France Frais
Development of a 24/7 digital ordering solution for France Frais, seamlessly integrated with the existing system, adapted to its federal organization and 129 subsidiaries, simplifying the customer experience, enhancing operational efficiency, and strengthening its digital presence.
Challenge & Objective:
First, expectations focused on end customers:
The ability to place orders 24/7 — until now, orders were only taken by phone, at specific times and on specific days.
Easier access to the full product range, which had previously been fragmented across different subsidiaries.
As a result, greater operational efficiency:
Human resources can now focus on solving complex issues rather than handling routine orders.
Increased sales volumes.
Streamlined communication and a smoother customer journey.
Enhanced visibility of the full product assortment.
All driven by a major ambition:
to make France Frais the leading network recognized for its digital experience.
The process :
First, by taking France Frais’ organization into account.
A federal structure encompassing 129 subsidiaries, with no central management, where each entity operates with true autonomy.
By proposing an adapted methodology.
How can you bring 129 subsidiaries on board a shared project to redesign their digital ecosystem?
Synako’s answer: an organization built around a central pilot (Synako) and ambassadors — the general managers of each subsidiary. Each ambassador relayed on-the-ground needs back to Synako, ensuring the development of a solution that is both global and locally adaptable.
By creating a solution seamlessly integrated into the existing ecosystem.
The challenge: onboarding 129 subsidiaries as smoothly as possible, without disrupting existing workflows or daily operations.
The answer: an architecture built upon the existing systems and evolving them — through a digital extension of the ERP (Tolède) and the media library (Baobase).
With one key requirement: the solution had to be immediately usable by all business teams.
Before
Fragmented functions and data.
An IT system unsuited to the growing number of product references and the diversity of customer profiles (commercial catering, institutional catering, bakeries, cheese shops, etc.).
After
Centralized and clearly organized data.
A structured architecture with functions centralized in well-defined locations.
Information accessible according to each customer profile’s specific needs.
By developing a user-centered approach, built on three key principles:
Addressing, in every detail, the specific context and diverse business needs of France Frais.
Ensuring that all stakeholders within the organization embrace and naturally adopt the proposed solution.
Engaging customers by offering a simpler, faster, and more efficient digital experience tailored to their needs.
Before
Internally:
Time-consuming phone orders requiring significant human resources
Unavoidable data entry time
Different organizational contexts across subsidiaries — varying in schedules, accounting methods, and delivery processes
Externally:
Clients constrained by strict operating hours
Difficult access to the full product catalog
A slow and cumbersome ordering process
After
Internally:
A solution minimizing the impact on existing organization and workflows
Greater pricing flexibility in the overall pricing strategy
Ultra-precise, real-time stock management
Custom management of favorites and recurring orders
Advanced and flexible cart management
Easy access to directly usable data: clear visibility on pricing, stock levels, and catalogs
Externally:
A personalized and intuitive ordering process
Advanced, user-friendly e-commerce navigation
A simplified and fully responsive purchasing experience
Immediate access to the entire product catalog
Result & Benefit:
From a technical standpoint, Synako succeeded in creating dual value:
For France Frais customers: a digital ordering experience that is more flexible, simpler, and more immediate.
For subsidiaries across the country: a reorganization of operations through a harmonious digital extension that respects the existing system.
From a human perspective, the solution was praised by both clients and internal teams. By continuously listening to the needs of each subsidiary, Synako successfully engaged France Frais employees, particularly the telesales teams, ensuring full adoption of the new solution.
Finally, France Frais has built a true digital asset: the company now owns its solution. Each day, it further amortizes its investment, and better yet, it can make the solution evolve over time, continuously increasing its long-term value.
