Digital Asset Management (DAM) platforms help streamline marketing efforts across channels by organizing content, automating workflows and integrating with existing systems. These tools are essential for maximizing the value of your digital assets and maintaining brand consistency.
Without a DAM solution, businesses can face rising costs, operational inefficiencies and content management challenges that slow productivity and scatter brand messaging.
To help quantify the financial impact of these challenges, we partnered with Forrester to build a business case for investing in a scalable and robust DAM platform like KeyShot Dock (formerly known as Digizuite DAM).
In this article:
- Risks and costs of operating without a DAM System
- ROI key findings from Forrester report
- Benefits for manufacturers investing in KeyShot Dock
- Try the ROI cost saving calculator
Risks and costs of operating without a DAM system
Businesses without a DAM platform face rising costs and hidden operational risks that can hurt productivity and brand consistency.
Teams often struggle to find and share files due to inconsistent metadata and fragmented storage tools. This leads to wasted time and delays in accessing critical content like product images, brochures and presentations.
Without a centralized system, updating content across platforms becomes time-consuming and error-prone, resulting in inconsistent messaging that weakens brand identity.
Scalability is another challenge. Custom-built systems that once met business needs can’t always keep up with growth. Limited IT resources and outdated infrastructure further slow down content operations.
These inefficiencies can lead to duplicated work, lost resources and messaging misalignment—factors that may erode customer trust and damage brand reputation.
ROI key findings from Forrester report
In 2021 we teamed up with Forrester Consulting to analyze the Total Economic Impact™(TEI) of using Digizuite DAM (now KeyShot Dock)
According to the findings, investing in KeyShot Dock can give you an impressive 184% return on investment (ROI) – which is basically equivalent to a net present value of $1.22 million. To better understand the benefits, costs, and risks, Forrester interviewed five decision-makers who have experienced Digizuite firsthand.
The study found that using our DAM platform provides tons of benefits to enterprise companies like:
- Boosting content distribution efficiency by $1.5 million
- Cutting content creation time by 30% with improved search capabilities and AI tagging
- Saving $153,000 through platform consolidation, and
- Delivering an exceptional ROI of 184% over three years.
It also streamlines omnichannel content management, leading to increased sales volumes, revenue, and all-in-all a much more improved brand compliance.
Benefits for manufacturers investing in KeyShot Dock
A boost in content distribution efficiency
DAM platforms like KeyShot Dock help manufacturers and distributors improve content distribution workflows, according to the Forrester report.
With AI-powered tagging, advanced search and automated workflows, teams can quickly locate and share assets that are crucial for global sales teams needing fast access to up-to-date content.
Forrester found that digital marketing teams saved up to 90% of the time previously spent handling asset requests. Field reps also cut search time in half, leading to a projected value of $1.47 million over three years, even after accounting for risk.
Enhanced content creation productivity
In today’s global, digital-first market, content productivity is critical, especially for manufacturers. According to Forrester, a robust DAM system like KeyShot Dock can streamline workflows and reduce manual tasks for content teams.
Improved search, uploading and tagging features helped cut content creators’ workloads by 30%, allowing them to focus more on creativity and high-impact content.
The result: a three-year present value of $263,186 for the composite company in the report, considering any typical risk factors.
Cut costs through platform consolidation
By retiring outdated tools and saving developer time, the composite company saw a projected three-year value of $152,631.
DAM helps eliminate redundant applications, lowering expenses tied to licensing, maintenance and development, especially beneficial for enterprises managing assets across multiple departments and teams.
DAM Offers Flexibility for Manufacturing Needs
DAM systems give manufacturers the flexibility to adapt to their specific requirements and custom workflows. By integrating with tools like content management systems (CMS) and creative software such as Adobe, DAM empower businesses to leverage tailored solutions and support customized processes across teams.
Additional Unquantified Benefits
Beyond measurable gains, DAM implementation offers added value, according to the Forrester report. Manufacturers and distributors reported improved omnichannel content management, stronger brand compliance and increased sales opportunities and revenue growth.
These benefits further boost operational efficiency and competitiveness across the industry.
Try the ROI cost saving calculator
Curious to test what you can save by implementing KeyShot Dock? Use the calculations from the Forrester report to calculate your potential yearly savings by adding your numbers in the fields highlighted in white. (the example numbers are from the report, for more information and methodology please read full report)
Marketing and content teams responding to content requests
Total hours spent per year: |
[50] workers x [2] hours x 48 weeks = 4,800 hours |
Hourly rate per person: |
[100,000] $ / 48 weeks / 5 days / 8 hours = 52 $ |
Total annual cost: |
52 $ x 4,800 = 249,600 $ |
Total annual cost saving: |
The Forrester report shows that our DAM reduces time spent on responding to content requests by 90%: 249,600 $ x 0.9 = 224,640 $ With the assumption that all users spend 50% of their time saved on other work tasks the cost saving per year is: 224,640 $ x 0,5 = 112,320 $ cost saving per year |
Total annual cost saving (risk-adjusted): |
To account for risks like change management and migration Forrester adjust the savings downward by 20%: 112,320 $ – 20% = 89,856 $ cost saving per year |
Sales teams searching for assets
Total hours spent per year: |
[500] workers x [2] hours x 48 weeks = 48,000 hours |
Hourly rate per person: |
[90,000] $ / 48 weeks / 5 days / 8 hours = 47 $ |
Total annual cost: |
47 $ x 48,000 = 2,256,600 $ |
Total annual cost saving: |
The Forrester report shows that our DAM reduces time spent on responding to content requests by 50%: 2,256,00 $ x 0.5 = 1,128,000 $ With the assumption that all users spend 50% of their time saved on other work tasks the cost saving per year is: 1,128,000 $ x 0,5 = 564,000 $ cost saving per year |
Total annual cost saving (risk-adjusted): |
To account for risks like change management and migration Forrester adjust the savings downward by 20%: 564,000 $ – 20% = 451,200 $ cost saving per year |
Content creators producing and uploading assets
Total hours spent per year: |
[50] workers x [8] hours x 48 weeks = 19,200 hours |
Hourly rate per person: |
[80,000] $ / 48 weeks / 5 days / 8 hours = 42 $ |
Total annual cost: |
42 $ x 19,200 = 806,400 $ |
Total annual cost saving: |
The Forrester report shows that our DAM reduces time spent on responding to content requests by 30%: 806,400 $ x 0.3 = 241,920 $ With the assumption that all users spend 50% of their time saved on other work tasks the cost saving per year is: 241,920 $ x 0,5 = 120,960 $ cost saving per year |
Total annual cost saving (risk-adjusted): |
To account for risks like change management and migration Forrester adjust the savings downward by 20%: 120,960 $ – 20% = 96,768 $ cost saving per year |
