CASE STUDY

Groupe Deschênes

Transactional sites

+25

Clients encountered in the research process

+100

Branches with synchronized product availability

FIND OUT HOW WE DID IT

Adviso’s support and expertise in this large-scale web project allowed us to quickly understand what challenges we were up against, and find solutions just as quickly. With their multidisciplinary support, Adviso helped us push our limits and offer our customers an e-commerce ecosystem that surpassed our expectations.

Pedro Silva

Marketing & E-Commerce Director

STRATEGIC PLANNING OF OMNICHANNEL BUSINESS

Groupe Deschênes is the biggest Canadian-owned distributor of products and equipment for building services (plumbing, heating, electricity, CVAC/R and fire protection), water and sewage systems, and car parts. It operates several sites specifically targeting specialized contractors. Over the past few years, Adviso supported Groupe Deschênes in the launch of e-commerce initiatives for its eight principal subsidiaries, and in the organization of a catalogue to support these eight businesses, containing more than 100,000 products. Targeting very specific B2B markets from coast to coast, these sites allow a pool of entrepreneurs and tradespeople to access detailed product information and, when they log in, to see their prices, as well as the status of their orders and accounts. Furthermore, it allows them to place complex orders, obtain online estimates, or merchandise releases.

Learn more about their digital transformation in Les Affaires. [French only]

CHALLENGES RELATED TO THE PROJECT

Respond to the specific needs of specific B2B clienteles (contractors, buyers, plumbers, electricians, service or parts clerks, etc.)

Create and offer a site management structure that meets the needs of the different Group companies

Support the Group in setting up a global marketing and e-commerce team that can work together with the brand teams; assist in the hiring and start-up of this team;

Coordinated launch of 8 sites, most of which are bilingual, both on mobile and desktop;

Consistently organize a catalog of more than 100,000 heterogeneous products, ranging from small generic parts to very expensive and complex devices

Clearly display availability in a network of more than 100 branches that can offer order pick-up or deliver the goods to the customer

Support complex order cycles including quote management, phased release of goods, replenishment, etc.

Allow different levels of access within a customer account reflecting the complexity of B2B customers: some employees have a limited budget, others cannot see prices or account statements, etc.

STRATEGIES DEPLOYED BY
ADVISO

Strategic planning for 8 B2B e-commerce sites

Access to the account and availability 24/7, delivery in less than 24 hours in store or on site, monitoring of out-of-stock items, request for quotes, renewals, etc., advanced search for amenities and layouts

In-depth design of the user experience: interviews, focus groups and user tests with construction contractors (Group customers) and employee representatives in 3 Canadian cities

Design of the web platform: tree structure, functional models, dynamic prototype, detailed specifications

User tests with targeted clients and Group employees to validate the dynamic functional prototype

Assistance in choosing the technological platform and the web development firm

Support for the technical teams of the client and its other suppliers during development

Continuous support in digital strategy, user experience and performance measurement

Support in setting up a marketing and e-commerce team