“Today, your website is your online storefront”: why UNIZO and Combell have been working together for more than ten years

For thousands of entrepreneurs in Flanders, UNIZO is a trusted name. The organisation supports self-employed professionals and SMEs with training, guidance, advocacy and advice. More than ever, they do this through digital channels. Websites, online platforms and campaigns have become an essential part of how UNIZO reaches and supports entrepreneurs. Behind that digital story stands the same partner that has been there for more than ten years: Combell.

“Entrepreneurship is about more than applying for a VAT number”

UNIZO is often seen as an advocacy organisation for entrepreneurs, but according to Marketing Director Tom Nys, their role goes much further than that.

“Our core mission remains advocacy, of course,” he says. “We stand up for entrepreneurs. But entrepreneurship today is much more than simply applying for a VAT number and launching an idea.”

UNIZO wants to be a true companion on the journey. Entrepreneurs need to surround themselves with the right people.

Tom Nys, Marketing Director at UNIZO

According to Nys, entrepreneurship today is mainly about guidance and support. “Being an entrepreneur means making choices, overcoming obstacles and surrounding yourself with the right people.”

That is why UNIZO strongly invests in training programmes, coaching trajectories and personal support.

“We truly want to be a companion on the journey,” he explains. “From the start of a business all the way through to its transfer at the end of an entrepreneur’s career.”

A human approach, also in the digital world

Throughout our conversation, one theme keeps coming back: personal contact. Both UNIZO and Combell see it as a major strength.

“Today, you see chatbots and call centres everywhere,” says Nys. “But with us, you still get someone from our own team on the line. No external call centre. That human contact remains incredibly important.”

According to Johan, that is exactly why the collaboration with Combell works so well. “You’re not just a ticket number. With Combell, you feel that they understand what you’re trying to achieve,” he says.

“First-line support helps wherever possible, and otherwise you are quickly connected to the right person. You notice that they actively think along with you.”

According to him, that approach creates trust. “At Combell, they literally and figuratively speak the same language. That simply makes working together much more pleasant.”

With Combell, you’re not just a ticket. They understand what you’re working on as an entrepreneur.

Johan Reynaert, Web Application Developer at UNIZO

“Without a good website, you practically don’t exist anymore”

For UNIZO, digital visibility is crucial today, both for the organisation itself and for the entrepreneurs it supports.

“In the past, your shop window on the high street was important,” says Tom Nys. “Today, that shop window is online. If you’re not present with a good website, you practically don’t exist anymore.”

According to him, a website remains the foundation of all online communication.

“Social media is important, but ultimately everything should lead back to one central place that you own. Your website is the foundation of your communication.”

You can also see this in the way UNIZO approaches campaigns and projects. In addition to its main website, the organisation uses separate domain names and landing pages for specific initiatives.

“When you launch a campaign, you want people to immediately land in the right place,” explains Nys. “A separate domain name provides recognition and clarity.”

If you’re not present with a good website, you don’t exist anymore.

Tom Nys, Marketing Director at UNIZO

Online business is evolving faster than ever

UNIZO sees that entrepreneurs are increasingly embracing digitalisation and AI. That is why the organisation is offering more and more training programmes on these topics.

“We have organised a huge number of AI training sessions recently,” says Nys. “Entrepreneurs can feel that something is changing.”

According to Tom, AI is also changing the way businesses are discovered online.

“In the past, everything revolved around SEO and Google. Today, it is also about how AI interprets your business. That is a completely new challenge.”

Infrastructure that grows with you

Behind the scenes, UNIZO manages an extensive digital environment. Various websites, databases and internal applications currently run on dedicated infrastructure.

“We use these servers for websites, testing environments, databases and all kinds of applications,” says Johan Reynaert. “We have multiple subdomains, databases and projects running alongside one another.”

“In the past, everything revolved around SEO and Google. Today, it’s about how AI interprets your business. That is a completely new challenge.”

Tom Nys, Marketing Director at UNIZO

UNIZO also develops many of its own applications. “We build quite a lot of internal tools ourselves,” says Reynaert.

“That digital story keeps growing. Scalability is essential. A hosting partner needs to be able to grow alongside your organisation.”

“Managed hosting is actually a luxury”

According to Reynaert, many entrepreneurs underestimate how much work goes into hosting. “You get a server, but that’s not where it ends,” he says. “Updates, security, maintenance… all of that still needs to be taken care of.”

A hosting partner needs to be able to grow alongside your organisation. Scalability is essential.

Johan Reynaert, Web Application Developer at UNIZO

That is why he sees tremendous value in managed solutions.

“For larger projects, managed hosting is actually a luxury you need,” Johan explains. “You want to focus on your business, not on server management.”

Flexibility is equally important to him.

“A website grows. New features are added, traffic increases, extra projects come along… In that case, you want to be able to scale up quickly without having to rebuild everything from scratch.”

A strong partner working behind the scenes

Although the partnership has now lasted more than ten years, UNIZO believes a hosting partner does not need to be constantly visible.

“In an ideal scenario, you hardly ever hear from your hosting partner,” Reynaert laughs. “But when something does happen, it needs to be resolved quickly.”

And according to him, that is exactly where Combell’s strength lies.

“When you speak to someone at Combell, you feel that they understand what you’re working on. That makes collaboration easy.”

You want to focus on your business, not on server management.

Johan Reynaert, Web Application Developer at UNIZO

Digital plans for the future

UNIZO is already looking ahead. The organisation is currently working on new digital initiatives to connect entrepreneurs even more closely with one another.

“We’re working on a new app,” Johan tells us. “The idea is to bring entrepreneurs and partners closer together.”

According to him, that digital ecosystem will continue to grow. “More and more processes are being digitally supported. That means you also need infrastructure that is ready for that future.”

“Technology is important, but people make the difference”

After more than ten years of collaboration, UNIZO primarily describes Combell as a stable partner that grows alongside their digital ambitions.

Combell is a stable partner that grows alongside our digital ambitions.

Johan Reynaert, Web Application Developer at UNIZO

“The most important thing remains trust,” says Johan Reynaert. “You want to know that someone is available when you need them.”

And ultimately, according to Tom Nys, that is what it is all about. “Technology is becoming increasingly important. But in the end, people still make the difference.”

Let Combell be part of your online success

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