Partoo: From start-up to scale-up and a much-needed upgrade of their knowledge platform
Partoo, a dynamic French company, specialises in empowering businesses to seize control of their online presence and customer interactions. Their cutting-edge solution and software tool empowers businesses to take charge of their online listings, customer reviews, and local search engine optimisation.
Partoo’s platform is designed to help businesses improve their visibility in local search results and enhance their online reputation. Their mission is simple: “We help businesses get closer to their clients, by adapting to a new buyers journey thanks to a simple product”.
To support their bold mission and impressive growth, Partoo decided it was time to revamp their knowledge management tools and practices. They needed a fresh approach to better serve the growing knowledge needs of their team.
Industry
SaaS
Solution
Knowledge Management
Employees
400
Country
France (HQ) with presence in 150 countries
The challenge
Partoo found itself in need of a fresh knowledge management solution due to the evolving needs of their growing team and some limitations in their existing setup.
Previously, they had maintained a wiki on a WordPress platform, serving as a hub for centralizing knowledge and fostering a culture of information sharing. However, they encountered a significant challenge – trust in the content had eroded. The information became outdated, authorship was unclear, publication dates were absent, and comments were not easily visible or accessible.
Furthermore, from an administrative standpoint, tracking and evaluating the impact of their knowledge management efforts proved to be a considerable challenge.
In light of these constraints, Partoo realized the importance of an enhanced knowledge management system to ensure accuracy, accessibility, and the ability to gauge the effectiveness of their knowledge-sharing initiatives.
The Solution
And so, the quest for a new solution commenced. To identify the most suitable software for their evolving knowledge management requirements, Partoo’s Knowledge Manager undertook a thorough exploration of various options, guided by the principle of ‘one tool, one mission.’
They explored four distinct alternatives:
- Tailoring WordPress with a variety of plugins.
- Implementing an intranet solution.
- Establishing a dedicated knowledge base.
- Delving into tools that not only dovetailed with knowledge bases but also offered additional functionalities.
In addition, in their analysis, they considered tools used within the French scale-up ecosystem that encountered similar growth challenges and held similar aspirations.
All things considered, the Partoo team chose Elium as their new knowledge management tools.
In addition to selecting Elium as their dedicated knowledge base, Partoo went one step further.
At the company processes level, they defined their knowledge management processes and guidelines.
Additionally, they took action at a company culture level by cultivating a knowledge mindset within the organisation.
Lastly, they ensured that this vision was properly communicated to all their teams.
All of these initiatives were carried out under the experienced guidance of a dedicated Knowledge Manager assigned to lead this transformation.
Why Elium?
Powerful Search Options
Elium’s robust search features make finding information quick and easy. With advanced search, filters, and auto-suggestions, locating content is easy. In the case of Partoo, it is crucial for teams to get reliable answers to their questions in seconds.
Fine-grade Access Control
This ensures that the right people have the right level of access. This is particularly useful in the case of Partoo, which as a growing organisation, needs flexibility and easiness when it comes to managing access levels.
Automated Content Updates
One of Partoo’s critical requirements was to establish validity dates for their articles. This served to instill trust among users, particularly those engaging with clients, by clearly indicating which knowledge was current and reliable. Fortunately, Elium automates this process and sends timely reminders to content creators, ensuring that information remains up-to-date.
Advanced Admin Analytics
With such a growing team, and increased knowledge demands, it was crucial for Partoo’s team to be able to measure and asses how users are interacting with content. Elium’s advanced analytics at a content, user, space and platform level are one click away, making this task a breeze.
Track Record of Global Clients
Elium has extensive experience of more than a decade, working with global companies to support their knowledge-sharing journey. From L’Oréal to Savencia, and BNP Paribas, leading players trusted us with their knowledge. This gave Partoo the confidence that years of experience and challenges have enhanced our capabilities for successful knowledge management projects. And they were not wrong.
Many people speak about Notion and Confluence. But here at Partoo we decided to use Elium to manage our growing company knowledge. It is simpler and responds better to our needs.
Thibault Renouf, CEO
How did we make it a success?
The implementation process of Elium for Knowledge Management inside Partoo included several different steps.
Testing the platform with core users, before the actual launching
In order to ensure a successful deployment, the team prioritised user testing on key contributors. The aim was to gather user feedback and ensure adoption on the content creation side.
Launching the platform with core users
Initially, the team launched the platform to a defined number of users, so as to ensure a fast deployment and feedback gathering. During this phase administrators were trained, spaces were defined and structured, and the old content from WordPress was migrated. The project kicked-off with champion teams (HR, Strategy, Operations, Care).
Marketing Launch for all users
Consequently, the platform was launched for all users. The marketing launch featured a dedicated logo, shortcuts on all computers, official email communication, individual Slack notifications, announcements in plenary meetings, a game element, and QR code posters for added engagement.
We had one key mantra when it came to knowledge management at Partoo. We wanted to ensure that our teams would have access to the right information, at the right time, in the right place. And this guided our entire project approach.
CELIA ALESSANDRI, FORMER KNOWLEDGE MANAGER PARTOO, CURRENTLY KM CONSULTANT AND PROKNOW CLUB LEAD
The results
When it comes to the results noticed, the team at Partoo had some very precise metrics to track, both qualitative and quantitative.
80% of articles are checked
Partoo’s primary challenge revolved around maintaining an up-to-date knowledge base within the company. Thanks to Elium’s capabilities, the labor-intensive manual process was replaced with automated updates.
100% of users connected
Boosting engagement with knowledge was another significant objective. Thanks to the platform’s user-friendly design, users found it effortless to connect and become familiar with the platform.
Improved collaboration
Interactions among users held paramount importance for the Partoo team. With Elium’s features like likes, comments, and sharing options, every member of the company had the means to actively engage with knowledge and have their voices heard.
Increased tool popularity
Users at Partoo began embracing the new tool quicky, and this shift was evident through their increased usage reflex, the incorporation of the wiki into official presentations, and the active sharing of information within Slack conversations.
Their platform
The Partoo Knowlege Management platform was design to best reflect their growing organisation and specific knowledge needs related to their industry.
Structured in alignment with their corporate organisation
Spaces and groups of spaces have been created in link with the current organisation of the company, so as to make navigation and access as intuitive as possible.
Spaces are mostly public, with some kept private
This ensures that everyone has access to important knowledge and that sensitive information is protected. Elium provides easy tools to manage and change space privacy levels.
Readers and contributors are clearly mapped
While everyone has reading access, users can be contributors for the team / space they belong to. This promotes autonomy and responsibility in documentation.
Key takeaways
In conclusion, Partoo successfully upgraded its knowledge management platform to meet the expanding team’s needs. Choosing Elium for its robust features, the implementation involved thorough testing, phased launches, and a comprehensive marketing strategy. The results were impressive, with increased article checks, full user connectivity, improved collaboration, and heightened tool popularity. The structured platform, aligned with corporate organization, balances accessibility and privacy. This upgrade positions Partoo for continued success in effectively managing their knowledge.
