How Digital Tools Are Transforming International Market Entry for SMEs

A Swiss precision tool manufacturer’s expansion to Vietnam illustrates which digital building blocks have become essential for successful internationalisation. From CRM systems and product information platforms to social media strategies, this article examines how small and medium-sized enterprises can leverage digital instruments throughout the market entry process.

Ifanger’s precision tools serve the medical technology, watchmaking, and other industries where absolute accuracy is essential (Figure 1). Micro-dimensioned solutions enable machining tasks that few suppliers can match. For such highly specialised products, international success depends on channel partners who understand both the technical depth and the specific requirements of each market.

Figure 1: High-precision Ifanger tool for the medical technology and watchmaking industry (size comparison with a matchstick). (Image credit: Ifanger AG)

When the company decided to expand into Vietnam, digital tools shaped every stage of the process: from initial market analysis to ongoing partner enablement.

From strategy to implementation: the digital thread

The groundwork was digital: market-sizing spreadsheets, exchange-rate alerts, LinkedIn insights, and a shared repository of product data and onboarding content. This digital thread transformed market entry into an evidence-driven, low-friction process.

Demand identification also relied on digital methods. Search data, B2B marketplaces, and social listening – the systematic analysis of social media discussions – revealed which segments source micro-machining solutions. Competitor catalogues provided insights into pricing and stock depth. Platforms such as Switzerland Global Enterprise’s GoGlobal help quantify foreign market potential and accelerate decision-making. For further resources on digital market analysis, see: https://going-international.com/market-research/

Ifanger selected a local distributor largely through digital screening. In high-precision tooling, product knowledge drives sales velocity. The company therefore combines headquarters visits with modular e-learning modules, Q&A sessions, and searchable FAQs. The partner’s in-house video studio transforms niche product features into reusable sales assets for customers and LinkedIn audiences (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Olivier Flückiger (center left), Sales Manager at Ifanger AG, together with Hung Le Vo Quoc (center right), Managing Director of Hutscom – Hoàng Uyên Technology Solutions, and the Vietnamese sales team in the inhouse video studio (Image credit: Ifanger AG)

Digital building blocks in practice

Several digital instruments proved central to Ifanger’s internationalisation. The following overview describes how the company deployed them.

CRM as the central hub

International expansion multiplies contacts, decision cycles, and after-sales issues. Ifanger uses a CRM system configured with defined roles, buying stages, and shared activities. This keeps the Swiss headquarters and the Vietnamese partner aligned on the same information. Deal-level files such as quotes and technical drawings are attached directly, while integrated email and meeting capture ensures that progress continues even when team members are unavailable.

A product information backbone

Precision tools come with variants, materials, tolerances, and usage notes. When such data resides in scattered PDFs and email inboxes, information management quickly becomes unwieldy. Ifanger implemented a product information system that publishes consistent data across the website, e-commerce platform, partner portals, and specification sheets – including localised labels. Customers in Hanoi see the same information as customers in Biel.

E-commerce that integrates with partner workflows

Ifanger’s online shop offers multilingual catalogues, stock visibility, and order history (Figure 3). However, the Vietnamese partner places final orders through its own internal system for accounting accuracy. This reflects a key principle: digital tools should integrate with partner workflows rather than disrupt them. Availability, lead times, and special offers are exposed via a partner-friendly portal and API, while orders flow through whichever channel the partner requires.

A related success factor was Ifanger’s clear commitment that no direct sales to end customers would occur. Partners need full confidence that the manufacturer will not bypass them.

Figure 3: Ifanger’s e-commerce platform displaying its MicroTurn tools. The online shop enables customers and channel partners to check stock levels, technical specifications, and prices in real time. (Image credit: Ifanger AG)

Social media presence with B2B purpose

LinkedIn serves as a discovery, trust-building, and outreach channel for technical audiences. Consistent posts – new tools, machining tips, trade fair highlights – signal company vitality to potential buyers. Personal activity from senior sales staff, such as Sales Manager Olivier Flückiger, adds a human dimension to the brand. In Asian markets, regional channels such as the messaging app Line (https://www.linepluscorp.com/en/business/service/) may also be relevant, depending on customer media preferences.

Managed content for enablement and demand generation

Short technical videos, annotated CAD visualisations, application-specific one-pagers, and localised blog posts convert more effectively than generic brochures. A content management system combined with an editorial calendar and reusable media assets – hosted centrally but embedded locally – enables partners to sell from a consistent playbook without waiting for headquarters to deliver materials.

Key takeaways

The Ifanger example illustrates that successful internationalisation today depends on an interplay of digital instruments. The decisive factor is not technology itself, but its integration into existing workflows – both internally and with distribution partners.

Three observations emerge from this case:

First, digital tools reduce friction at every stage, from market analysis through partner onboarding to ongoing sales support. Second, technology must adapt to partner realities rather than impose new processes. Third, personal relationships remain central to international business, but digital instruments make relationship management more efficient and scalable.

For SMEs considering international expansion, the question is no longer whether to use digital tools, but how to combine them effectively.

Further reading

Paul Ammann, Ralph Lehmann, Christian Hauser

Going International‚ Strategies and Methods for Entering Foreign Markets

Versus Verlag Zürich, 2025 ‚ ISBN: 978-3-03909-148-5

www.going-international.com

This textbook and practical guide shows how small and medium-sized enterprises can succeed internationally by combining academic insights with proven business methods.