Our Clients Open Up
Guillaume Martin
Director of Business Intelligence, Measurement and Loyalty at Avril
“ TWO DEV is not an external agency that counts us among its clients, it is literally an extension of our team. ”
« Because knowing the reality of our clients is the basis of any success, we seek to highlight the different aspects of a digital marketing mandate. Testimonials on the back end of a project enrich our vision of ecommerce. »
The company
« Avril is a Quebec chain of health supermarkets in operation for over 25 years. The concept brings together food and various natural or organic products under the same banner. There are more than 10 Avril branches across Quebec. »
Your position
« I have been with Avril for three years. At the beginning of the mandate with TWO DEV, I was Director of Digital Strategy. I was the person who managed all the contacts with the agency, from the management of the requirements to the delivery of the project. I am now Director of Business Intelligence, Measurement and Loyalty. »
Industry and positioning
« We are in the food industry in the broad sense, just like the big banners in Quebec, but with a healthy offering. In the end, if we compare ourselves to our direct competitors, those who also run natural food supermarkets, what sets us apart is the customer experience. We wanted to simulate an in-store shopping experience on the ecommerce website and put them on an equal footing. »
Your vision of ecommerce
« At Avril, we very much see our transactional site as an addition to the user experience. We designed the site for ecommerce, but also for in-store purchase assistance. It is a work in progress: we will improve the product descriptions on our site, add recipes or explanatory video capsules for the more niche products. It becomes a shopping supplement. »
The Collaboration
Before TWO DEV
A summary of your work processes before TWO DEV’s arrival
« We worked with a big agency that had a dedicated team for us. But the way of working was hyper-structured: you had to go through a tedious process for the slightest request, define everything in writing… Let’s just say that there was very little: ‘OK, we’ll call each other, we’ll sort it out!’ Responsiveness was low.
There was a lot of turnover at the project manager level on the agency side, so we often worked with people who differed in familiarity with the mandate. It was a draining and costly work dynamic.
When it came time to change platforms, we decided to go see agencies that offered more flexibility.
We chose TWO DEV for the technical knowledge, which is top-notch, but also because they had a partnership approach. They saw themselves as a complement to our internal team. »
With TWO DEV
A glimpse of your collaboration with TWO DEV
« Initially, after visiting their offices, there was a series of workshops and project follow-ups to fully understand the needs of all stakeholders at Avril.
When we started working on the first mockups, our graphic designers were able to work in partnership with their graphic designers to develop the style of the site. There was plenty of room for ideas and feedback from our team.
The major difference with an agency like TWO DEV is in terms of feedback. We can write to each other daily to follow the progress of the project, we have access to mockups in real time, we are in contact by chat… We are able to be extremely fast.
We redesigned the site and did the Adobe Commerce migration and added advanced features, such as Click & Collect. In cases like this, you really see their Magento technical skills.
Since then, we arrive every month with a list of improvements or projects to do. We receive a portrait of the situation, a precise estimate that allows us to make our budget forecasts. We are able to discuss the feasibility of projects, to have their opinion, the process is very fluid. »
Your favourite value
« For us, because of the way they listen to our ideas, it’s team spirit. Whether the idea comes from them or from our team, or even from another agency, they take it with kindness, they will push it further and offer us new suggestions; it’s nice! »
A standout project
« It’s Click & Collect. Having ordering and in-store pick-up connected to the inventory of each store, all with real-time updates, allows us to reduce the work of the clerks, avoiding those calls where we have to say that the product is no longer available... We save a lot of time! This is a feature that sets us apart and now allows us to focus on the site with confidence, knowing that we are truly meeting the needs of our customers. »
A highlight
« I would say it’s the availability of Loïc and his team. They answer our questions super quickly, always in a good mood, with a real desire to help. I have met nice people, it’s fun to work with them. That’s a big plus! They come with their teamwork mentality and make it the essence of how they do things. »
