The Challenge
Tell us about yourself and the nature of your work
I am the CEO and founder of Salvamento Academy . I created this company over 10 years ago with the aim of promoting safety and training in Italy using high-quality, cutting-edge tools. I have some experience in the field of information technology, so I know how important it is to stay up to date with technological advances that can improve our work.
As a company manager, I create and organize new courses and projects in collaboration with leading experts and organizations, such as doctors, universities, and government ministries, to ensure that the training we provide meets the highest standards.
Matteo Mazzei
Head of Social Media and Website Management
Stefano Mazzei
Founder & CEO of Salvamento Academy
Antonella Mazzei
Head of Secretariat, Accounting, and Logistics
What challenges did you face before using Kotobee?
It was crucial for us to find a platform with a reliable DRM system to protect our digital training materials. Unfortunately, we have encountered numerous cases of plagiarism and unauthorized distribution. For instance, some organizations that are not affiliated with us were using our manuals without permission. Not only did this cause us some financial losses, but it also
harmed our reputation and created confusion among our clients. Some learners believed they were training with Salvamento Academy, when in fact they were receiving lower-quality instruction from people misusing our materials. That is when ensuring that only our official instructors and operators could access our content became a top priority.
What potential solutions did you explore that didn’t work out?
We tried other platforms that offer similar services, but for several reasons, Kotobee proved to be the best choice. One important factor was how our learners access the material. With Kotobee, the process is simple and user-friendly, and now the ebooks are not only secure but also have an intuitive, visually appealing interface.
“Today, more than 60% of our manual sales are digital. Our affiliated training partners and participants now appreciate the lower cost and fast access.”
The Solution
How did you hear about Kotobee?
By searching online for DRM-integrated systems.
What drove you to choose Kotobee?
Beyond the DRM functionality, we value how easy Kotobee is for course participants to navigate (not everyone is tech-friendly). From the administrator’s side, the management tools are straightforward and effective. And finally, we greatly appreciate the rapid support that Kotobee’s team provides.
What specific aspect of your ebook are you most proud of?
Using Kotobee Cloud to distribute our ebooks has made everything much easier. We can update, change, or correct our materials instantly, without dealing with costly reprints like we used to with paper manuals. For our users, it means they always benefit from having access to a product that’s updated, interactive, and easy to reach from anywhere.
The Results
What metrics do you use to measure the success of your project? Has Kotobee affected those metrics in any way?
Kotobee has given our affiliated training partners a faster, more convenient way to purchase and distribute our course materials, without having to worry about the time and cost of shipping. And because digital manuals are lightweight, space-saving, and always just a click away, the adoption process has grown steadily, even though there was initial skepticism about replacing paper with ebooks. Today, more than 60% of our manual sales are digital!
We also sell ebooks at a lower price than paperbacks, which saves on printing, shipping, and storage while encouraging digital purchases. Many of our customers have given us positive feedback; they rarely regret not buying the paper version, and they usually encounter no technical issues. Of course, some of them still prefer paper copies, and occasionally some users ask for help with codes or access on different devices or browsers, but our support team resolves these cases quickly.
“Unauthorized use of our materials caused both financial and reputational damage. Kotobee’s DRM gave us the protection we needed.”
The Future
What are your plans for the future?
We are already moving toward a digital-first approach, creating new courses and manuals exclusively in digital format. Print is now reserved for special events or for companies and organizations that specifically request it.
Looking ahead, our goal is to expand digital adoption even further, while still keeping paper manuals available for those occasional needs. We are also considering offering printed manuals for individual purchase through our e-commerce site to give our customers an additional option if they prefer a physical copy.
