| Client: | exocad GmbH |
| Sector: | Software for digital dentistry |
| Services: | TYPO3 development, integrations, TYPO3 upgrades, performance optimisation, operation, support |
| Technologies: | TYPO3 L10N Manager Cleverreach HubSpot |
exocad develops CAD/CAM software for dental laboratories, dental practices, corporate groups and technology partners. The company distributes its products through an international network of partners and resellers. The website must therefore do far more than simply serve as a traditional corporate showcase: it showcases a comprehensive product portfolio, supports sales and marketing, and provides partners and users with specialist information, software libraries and downloads.
At the start of our collaboration, the existing website needed to be migrated to a content management system. The aim was to establish a technical foundation on which exocad could manage content itself and expand its digital presence in the long term.
We migrated the website to TYPO3 and have been managing it ever since as a technical partner. The original migration project evolved into a collaboration that has now lasted for ten years.
Our remit covers the technical design and development of new features, as well as TYPO3 upgrades, performance optimisations and day-to-day operations. When new requirements arise, we advise exocad, develop the appropriate solution and support them from the staging system right through to publication. Dedicated contact persons are available to deal with enquiries and resolve issues.
The website has grown alongside the company over the years. New products, markets and target audiences have been added. At the same time, existing content, integrations and restricted areas had to continue to function without any unnecessary disruption.
This involves balancing various requirements:
Rather than completely replacing this established platform at long intervals, we are developing it further in stages.
TYPO3 forms the common foundation for the editorial content and the website’s custom applications. Modular pages and content elements give the editorial team the freedom they need to create product pages, news items, events and campaigns within a consistent system.
Since the initial implementation, we have updated the platform across several generations of TYPO3. The technical foundation dates back to TYPO3 6. Regular upgrades, security updates and targeted modernisations ensure that existing functions are retained and new requirements can be implemented on a well-maintained foundation.
The website provides content in German, English, Spanish and Chinese, amongst other languages. The L10N Manager helps the editorial team to export translations in a structured manner, have them edited externally and then import them back into TYPO3.
In addition, we developed content elements and page types for various editorial tasks. These include news and blog posts, event pages and forms based on Powermail.
exocad collaborates with sales and technology partners worldwide. A restricted area was created for this target group, featuring documentation, change logs, webinars and downloads. Content and access rights can be managed centrally via TYPO3.
In this way, the website combines public communication with information intended exclusively for authorised partners.
To work with DentalCAD, ChairsideCAD and other exocad products, users require libraries from numerous manufacturers. The platform currently offers 108,000 dental components across 13,000 libraries from 350 technology partners. These include, amongst other things, implants, prosthetic components, scanners, materials, milling machines and 3D printers.
We developed the Library Manager, which allows these packages to be filtered, selected and downloaded.
The libraries are not only available for manual download on the website. The Library Manager is also integrated into the exocad software, where it enables automatic installation. The website and desktop software therefore access the same centrally maintained catalogue.
The website is linked to CleverReach and HubSpot. This allows newsletters, contacts and marketing processes to be integrated with the editorial content and forms. A directory of sales partners directs prospective customers to the appropriate contact person in their region.
The original TYPO3 migration has evolved into a central platform for corporate communications, marketing and partner support. Content is maintained in multiple languages, partners are granted secure access to relevant materials, and 13,000 software libraries can be accessed both via the website and directly from the exocad applications.
The key factor here is not a single version of the website. The value lies in continuous development: exocad can integrate new products, target groups and processes on a familiar technical foundation. We keep this foundation up to date and take responsibility for its development and operation.
The exocad website demonstrates how a comprehensive corporate website can be developed over many years. Regular TYPO3 upgrades, clearly defined integrations and a phased modernisation process help to avoid unnecessary system changes. At the same time, there remains scope for new products, markets and features.
For us, ten years of collaboration means more than just maintenance. We know the platform, its interfaces and how the client works. This enables us to assess new requirements more quickly and support exocad from the initial concept right through to day-to-day operations.
“For us, Q3i is far more than just a service provider: thanks to our long-standing partnership, rapid response times and a deep understanding of our brand, the results are always impressive from both a functional and strategic perspective.“
Oliver Striegel
Marketing Specialist at exocad
We will assess the existing installation, determine the next appropriate steps and, if required, take charge of development, operation and support.
