Discover Argon 18's incredible growth: high-end bikes sold in over 75 countries, a Tour de France stage win and a bronze medal at the Rio Summer Olympics. Frédéric Piché, Director of Information Technology at Argon 18, shares his observations on Fidelio ERP’s role as a vital support in the company’s expansion.
Passion and business leads to success and prestige.
The start gate
After ending his career as a professional cyclist in 1990, a career which made him three-time Canadian Road Champion and which allowed him to compete at the 1988 Olympics Games in Seoul, Gervais Rioux foundedArgon 18. The company handles the design, the engineering and the manufacturing of those high-end performance bikes distributed all around the world.
Now a world leader, the company has been growing since its creation; going from success to success. However, when an SMB reaches a certain stage of expansion, expertise is no longer sufficient and administrative tasks can slow down the company’s growth if they aren’t optimized.
Designing and manufacturing bikes for the entire Danish track cycling team within a year is the kind of challenge that Argon 18 is able to face. The implementation of an ERP system has allowed Argon 18 to achieve its ambitious goals…
The breakaway
In cycling lingo, a breakaway refers to the moment when one or several runners break away from the pack to occupy the top position of the race. One of the assets that supported Argon 18 in its amazing breakaway was the implementation of the Fidelio ERP software. Within 3 years, the SMB went from 34 to 55 employees. How did Fidelio help propel Argon 18 towards its current success?
« This growth definitely wouldn’t have had the same impact without software such as Fidelio. » Frédéric Piché, information systems manager at Argon 18
Consistent and centralized information
In this case, the consistence of the information is the key. Previously, Argon 18 used a “homemade” database, an accounting system, and a payroll system. Information duplication was common, and the potential to make mistakes was high. With Fidelio ERP software, accounts receivable and payable are linked to the inventory, and everything is accessible in one spot.Accounting managementlinked toinventorynow allows for abetter view of the operations in real time. For example, the a class="link_undecorated" href="/en/Page/fidelio-erp/purchasing">purchase suggestion module with transit location facilitates the evaluation of manufacturing potential. By having access to the reception dates of the raw materials, it’s now possible to precisely predict the delivery date of an order.
Overall, they didn’t want to deal anymore with paper bills to be entered manually in the accounting system, and then in the database. It was necessary to centralize the data so that the administrative management tasks wouldn’t be a burden refraining the company from reaching its full potential growth.
How does the purchase suggestion works in Fidelio ERP software? Contact us for more details.
The yellow jersey
The consecration of a cyclist is symbolized by the yellow jersey. The reputation of Argon 18 is well established, but then, how did the company’s success become reality and how did the Fidelio ERP software play a major role in it?
Improving customer satisfaction with e-commerce
For Argon 18,e-commerce is only effective on a B2B level: with its shops and retail distributors. The company uses this module to optimize order taking and follow-ups.
The time spent by thecustomer serviceto handle inventory requests, to enter orders in the system or to answer price requests is significantly reduced. Customer satisfaction is increased because they have access to all the information they need in a click. No more wasted time and frustration!
From now on, it’s possible for their retail distribution customers to access real-time inventory and place orders based on available stocks anywhere around the world. Therefore, Argon 18 doesn’t lose sales: the retailer is able to take orders on the spot with the customer. Buyers are prevented from going somewhere else while waiting for an answer.
In short, the company is much more responsive thanks to the data available in the e-commerce module.
Any question about e-commerce with Fidelio ERP software?Contact us!
Flexibility and future opportunities
From a technical point of view, the flexibility and the ability to customize the system have greatly helped making a difference in optimizing their business processes. Plus, when you have some programming skills like Frederic Piche, this freedom of customization is much appreciated.
An ERP system is therefore the best ally that a company can have in times of strong growth.
Mission accomplished for Fidelio ERP software at Argon18!
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