BIB students advise Boulanger on their “Service As A Product” strategy
03/27/2023
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During their “Fundamentals of Strategy” course, the 3rd year students of the Bachelor in International Business turned into consultants to work on real issues proposed by companies in relation with their strategy and business model, and to advise them on concrete actions to implement. In previous years, large international groups (Leroy Merlin, Kiabi…) as well as small and medium-sized companies (such as Echappée Bière or Grand Scène) had already benefited from the advice of the BIB students during the “Business Model and Innovation” module, coming from all over the world and thus having a very international vision.
This year, Boulanger presented them with a case study on the theme: “How can Boulanger develop “Product As A Service” offers in the field of electronic products to propose a new mode of consumption, based on use rather than on ownership?
Founded in 1954 in France, Boulanger specializes in home appliances and multimedia. With almost 208 stores in France and Europe and 9,000 employees, Boulanger offers its customers the best of new technologies in the world of entertainment and the house. Boulanger’s mission is to help everyone take full advantage of the connected world through a more fair, sustainable and shared use – being “So Good Together”.
As early as 2013, the company launched a major sustainable transformation plan, relating both to the brand’s energy and ecological development, and to helping its consumers move towards a more sustainable consumption. Equipment rental and trade-in services to promote second-hand use, as well as the development of repair services, are some of the solutions offered to customers to encourage them to adopt a more sustainable and responsible way of life and consumption. The issue submitted to the students is therefore in line with the company strategy.
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On March 21, Michael ROGUÉ (Boulanger’s Planet Leader) came with Pascale COQUEREL (Director of Transformation and Organization of Services), Delphine GARBE (Director of Performance Services), Hakim NAILI (Director of the Services offer) and David TOURQUETIL (Director of the Services and Circular Economy Department) to attend the students’ presentations. “It was the first time I asked students to work on a business case, and I must say that I was impressed by both the quality of the presentations and the proposals made by these young advisors. When I proposed this topic, I did not expect to receive so many different and very advanced actions. Each group thought of something different and provided concrete ideas to test and make their own… The students especially confirmed that we already had interesting business models (around rental, second life, repair…) but that we needed to think about how to make them more powerful, better known by our customers. What I particularly appreciate is that there are as many quick wins as long-term actions. On behalf of Boulanger, I sincerely thank them for their time and their involvement, which translates into very professional and valuable services“, says Michael ROGUÉ.
Solution « Pay as You Go », campagne de notoriété, passage d’un modèle de distributeur à celui d’un fournisseur de service, réflexion sur l’utilité et l’utilisation des magasins par les clients et par les citoyens, transformation des sites Internet pour mieux prendre en compte les services de location et de réparation… les étudiants ont utilisé tout l’arsenal des connaissances acquises dans l’ensemble de leurs cours pour proposer à Boulanger ces actions concrètes.
“These business cases are essential for our students, as they benefit from real experience and interaction with companies by working on a concrete and interdisciplinary project. They thus apply all the knowledge they have acquired throughout their academic career, not only in the analysis of strategy and business models, but also in finance, marketing, human resources, sustainability… to take into account all the economic, social, societal and environmental factors and to respond as well as possible to the problem posed.
Working on business cases is a real demand from our students: this generation wants concrete, immediate feedback on their work. They expect us to provide quality and useful teaching, and inviting companies to take part in a real case is a way of meeting their needs. It also trains them to act as consultants, to give quality presentations and to learn how to best advise top managers of large companies. They gain self-confidence and posture, and this is also essential in their professional and personal development“, concludes Catherine ARCHAMBAULT, Professor of Strategy and Sustainability at IÉSEG.