Meet Audoora
Audoora, the brainchild of Nils Sonnenfroh and Sebastian Garcia Dennemark is a pioneering B2B network and marketplace in the hearing aid sector hailing from Cologne.
Originally conceived in 2020, Audoora came into being out of the need to improve the mainstream hearing aid industry by providing a more streamlined and transparent process for everyone involved. From manufacturers and audiologists to customers, Audoora's mission is to develop a B2B networking platform that simplifies the journey of finding and selecting the perfect aid.
In a matter of 3 years, they digitalized processes that relied on outdated product catalogs and sending orders via fax back and forth, which was (you guessed it!) incredibly time-consuming.
However, not everything was smooth sailing.
We chatted with Nils to learn more about how Audoora harnessed the power of LoftOS to build their B2B network and digitize their vision.
The Catalyst - Uncertainty Meets Creativity
Just as Audoora was poised to revolutionize the hearing aid industry, a series of unprecedented events threatened to silence their fight for change. With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting their business operations and unexpected industry politics jeopardizing relationships with manufacturers, Audoora found themselves in dire straits.
Suddenly, by autumn 2021, their dreams of innovation were left without the support of their manufacturers, their lifeline in the market and crucial for their B2B network development, leading many to believe that Audoora had met its end.
A storm of uncertainty was brewing, and Audoora found itself in the eye of the tempest looking for a solution.
Nils tells us, they thought they'd run out of cash if they didn't change something.
The Problem - Putting Knowledge at the Forefront
As you can imagine after raising funds and hiring a full-fledged IT team having no cash inflow meant Audoora had to get creative.
They began seeking out opportunities within the industry, leveraging their IT skills to provide services to other businesses, which led them to gather lots of expertise crucial for their B2B network.
Acquiring this deep, domain-specific knowledge was paramount, as the hearing aid industry is traditionally a highly niche and specialized field.
Audoora now faced a significant challenge: To put this knowledge to work in a meaningful way that would not only demonstrate their continued relevance in the business but also create a robust and valuable network. They needed a platform, a hub, where they could consolidate all the collected information, providing a one-stop resource for everyone involved in the hearing industry.
The question now was, how could they efficiently and effectively do all of this, ultimately saving their business and creating a thriving community?
The LoftOS Solution - A Centralized B2B Network
Audoora’s goal of transforming the industry was well on its way, but they needed a unified platform that could help them do more than just revolutionize the way hearing aids were bought, sold, and distributed but also a one-stop hub for all stakeholders to share important industry information.
This is where LoftOS came into the game.
By integrating LoftOS into their workflow, Audoora was now able to consolidate all their accumulated knowledge into a single, B2B centralized network . This provided a seamless, user-friendly portal for all industry stakeholders to access critical information such as updated product catalogs, clean product data, online courses and invaluable industry news.
The Result - A One-Stop Shop for the Hearing Aid Industry
But LoftOS did more than just build a B2B network to simplify Audoora's processes.
In just under one month, LoftOS equipped their IT department with the tools to automate the collection and dissemination of industry news and events. This enabled Audoora to keep their new B2B network up-to-date in real-time, feeding essential information directly into their new platform, significantly enhancing their value proposition in the hearing aid industry.
This enabled Audoora to keep their network up-to-date in real-time, feeding essential information directly into their new platform, significantly enhancing their value proposition in the hearing aid industry.
Features like the LoftOS's "Events module" became an invaluable resource for Audoora, as they now host monthly events that provide insights into the most pressing issues in the industry.
For instance, the recent shift towards Over-The-Counter (OTC) hearing aids, which bypass the need for a medical exam, prescription, or fitting by an audiologist, has been a topic of much discussion.
LoftOS not only provided Audoora with a lifeline during a challenging period but also propelled them further than they had imagined possible.
if we wouldn't set LoftOS half a year ago, we wouldn't be here anymore - Nils Sonnenfroh
The foresight to adopt LoftOS significantly improved Audoora's image within the sector, making them the go-to platform for innovative thought leaders in the industry.
Why did Audoora Choose LoftOS?
When asked why LoftOS, Nils explained that it was all about putting the consumer first.
Audoora's primary goal is to ensure that their customers are the most satisfied in the market. They wanted to achieve this by offering a broad spectrum of products and services.
Through its collaboration with LoftOS, Audoora is able to offer its users all these services online, at their convenience, making the process of hearing aid comparison and acquisition smoother than ever before, transforming the traditional hearing aid market into a consumer-centric one.
3 Quick-Fire Questions about LoftOS for Nils
Q: What's one LoftOS feature you couldn't live without?
The 'Pages' module. You can create your own pages and set up everything the way you want it. It has the deep integration features we needed. The perfect use-case example is our hearing aid comparison tool. Everything is done for you, you just have to take care of the content.
Q: Any advice for businesses looking to try LoftOS?
LoftOS is an adaptable platform that requires your active involvement to truly shine. It's crucial to engage your users and create captivating content. Beyond its basic functionality, LoftOS's infrastructure allows for custom modules, so with a bit of engineering, you can tailor it to fit every need.
Q: How would you describe LoftOS to someone who's never heard about it before?
LoftOS lets you build easily and fast any kind of business platform you want. You can also really individualize it yourself if you want to have special functionalities.
The Audoora Experience - Empowering Connectivity with LoftOS
The journey of Audoora with LoftOS paints a vivid picture of how the right software can transform a business, and build a B2B network from scratch that can bind an entire industry and its stakeholders - from manufacturers, and wholesalers, to health insurance companies, audiologists and the end-users.
This dynamic platform has allowed Audoora to streamline its processes, provide valuable content to all its users, and foster an environment of connectivity, improvement, and mutual assistance. It has shifted the focus from a business-centric to a consumer-centric model, meeting needs and exceeding expectations.
Ready to transform your business? Start your journey with LoftOS today and experience the power of connectivity, just like Audoora did.
