From decentralization to digital centralization: How Socoda modernized its B2B network

The Socoda Group is a vast network of more than 200 independent distributors in the construction and industrial sectors. Transitioning from decentralized operations to a centralized digital platform was crucial for modernizing their operational processes and improving efficiency.

Challenges: digitalization, centralization, and efficiency

The COVID-19 health crisis highlighted the urgent need for digital transformation at the Socoda Group. The distributor network was operating on traditional business models, but there was a clear need for:

• A direct digital interface with their customers to provide access to product catalogs, pricing, and inventory.
• The ability to create shopping carts and personalized quotes.
• An efficient system to manage logistics and pool inventory across the entire network.

"We needed a B2B expert capable of offering a flexible solution that could grow and develop with us. Someone who thinks outside the box. With a more traditional solution provider, that wasn't possible."
‍‍_{Henri Danzin, Marketing and Sales Director, Socoda Group.}

Solution: a flexible and centralized B2B platform

To address these challenges, Socoda implemented the DJUST B2B e-commerce solution, which allowed all independent distributors to launch an online store tailored to B2B needs. The key features of the solution included:

• Customizable online stores: Distributors can design and build their online stores based on their specific products and customers.
• Virtual inventory pooling: A new inventory pooling tool that allows each distributor to view the stock levels of other distributors in the network for efficient supply management.
• High supply capacity: The virtual central inventory system improves supply capacity, allowing distributors to quickly achieve the best results for customers without losing the value of the network.

Key benefits for Socoda:

• Flexible and modern tools: Enable the Socoda network to digitize rapidly and meet specific customer needs while maintaining close relationships.
• Turnkey platform: Provides a ready-to-use platform for members looking to launch their B2B online store, benefiting from better data visibility and increased productivity.
• Comprehensive ERP integrations: Ensures seamless connection with existing systems for increased operational efficiency.
• Infinite flexibility: The platform adapts to evolving market needs and the specific requirements of distributors.

"DJUST understands our mindset and our challenges, which allows us to have a true partnership today."
_{‍Henri Danzin, Marketing and Sales Director, Group Socoda.}

Results: improved efficiency and customer satisfaction

Thanks to these innovations, Socoda has overcome initial challenges and significantly improved its operational efficiency. By providing a flexible and centralized digital platform, Socoda has ensured that its distributors can maintain the unique value of the network while offering enhanced services to their customers.

Ambition: Modernize the distribution network and improve customer satisfaction through digital transformation.

Future projects: Continuously improve the platform, onboard new distributors, and explore new features to enhance the overall user experience.

Socoda's transformation illustrates the power of innovative technologies and strategic partnerships to revolutionize traditional distribution networks. By leveraging DJUST's expertise, Socoda has set a new standard for efficiency and customer satisfaction in the B2B distribution sector.

AI Module: Automating Order Processing for Sales Administration

Beyond the online stores that allow its members to launch their own e-commerce sites, Socoda has developed with DJUST an ordering platform dedicated to its key account clients. Members make their stock and negotiated prices available, while Socoda handles the processing and dispatching of orders for key accounts or public procurement contracts.

In this context, Socoda receives dozens of orders by email every day, in highly heterogeneous formats. To streamline this processing, Socoda has integrated the DJUST AI module, natively integrated into the product suite, to support the work of its sales administration. The main benefits of the solution were as follows:

• Automatic reading and structuring: The AI interprets orders received by email, regardless of their format, and transforms them into directly actionable orders.
• Extensive product recognition: The module identifies and processes products, including those not listed in the catalog.
• Fluid ERP integration: Orders are prepared for automatic integration into the ERP, thus eliminating the risks of errors linked to manual re-entry.

Thanks to this innovation, an order that previously required up to 2 to 3 hours of product research and re-entry into the ERP is now processed in 15 to 30 minutes depending on its complexity, which means 70 to 80% less processing time. Sales administration thus gains considerable time to focus on tenders, strengthen customer relations, ensure better follow-up, etc. Tasks that were previously more complicated to perform, or even impossible.

Key figure: 70 to 80% time saved on processing an order received by email, from 2 to 3 hours down to just 15 to 30 minutes.