“I have always been interested in innovation and performance improvement. When I heard that Fit 4 Digital helps SMEs to put digital tools in place in order to become more profitable and efficient, I saw this as an excellent opportunity for us,” says Georges Mischel, General Manager of Garage Mischel. “I knew that we had the potential to improve our use of information technology and found the combined offer of expert support and co-funding from the Ministry of the Economy very attractive.”
Garage Mischel sells and rents several different brands of gardening machinery – chain saws, bush cutters, lawn mowers, micro tractors and so on – as well as specialised forestry, cleaning and civil engineering equipment and protective clothing. The company also offers reparation and maintenance services. Its Fit 4 Digital participation started with an in-depth analysis of all aspects of its activity, undertaken by a reliable specialist, approved by Luxinnovation. The aim was to determine where and how the company could benefit from using information and communication technologies.
Internet sales boost
“We started off by reviewing our website, which was a bit outdated,” says Mr Mischel. “We sold almost nothing through the site, the main reason being that we just didn’t have the time to publish what we had for sale.” Together with the Fit 4 Digital expert, a modern and attractive website was designed. It includes a catalogue that provides an overview of Garage Mischel’s complete offer. The entire staff was trained and now contributes to keeping the site up to date. Two months after its launch online, the positive effects can already be seen.
“We always have some second-hand equipment for sale, and usually these machines sit around the shop for quite some time,” says Mr Mischel. “To my astonishment, they were sold almost immediately once they had been posted on the new website. The site has also helped new clients discover our rental programme, and the demand is increasing.” To speed up payments, Garage Mischel introduced the electronic Digicash system, which allows clients to pay via smartphone by scanning a QR code on their invoice. This has had a positive effect on the company’s cash flow.
The key to enhancing quality
Fit 4 Digital has also had an impact on the internal communication and daily management of Garage Mischel. An internal messaging service has been developed where tasks to be done are introduced and assigned to the person concerned. “With everything being done in writing less things are forgotten, and it is much easier for me to follow up together with my heads of department,” Mr Mischel explains. He also outlines the electronic management system set up in the repair and maintenance workshop. The status of each machine is indicated in the system and updated throughout the work process. Once a piece of equipment has been finalised, the company has introduced a compulsory quality check. The client is notified that the machine can be picked up or delivered only after this quality control has proven to be satisfactory.
In order to further improve the daily management of the company, Mr Mischel and his colleagues are now setting up dashboards based on business intelligence tools. He is very satisfied with the outcomes of his participation in Fit 4 Digital. “The whole process has helped us improve the overall quality of our services,” he concludes. “Service quality is our strength and what makes our clients come back. With our new tools, new clients quickly discover what level of quality they can count on when dealing with us.”
Digital tools have a high potential to help your company become more efficient, more profitable and more attractive for your clients. Luxinnovation’s Fit 4 Digital programme can help you to take the next step toward digital transformation.
Luxinnovation contributes to the economic development of Luxembourg by fostering innovation, fuelling international growth and attracting foreign direct investment and is supported by: Ministry of the Economy, Ministry for Higher Education and Research, Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, Luxembourg Chamber of Skilled Crafts and FEDIL – The Voice of Luxembourg’s Industry.