World leader in software dedicated to interior design, 2020 Technologies makes over a third of its turnover from fitting-out firms, whom it equips, trains, and assists using ultra-customized methods and tools to help them raise their performance.
[EWe talk with Regis Blandin [France sales manager]
You are already present in the fitted kitchen market with sales assistance and 3D modelling software. Now you’re turning your attention to fitting-out manufacture. Why?
Indeed. We’ve been working with kitchen fitters for more than 20 years, offering them our 2020 Fusion and 2020 Design software packages. These solutions enable merchants to show off their know-how using their manufacturers’ catalogues. To date we have a selection of over 140 catalogues that we keep up to date in partnership with the manufacturers. As 90% of this market is now equipped with sales assistance solutions, we need to expand our growth axes.
With the advent of the Web and changes in buying behaviours, 2020 Technologies has developed online solutions dedicated to retail, including 2020 Ideal Spaces. This software has shown its ability to optimize the selling path and the conversion rate, from Website to store. We have also closely approached outfitters and furniture manufacturers, mainly craft firms who remain largely unequipped. For these trades, we offer a range of solutions to help them not only sell their product better but also optimize their manufacture while also optimizing time and raw materials. That’s quite a big market to be developed and have its skills elevated.
In this mostly craft-oriented market, is digital adoption by firms easy?
Our end-to-end 2020 Design Line solutions help our clients go digital. The modularity of the solutions allows gradual upgrading in the range from design to manufacture.
Faced with developments in the number of NC tools on the market, we have observed a strong progression in our software sales. This can be explained by a growing number of new machines as well as the development of a parallel second-hand market that allows small outfits to get equipped.
At 2020 Technologies, we have the necessary expertise to address our clients’ various needs and to adapt to each specific case. We also offer bespoke training and consultancy through which we form close links with our clients and assist in the development of their business.
What are the specific features of this assistance?
Our assistance at first involves training our clients how to best use our solutions to get the most out of them. More than 500 days’ training a year are thus dispensed by trade experts who have used our software themselves in a client context.
We also provide technical support through ten or so experts whose mission is to respond to our clients as quickly as possible in order to guarantee the best satisfaction. Listening constantly to our clients, they work in close cooperation with our development staff in order to contribute to improving our products.
Last but not least, our clients have access to online webinars and tutorials.
You are member of the French furniture industry equipment association. Do you conduct training & awareness actions for your products in this scope?
This furniture industry and fitting-out stakeholders’ confederation maintains lively exchanges in an impetus of creation and innovation, the sole objective being to stimulate the market.
Fitting-out is a sector in the throes of change, with increasing demands for customization, increasing space optimization requirements. Therefore momentum is high for innovation toward intelligent, multifunctional products.
For communicating and transmitting our innovations, we regularly organize Universités de l’Agencement events in partnership with academic institutions and training centres such as AFPIA in Montaigu and Lyon. We take advantage of them to invite the sector’s professionals.
Photo credits: 2020
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