In this Blog post, we have decided to share with you about a project that is dear to all Komitters' hearts. As a company we are a team of people who want to do good. We wanted to share our experience hoping that you will find it inspiring and to promote La Boulangerie Française in the meantime.
Together we implemented an Odoo Project to support the social mission of La Boulangerie Française to provide high-quality training programs to vulnerable youth from all over Vietnam. The training programs are increasingly funded thanks to the sales of the breads baked by the students. Komit could help with the sales process!
We had the opportunity to interview Van who has been the Project Manager from IECD to lead La Boulangerie Française for 5 years and who has been our Point of Contact during the implementation of this project.
About La Boulangerie Française
https://shop.laboulangeriefrancaise.org/story
La Boulangerie Francaise is a social enterprise by European Institute of Cooperation and Development • www.iecd.org.vn
How they introduce themselves https://shop.laboulangeriefrancaise.org/story
At La Boulangerie Française, we have been dedicated to crafting authentic, hand-made French baked goods since 1999. We are passionate about delivering delicious bread and pastries to our loyal customers, but we are equally committed to making a positive impact in our community.
Through our high-quality training program, we have been able to provide sustainable careers to over a hundred of vulnerable youth from all over the country.
Why did you approach Komit in the first place? What problem were you facing?
As La Boulangerie Française was growing, there was a need to structure the data and processes. Excel was becoming too cumbersome, it was difficult to follow-up with the increasing amount of orders placed by the Customers who were interfacing with our team through a basic google form. It was time for us to improve efficiency and for that we needed new tools.
In 2021, La Boulangerie Française met with Komit and we started to talk about our organization and discovered how Odoo could help.
How did you decide to launch the project with Komit?
Komit believes in supporting the community around them and then decided to implement this project pro bono as we are a non profit social enterprise. Instead of supporting financially social causes, Komit has an approach to invest in social causes through the sharing of their expertise.
In the beginning, when we first saw Odoo in action, it was clear that it had some features that could really make a difference for La Boulangerie Française. These features were all geared towards supporting our everyday operations, from handling customer orders and planning our baking schedule to ensuring smooth deliveries and hassle-free customer payments.
As we continued with the demonstration, something became evident: not only could this tool streamline our existing processes, but it also opened the door for us to create a user-friendly e-commerce platform. It struck us that we could finally enable our customers to place orders online in a more conventional and efficient manner.
Komit team quickly understood the needs and requirements of La Boulangerie Française thanks to their many experiences in ERP projects servicing their regular customers.
What stood out to us at La Boulangerie Française was Komit's genuine commitment to support our journey. They were not only eager to provide the essential support and training but also exhibited a deep understanding of our needs, from gathering requirements to offering ongoing assistance post-launch. More than just technical expertise, it called for a profound grasp of our business processes, as well as empathy and a strong foundation in change management support.
Can you describe the different steps of the implementation project?
Our project started with an in-depth analysis, during which Komit meticulously documented our requirements. What impressed us was how their suggested solutions aligned with our needs. Instead of feeling like we had to bend over backwards to adapt to Odoo, it felt like Komit was crafting solutions that harmonized with Odoo's existing standards. This approach minimized the need for extensive customizations and made the entire process much smoother for us.
Note from Komit: less customizations means a more cost effective solution which is easier for long term maintenance.
Following the analysis phase, we transitioned to the development stage, which involved the creation of iterative versions. This approach allowed me to test and verify that the solution was aligned with our specific requirements.
Once the solution was taking shape, I took on the task of training our team, working closely with Komit to fine-tune every aspect. We began to use the solution internally, and later on, we enthusiastically rolled it out to our customers, empowering them to conveniently place orders online. A true metamorphosis that was gestated during the Covid pandemic.
Currently, our interactions with Komit are relatively minimal, mainly involving the implementation of minor improvements.
What were the challenges you have faced during the analysis, development and tests phase of the project ?
In the beginning, there was so much to delve into simultaneously: mastering the extensive features and configurations of Odoo, envisioning the final software product, and anticipating how both our team and customers would interact with it.
As is often the case, during the testing phases, we occasionally came across missed requirements or overlooked use cases, necessitating some fine-tuning. Fortunately, Komit was a dependable guide throughout the project. From the initial workshops where we discussed our requirements to the ongoing support provided through a chat channel, their continued assistance was invaluable.
What were the challenges you have faced during the training and rollout phase of the project ?
The most significant challenge in this journey was the training of the first member of our team. As the sole point of contact between La Boulangerie Française and Komit, I found myself facing a steep learning curve. Not only did I need to grasp the intricacies of the software, but I also had to figure out how to align our organization with its design and vice versa.
How did the members of your team welcome the projects and was it difficult to convince them to start using it?
I arranged a training session for the team, beginning with the online ordering process from our website, which sparked an enthusiastic "Wow!" response from everyone. This initial excitement made it effortless to showcase the numerous benefits the system had to offer. Throughout the training, I meticulously walked them through the utilization of each feature.
In the first few days, I dedicated extra time to working closely with our Sales Admin to ensure a smooth transition to the new system. It was vital that she felt confident using it and understood every step of the refined processes. Whenever I encountered a roadblock, I could always rely on Komit's support to swiftly provide solutions for any challenges we faced.
As time went on, our team took great pride in utilizing this professional software, which not only streamlined our operations but also significantly reduced the occurrence of mistakes.
How do you feel today that everything is in place? What benefits do you see? Do you feel that you have achieved your initial objectives?
Today, I couldn't be more pleased with how everything has fallen into place. The integration of the website and the tool has elevated the professionalism of our project. It's been a transformative journey, and the benefits are visible.
Firstly, the system has played a crucial role in training our team, helping them gain a better understanding of the flow in our Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). It's not just a tool; it's become a vital part of our learning process.
Moreover, the consolidation of customer orders has become significantly faster, which has had a ripple effect throughout our operations. This efficiency boost has translated into reduced communication overhead and production lead times. As a result, we can now provide faster responses and deliveries to our customers, enhancing their experience with us.
In retrospect, I can confidently say that our initial objectives have been fulfilled. It has also opened the door to further integrations with the addition of new modules. It would not have been possible without the invaluable support from Komit.
Thom, being the new manager, you have been discovering Odoo in the past 3 weeks, what is your first impression?
The tool is super powerful. At the moment, we only use a few of the functionalities and I have regular one-to-one sessions with the Komit team to go through specific issues, which is very helpful.
As a new PM starting to take on all aspects of the La Boulangerie Française, from the social business to the pedagogical project, it’s reassuring to work with Odoo and have Komit teams to support on technical issues. Everything runs smoothly through Odoo and I am starting to have new ideas of development such as improving the interface for a better customer experience.