The
digitalisation
of Brussels companies

What to remember

• The digital tools base is covered: Brussels companies are firmly committed to digital process transformation projects. While not all levers are being used with the same intensity, digital technology is asserting itself as a significant driver of optimisation, innovation and responsibility for a growing number of them.
• But more sophisticated tools are only adopted by a few: Business social networks (23%) and project management software (27%) remain the preserve of a minority, highlighting the differing speeds of the take-up of collaborative practices.
• Few skills deployed on the ground : Only 26% of companies employ specifically digital profiles, and 21% have a plan to develop their employees’ digital skills.

What surprised us

• Skills are mainly kept in-house: With the lack of skills being identified as one of the obstacles to the digitalisation of companies, we might have expected a more systematic use of external resources. However, this is not the case: the majority of companies in Brussels continue to take a traditional approach to human resources, recruiting rather than outsourcing.
• Companies are embracing collaborative work tools: The majority of companies have deployed collaborative messaging (67%) and document sharing tools (71%) to facilitate remote working.

What to remember

• The fundamentals of preventive measures in terms of cybersecurity are well covered: 
  • The basics (passwords, updates, firewalls) have been mastered.
  • More advanced measures (two-factor authentication, VPN, integrated security, traceability) still need to be developed across all sectors.
  • Organisational actions (awareness-raising, documentation) are more diverse.
• Compared to the global averages of 17% of companies having carried out a security audit within the past year and 26% within the past three years, no sector stands out with a particularly positive result. The use of IT security audits is particularly low in all sectors: 11% for transport, 18% for professional, scientific and technical activities, 13% for construction and 15% for trade.
• Companies tend to neglect their cybersecurity, but this is unfortunately not exceptional: Brussels companies are around the Belgian and European averages in terms of vulnerability to cyber attacks.

What surprised us

• All sectors are more or less on a equal footing: The
• results of the study show that, in terms of cybersecurity, no single sector stands out as being very far behind or very far ahead.
• Limited use of databases: Regardless of the sector, the adoption of databases is never in the majority, ranging from 30% in catering to 50% in transport, with an overall average of 39%.
• Cybersecurity audits are not yet a priority for Brussels-based companies, who seem to underestimate their importance: 45% of companies report having suffered a security incident, but only 29% have had an audit carried out.

What to remember

• 24% of companies in Brussels say they are not present on social networks: This is still a relatively high figure, and points to a potential shortfall in their visibility, customer interaction and digital marketing opportunities.
• Companies present on social networks are struggling to get the most of it: Only 42% of companies report adopting a differentiated strategy according to network, and less than 50% measure the effectiveness of their digital presence by tracking indicators.
• Brussels companies remain close to European averages: In terms of web marketing, with 47% using social networks, compared to 50% at European level.

What surprised us

• Websites are the most popular tool for companies in terms of online presence: They still adopt a very traditional approach to establishing and maintaining their visibility on the Internet, despite the diversity of digital tools available.
• Websites are often treated as “showcases” that do not need to be regularly updated: With 81% of companies stating that they update their site once a month or less. Companies carrying out regular updates are those involved in e-commerce or those selling products that change rapidly (retail).
• On average, 19% of companies use online advertising: This limited uptake demonstrates untapped potential for improving their visibility and competitiveness. They rely heavily on e-commerce (68%) and social networks (81%) to grow rapidly, while older companies (in operation for over 20 years) are developing more unevenly.
• The professional, scientific and technical activities sector, although leading the averages on most barometer indicators, appears to be less dynamic in terms of web marketing.

What to remember

• Only 71% of Brussels companies have a website, but 31% say they sell online, which places Brussels above the European average of 22.8%
• Brussels companies take a rather conventional approach to online sales. They make sure to cover the bases with automated ordering and traditional payment methods.

What surprised us

• Brussels-based companies have generally integrated their online sales process well into their operations, with 62% of companies that sell online receiving electronic orders that are fully automated in terms of encoding.
• Although card payments are the most common, traditional methods such as payment on invoice or bank transfer are still widely used, with 37% of online retailers still offering payment on invoice, and 21% offering cash payment on delivery.

Ce qu’il faut retenir

• Overall, 44% of companies consider AI to be “Very promising” or “Quite promising” but the transport sector is the most optimistic, with 55% finding AI “Very promising” or “Quite promising”. By contrast, the construction industry is the most sceptical, with 52% of respondents rating AI as “Not very promising” or “Not at all promising”.
• Generative artificial intelligence (such as ChatGPT) is raising expectations. 28% of Brussels companies use it already, mainly to generate marketing content (47%), analyse documents (44%) or write reports (50%). However, 72% don’t use it at all, due to a lack of knowledge, resources or interest.
• One of the barriers to AI adoption, in addition to the security concerns, lies in the difficulties of identifying the opportunities created for the business.

What to remember

• Regarded as one of the revolutions of advanced technologies, artificial intelligence is provoking ambivalent reactions within Brussels companies. While the majority (41%) have a positive attitude towards this technology, a sizeable proportion of companies (12%) remain sceptical or even hostile.
• AI clearly outstrips all other cutting-edge technologies in terms of adoption by companies, with 27% of companies reporting having implemented it in their activities, compared with a maximum of 10% for other technologies.
• Security and confidentiality: Security and confidentiality concerns are one of the most frequently cited barriers to AI adoption.