The challenge

As a leading brand in label printing solutions, DYMO, part of Newell Brands, is committed to delivering high-quality, long-lasting and eco-friendly products. However, the market was evolving and competition was getting more fierce thanks to new technologies. As many competitors introduced Bluetooth-enabled printers, DYMO faced increasing pressure to keep up with evolving customer expectations without compromising its reputation for quality.

While DYMO had deep expertise in printer hardware, they lacked in-house knowledge of connectivity and mobile app development, critical elements for a seamless user experience. They needed a partner to help integrate the latest connectivity features into their existing consumer label printer. This printer had to maintain the reliability and performance their customers trusted, as well as remain compatible with current print tapes.

To bridge this gap, DYMO turned to Verhaert’s Digital Innovation and Product Innovation teams for support in developing a stable, user-friendly, and future-proof solution. A successful collaboration that later inspired them to extend the same connectivity enhancements to their business-focused printers.

Approach & solution

In this project, we adopted a design-first approach, focusing on the ideal user experience from the start instead of being constrained by technical limitations. Initial app mockups were based on an in-depth analysis of competitor apps and DYMO’s brand guidelines. These were later refined through continuous feedback loops and testing. Because the general scope was clear early on, the development team could start working on the groundwork features right away, making the process both agile and efficient. 

Multidisciplinary collaboration was key in this project: DYMO’s deep hardware expertise on the one hand and Verhaert’s fresh digital insights on app development and Bluetooth connectivity on the other. The biggest breakthrough? Shifting label design from the device to the app. Previously, users were limited to the device’s built-in options. Now, the app sends an image of the design to the printer, dramatically increasing design possibilities and enabling future feature updates via software too.

This shift wasn’t without challenges. Image-based printing wasn’t what the print head was designed for. It only supported black and white, 30-dot resolution. To mitigate this, we developed an entire custom system to translate font sizes, styles and decoration correctly, compatible with both iOS and Android.

Another hurdle was Android’s Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) requirements, which demanded location access and was very confusing to users. Since this couldn’t be removed, we enhanced in-app communication to improve transparency, which boosted app ratings.

The overall result? An intuitive label creation experience with smooth Bluetooth connectivity. Building on this success, DYMO extended the solution to its business printers, introducing more advanced features like QR codes and barcodes while maintaining a shared code base for easier maintenance and future updates.

Impact & results

Since launching the upgraded consumer label printer and companion app, it has had over 150,000 downloads and a solid 3.5/5 rating on Android. Thanks to the direct feedback through (in-)app reviews, DYMO now has access to real customer insights. An invaluable upgrade from the limited feedback loop they previously had through online retail stores. This success story didn’t stop at the consumer product: it sparked ongoing collaboration on their business devices and other firmware innovation trajectories, extending the positive impact across their entire product lineup.

Although shifting the design process from the device to the app was one of the biggest challenges in this project, it was well worth the effort in the end. This upgrade gives new creative possibilities for users and opens the door to exciting future innovations like AI features, in-app purchases, single sign-on features and custom font designs. And that’s not all, it also unlocked new markets, including non-Latin and character-based languages, giving DYMO a broader global reach.

Key takeaways

This project highlights several key insights that can inspire other companies looking to modernize their products without overhauling their entire lineup.

  • Connectivity doesn’t require a full redesign: The project demonstrated that businesses can seamlessly integrate new tech and features into their current products, creating effective app connections without having to redesign the entire product.
  • Focus on the app experience for simplicity: By prioritizing the app design first, we could easily create a streamlined, intuitive user experience, only adding the most essential features. This way you avoid missing app opportunities and having to simplify a complicated concept later in the process.
  • The strength of the backend: While the app’s front end may appear simple, the true complexity lies in building a reliable, robust backend. Ensuring seamless functionality between the device and the app requires a close-knit multidisciplinary approach to address both front-end and back-end challenges.
Any questions?
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Steven Poelmans
Manager Innovation Acceleration

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