The Backoffice, the essential backstage for your digital product

Whether it's a mobile application, a web platform or an intranet, most start-ups focus their efforts on the interface of the digital product they wish to launch. But they often forget about the back office. And yet, this is where it all comes together! This is where project management comes to life, to improve and evolve the product. Le Backyard explains why it's an essential element in the success of your digital product!

I. What is a backoffice?

When a start-up wants to launch its digital product, it naturally focuses on its mobile application or web platform. In short, on what will be visible to end-users. The back office, on the other hand, goes by the wayside and is therefore usually absent from specifications.

However, it isa key component of any project. The backoffice is an internal management tool, the hidden face of the iceberg, which plays a key role in managing the day-to-day operations that bring the product to life and make it truly effective.

Here are just some of the operations it handles: 

• customer service ;
• user management ;
• creation and modification of content, products and services;
• updating general sales conditions and other legal documents.

II. Three major backoffice roles

The backoffice is in fact a control room from which you pilot, improve your product, analyze performance and make strategic decisions. Here are the three key functions of the backoffice!

1. Optimize operational management

Each digital project is unique and the operational functions are infinite, but here are a few examples of actions that can be carried out from the backoffice: 

• add, modify or ban a user ;

• update content ;
• create a new service or product ;
• identify and track bugs ;
• manage incoming requests.

These features save you precious time and guarantee optimum responsiveness.

2. KPIs make decision-making easier

KPIs(Key Performance Indicators) provide an accurate picture of your company's health , enabling you to make improvement decisions based on the results observed on a daily basis.

Number of active users, abandonment rate, conversion rate are just a few examples of important KPIs that help you understand real usage and guide your decisions for the success of your business.

However, there's a crucial first step: defining these KPIs. For example, what does an "active user" mean to you?

Is it someone who regularly logs on to your platform? A user who clicks on a button? Who consults a product on each visit? Who stays on the site for more than 2 minutes? Precise definition of each KPI is mandatory!

By analyzing the results for each performance indicator, you can better understand certain behaviors, identify conversion bottlenecks and take the necessary decisions to improve your interface or offers.

For example, if many users consult your registration form but don't fill it in, you'll be able to identify the reason. Is the submit button not very visible? Are you asking for information that the user doesn't want to disclose? Is the form too long?

3. Helping acquisitions and growth

A well-designed backoffice is also a real marketing lever, enabling you to acquire new users or increase sales or registrations.

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In fact, you can export segmented lists of users (e.g.: inactive for 30 days, accounts not finalized) and launch targeted actions to reactivate them.

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There are many tools, such as Brevo, that allow you to send them an email or notification to encourage them to return to the platform or complete an action. 

So you can increase your engagement rates and conversions effortlessly.

III. The backoffice: a tool often missing from specifications

Le Backyard has noticed: most companies don't mention the backoffice in their specifications . specifications. Indeed, they're so focused on getting the product online and visible that they neglect the behind-the-scenes aspects.

While they know how to describe their ideal digital product in terms of functionality or graphic identity, for example, they find it difficult to project themselves into everyday needs once the product has been launched on the market.

The problem is that without a good, solid backoffice to support the whole product, it's hard to aim for success and sustainable growth.

IV. Le Backyard s projects

Accustomed to receiving specifications in which the backoffice part is absent, and with a wealth of experience with customers from a wide range of sectors, Le Backyard offers a backoffice that' s 80% ready for each project. It contains a huge number of ready-to-use functionalities and KPIs, at no extra cost!

Here are a few essentials to get your project up and running right from the start: 

• functional bricks tested with previous customers ;
• clear, ergonomic user management panels ;
• relevant default KPIs.

Of course, every project is different and responds to specific needs, so the remaining 20% needs to be developed on a bespoke basis.

1. A responsive backoffice

Le Backyard also makes a point of creating responsive backoffices so that you can consult them from your smartphone or tablet.

Whether you're on the train, in a meeting or in your living room, we know that you sometimes need to quickly consult your data or carry out an urgent action without having to log on to your computer!

2. Remember to include some information in the specifications

As we said earlier, most start-ups don't project themselves into the day-to-day management needs they'll have to face. However, integrating a backoffice component right from the specification stage is a real time-saver for both you and your partner agency.

Even a brief description of the functionalities you plan to use in the future will enable the agency to better understand your needs and guide you towards the most appropriate solutions.

Le Backyard supports customers from a wide range of sectors in the creation of their digital products. Fill in this form to tell us about your project!

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