The University of the Arts Helsinki is Finland’s only university dedicated solely to the arts, offering both education and research in the field. Its publishing activity is vibrant, with around 30 new publications produced annually, and a strong desire to make research findings accessible to the general public. The collaboration with Unicontent began in 2015, when the university was looking for an easy sales channel for its publications.
Michaela Bränn works at the University of the Arts Helsinki in an expert role and is involved in many activities. In addition to supporting research projects, she organises events and assists in the publication of theses and doctoral dissertations. She also coordinates the work of the university’s publication committee and oversees the process of bringing new publications into sale through Unicontent. It’s a busy role, so tools that save time are more than welcome. But how has the cooperation felt from the university’s perspective?
“The cooperation with Unicontent has brought many benefits to the University of the Arts. The online shop has been updated with both customer and user experience in mind, which has significantly improved its functionality. In addition, Unigrafia has tailored online forms as well as storage and subcontracting arrangements to our needs. These forms have streamlined the order process from both the customer’s and our own point of view.
Unicontent has greatly simplified the university’s book sales and freed up time for other tasks. The logistics chain has become lighter now that book distributor orders go through Unicontent, and a clear view of stock levels helps us react quickly and ensure availability. Overall, the ordering process is now clearer and more efficient than ever before.
We’ve been very pleased with the ongoing, open dialogue. Development needs can always be discussed, and we’ve felt heard. The service provider has shown the ability to respond quickly to our needs, which has further strengthened the value of the cooperation,” Bränn explains.
The collaboration between Unicontent and the University of the Arts Helsinki continues, with the next step being closer integration between book distributors and Unicontent. The goal is to ensure distributors are kept up to date on new and available titles from the university. Another key objective is to improve the visibility and discoverability of books currently on sale.
Moving forward together
The partnership between the University of the Arts Helsinki and Unicontent has taken the university’s book sales a significant step forward. Thanks to active and open communication, the process has remained flexible yet smooth. When both parties know what they’re aiming for, it’s easy to move in the right direction. Unicontent’s services have introduced clear, streamlined processes into the university’s publication sales and freed up time for other priorities. This customer story is a great example of how collaboration can create added value for both bookshop customers and publishers.
Explore Unicontent and its wide range of publications here.