[Part 2] Success story: Fashion Factory's digital transformation

Hello Lucas. After this short break, let's get back to work: how did the collaboration between Fashion Factory and Inforca go, and what elements of our approach do you think were key to the success of the project?

The synergy between the various stakeholders was a key element in the success of the project. To tell you the truth, this project started in October 2023, but I had already started the scoping in September with Fashion Factory. As this project has become one of my main missions, I've devoted a significant amount of my time to it (although it's not my exclusive activity). The first exchanges with Inforca took place in mid-October (2023). I spent some time with Yohann to frame the project before presenting it to Alberto Rossi, so that he could validate the roadmap.

At the beginning, the collaboration mainly focused on interactions between myself, Alberto, the Fashion Factory team, Yohann and gradually the developers, as well as Sylvère, who was in charge of the UX. What we particularly appreciated was the flexibility of the approach. We therefore opted for a proof of concept (POC), i.e. a demonstration to address the core of the application and meet the main need, without going into the technical details.

The prototype was developed by the Inforca team on the basis of this framing and mock-up, with the aim of producing a working prototype in early 2025. The idea was to show that the application could be built around a clear roadmap, focusing on the main functionality. This approach, as opposed to more traditional methods which frame a project in terms of six months to a year of development, proved to be better suited to an SME like Fashion Factory. The advantage was that, even without being fed with business data, the prototype worked, which meant it could be tested immediately with the Fashion Factory teams and validated quickly by management.

I particularly appreciated this step-by-step working method, which was validated from the outset and implemented efficiently.

The first concrete results were immediately visible thanks to this prototyping, which not only enabled the application to be tested but also to be validated by management.

This then enabled us to divide the overall project into several stages and incorporate elements specific to the Giraudi Group. This is where the Group's technical team, with whom I work, came in. Integrating the central system (i.e. the Infor M3 ERP used by the whole group) was necessary both for business monitoring reasons and for purely functional reasons. Although sometimes complicated to configure, an ERP brings together all the functions that are essential for running a business based on a long-term industrial model. As a result, it has made it possible to centralise systems and avoid their multiplication, and by extension potential higher operating costs.

After this implementation, what concrete results did you observe and how did these results impact your company?

The success of the prototyping played a fundamental role, as it enabled us to validate the concepts quickly and save time in the scoping phase of the overall project. By tackling the main functionality from the outset, a large part of the work was completed, and trust between Inforca, Fashion Factory and the Giraudi Group was quickly established. This trust greatly facilitated exchanges and problem-solving.

Today, another tangible result is the integration of two technical teams into the project: Inforca's technical team and that of the Giraudi group. The latter comprises two people, a developer and an M3 expert, as well as myself, who supervises exchanges between Inforca and Fashion Factory. We're making good progress: even though the final application has not yet been deployed, the foundations are solid. The 'submerged part of the iceberg', i.e. all the intelligence and data flows in the background, is already operational, although still in the development phase. The APIs put in place enable effective communication between the ERP and the application developed by Inforca.

The choice of M3 ERP as the engine of the application was not obvious at the outset, but thanks to the flexibility and open-mindedness of Yohann and his team, we were able to integrate this system effectively.

Even though they were not familiar with this ERP, they were determined to extract the necessary information in collaboration with our team. This shows great adaptability on the part of Inforca, which was very much appreciated.

In addition, setting up a dedicated communication channel at Inforca for this project was an excellent initiative. It greatly facilitates exchanges between the teams. Their work is highlighted and communication is fluid. My role at this stage is mainly to ensure that the progress of the work is properly communicated to Fashion Factory's management (in close collaboration with Yohann and his team). To be honest, I have no doubts about the quality of the work in progress. Internally, within the Giraudi group, the team is also very satisfied with the relationship and the level of technical exchanges. That's not always the case with this type of project, and that's a really positive point.

In the light of these initial results, would you recommend Inforca to other companies, and if so, for what specific reasons?

Yes, I would recommend your company without hesitation. People I knew in the public sector who Inforca had worked for had recommended you, which gave me confidence. The specific reasons why I would recommend you are linked to the quality of customer support. What I've often stressed to Yohann is that, although Inforca provided us with an excellent technical service, the aspect that was most appreciated was the customer support and advice. That made all the difference.

Having someone who really understands the company's needs, who doesn't try to impose his vision, but who builds a project based on Fashion Factory's real needs and existing processes, is what was most appreciated.

Yohann and his team were able to clearly explain the technical limitations when necessary, without ambiguity, but they never tried to force a ready-made solution. Instead, they sought to maintain and improve Fashion Factory's key processes, a point that was very well received by management.
They were able to understand the issues and adapt to our needs. They didn't propose a preconceived solution. This flexibility and personalised support are major assets, especially at a time when we were looking for a real partner to support us.

Interview by Alisée F, Digital Development and Events Manager at Inforca, with Lucas Pieroni, Project Manager at the Giraudi Group.