a very appropriate business philosophy: Commitment, Ownership, Respect, Empowerment, CORE for short. So no hollow values. On the contrary. We take them into everything, but also everything we do. We consciously approach our business in a sustainable and respectful manner – both within our company and to our customers, partners and suppliers. And that's how it should be. ”

#SATISFACTION

“ The American author Zig Ziglar once said: You don't build a business – you build people – and then people build your business. That is exactly how we work. Everything revolves around people. In a business like this, our employees are our greatest asset. They make a difference for our customers. It goes without saying for us that they have a say in the operation of the company. Satisfied employees are more involved, more loyal, more creative, more productive and more resilient. The result? Loyal and satisfied customers and better results. In addition, the reverse is also the case: the more satisfied the customer, the more satisfied the employee. You hear it: satisfaction is the common thread throughout our story, the nail on which we always keep knocking. And we also continue to do so in our vision on digitization: technology is a means for us that should lead to more efficiency and therefore also – I repeat myself – greater satisfaction.

In the past, the Belgian telecom market for SMEs was dominated by some major players that I probably don't have to mention by name. This resulted in – often expensive – standard telecompackages, not adapted to the specific needs of a company. We work differently. We have a simple model with a lot of potential. Our salespeople try to understand our customers' business and explain our offer in a non-technical way. A customer is a partner for us. We think along with the customer, listen to him or her and build the right solution. That customization clearly appeals. ”

#GROWTH

2019 is known as the year in which Dstny has made the greatest growth to date. What caused this acceleration? “ Much of our growth
in 2019, five major acquisitions were made. Those were opportunities we couldn't pass up. The telecom sector has been the scene of many and large acquisitions, mergers, partnerships and other forms of cooperation for years. Either you are eaten or you slide at the table yourself. We have clearly opted for the latter, but you should be able to continue to combine that with organic growth. Acquisitions should also not interfere with operational operation. Good integration is
important. Due to the strategic takeover of Fuzer and Escaux last year, we became the market leader in cloud communication in Belgium, good for 150,000 users. With the acquisition of Motto Communications, DSD Business Internet and OZMO cloud communications, we are now leading the top five in our northern neighbors. In France, too, we now hold a beautiful position through the alliance with telecom provider OpenIP. We are very proud of these acquisitions, because it reinforces the role of Dstny as an innovative challenger in the B2B market. In a rapidly evolving cloud communication market, innovation, digitization, automation and scale are of great importance to continue to play a leading role in the future. But with a takeover you also have to pay attention to the culture of the company you take over. Only when we are convinced that the culture of the company suits ours will we take the step. ”

#CHALLENGES

“ Although the switch to digitization offers more opportunities for companies, one aspect remains essential: the security of the network. When companies implement digitization, this must be done securely. The productive shift to digitization means that companies have to act smartly and prepare well so that they can defend themselves against cyber attacks. Through some targeted acquisitions we can offer our customers a total package, from fixed-line (VoIP) and mobile telephony over unified communications (UCaaS), data networks to a fully innovative network architecture that allows companies to overcome many of the traditional IT hurdles within a superior, secure environment. ”

#FUTURE

“ Our growth strategy seems to be completed in Belgium. I still see some possibilities in the Netherlands, but we now mainly want to focus on France. Many medium-sized companies still have a classic telephone exchange there. And the world of cloud communication is still very fragmented, so the acquisition opportunities are up for grabs. So it will not be the last takeover in France. Later we also want to go to other European countries such as Spain and Germany. ” Whether they have any tips for other entrepreneurs who want to grow? “ Make a list of conditions and stick to the things you don't want to deviate from. For us, that is our CORE philosophy. People, processes and systems must always be able to be coordinated. ”

 

Original source : VOKA

Recent posts