Accelerating online growth with a global e-Retail upskilling programme

Discover our Artefact × Pierre Fabre Group eBook!

Challenge: building an e-Commerce culture – fast

Despite its overall success and a flourishing online dermo-cosmetic market, Pierre Fabre Group is facing strong competition from more digitally-advanced competitors such as L’Oréal Cosmetic Active.  As the Group’s online business target is 20,5% for 2021, new growth policies needed to be implemented.

“In today’s market, we knew that prioritising e-Commerce was crucial for this client. But to succeed in this new ecosystem, they needed to adapt and improve their capabilities in order to compete with the best digital players”, 

says Thomas Faure, E-Retail Lead at Artefact.

We had to find a way to support their commercial and marketing teams in their digital acceleration. And so we proposed a company-wide upskilling programme.

Solution: teaching teams the secrets of e-Retail

To meet the objectives of Pierre Fabre, we structured the e-Retail upskilling solution around five key principles:

  • Link the e-Retail programme to a concrete business achievement / target support by top management
  • Adapt the programme to the regional needs and maturity of Pierre Fabre Group trainees
  • Identify and empower e-Commerce champions
  • Provide multiple learning formats, from digital self-service to one-to-one coaching
  • Build actionable tools, not just theoretical content

To set things in motion, we performed an e-Retail audit to identify knowledge gaps across the company. We analysed Pierre Fabre’s relationship with online business, including their organisation, processes, tools, and people. The audit revealed a need for training in digital basics and specific skills within various teams at different levels throughout the company.

The information we drew from the audit revealed five topics to be tackled:

  • Module #1 – Omnichannel strategy
  • Module #2 – e-Retail acculturation
  • Module #3 – Brand animation
  • Module #4 – Performance measurement
  • Module #5 – E-Retail negotiation

The upskilling programme is composed of eLearning modules, bootcamp sessions, and one-to-one coaching. Engagement is ensured by attractive and varied learning formats (from motion design and interactive videos, infographics and quizzes, to physical training and individual coaching).

We launched the programme to approximately 600 employees in 27 markets in June 2020.

Results: making eLearning engaging – and profitable

Multiple stakeholders were addressed by each module in all markets, with on-demand programmes offering generic courses for all, and specific topics for marketing and/or commercial teams. Three regional adaptations were produced for Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Bootcamp sessions were held in 26 markets, and individual coaching sessions targeted some 50 trainees. About 750 hours of one-to-one coaching sessions will be eventually delivered in total (ongoing).

The satisfaction survey sent to all trainees – from operational to top management – received high notes on all indices, including assessment of content and format quality, programme usefulness in daily activity etc.

Learner feedback was really enthusiastic. There was awareness of our need to be present in e-Retail. Pierre Fabre doesn’t historically have an e-Commerce culture, so upskilling is viewed as necessary and desirable”

concludes Nicolas Mouton, Learning and Development Manager at Pierre Fabre Group.

Accelerating online growth with a global e-Retail upskilling programme

Discover our Artefact × Pierre Fabre Group eBook!