How YMCA Services Occitanie Embraced Change and Efficiency

YMCA Services Occitanie is a French company located in Cornebarrieu, close to Toulouse. This company is a symbol of progress in both social and economic aspects. The organization is a conglomerate under the French Law of 1901 and includes YMCA ESMS Occitanie and its subsidiary, YMCA Services Occitanie. This group represents a significant force in the social economy, with 800 dedicated members working daily to create an inclusive society by merging social utility with efficiency.

The organization is dedicated to creating job opportunities and structured career paths for individuals with disabilities by providing a range of services, such as logistics, manufacturing, production support, and landscaping, that cater to the unique needs of each employee.

To know more about the company: www.ymca-services-occitanie.com/  

The Right Switch to Make the Click

YMCA Services Occitanie encountered significant logistical and operational challenges before integrating Odoo into its operations in July 2022. The company was struggling with a fragmented IT infrastructure that had multiple end-of-life tools. These tools presented a high risk of obsolescence and required onerous management of numerous interfaces. The organization used different tools for various activities within the same operational scope, which complicated day-to-day operations and hindered efficiency across departments.

Their previous solutions included Solune, Clipper, and extensive reliance on Excel, which, while familiar, failed to meet the growing needs of the organization, particularly in terms of integration and real-time data sharing.

The decision to switch to Odoo was driven by the need for a single platform that could integrate multiple aspects of YMCA Services Occitanie's operations. This included HR, sales, manufacturing, customer relationship management, and more. Odoo was chosen because of its extensive range of applications that promised an efficient and user-friendly experience. Currently, more than 100 active users are engaging with applications across a wide range of areas, such as HR, purchasing, sales, accounting, CRM, stock, manufacturing, project management, quality control, maintenance, assistance, and mass mailing.

The implementation process started in April 2022. The first operational phases were launched by July 2022, beginning with purchasing and sales modules. The rollout was carried out in a strategic and phased manner, with subsequent modules being introduced progressively. The HR module was included by the end of the year, and accounting, production, and planning modules were planned to be added in 2023.

The company conducted workshops to define processes, extensively tested Odoo before importing master data, and provided training courses on each topic. This proactive approach significantly eased adoption across the organization.

YMCA Services Occitanie initially faced resistance, particularly from the accounting department, which was accustomed to traditional tools. However, they managed to overcome these hurdles through training and perseverance. Major roadblocks, such as resistance to change and concerns over data confidentiality, were addressed by engaging employees in training sessions and demonstrating the new system's benefits.

The implementation of Odoo software has resulted in significant operational improvements. The system's user-friendly design and real-time data-sharing capabilities have greatly reduced the reliance on outdated Excel files and have improved remote working practices. The traceability of information, time savings, and the digitization of processes have significantly improved productivity and operational efficiency across all departments.

Measure the Benefits, Enjoy the Outcome

Since implementing Odoo, YMCA Services Occitanie has observed measurable improvements in its operations. The platform has not only simplified the user interface but also brought under one umbrella previously disparate tools, thereby enhancing the overall workflow and data management.

Unexpectedly, Odoo also proved beneficial for a specific activity with one of their major customers, initially intended to be managed through something other than Odoo. The positive outcomes from the initial implementation phases encouraged the company to extend Odoo's application to this area, further consolidating its operational tools into a single, cohesive system.

Overall, YMCA Services Occitanie is more than satisfied with the solution provided by Odoo as it helped foster an environment of growth and innovation in the company, especially in sectors committed to social and solidarity economy.

“Odoo has made it possible to share information in real time between all the business lines. This avoids having Excel files all over the place, which are rarely updated.”
- YMCA Services Occitanie

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