At a glance
Stratos partnered with Tucoenergie to audit a limiting legacy portal, defining a hybrid roadmap and R&D structure that unlocked 25% productivity gains and secured €100k in innovation subsidies.
Context
Tucoenergie acts as a prime contractor in the energy renovation sector. Their primary activity is to set-up solar panels for B2C customers using a network of suppliers and as well as their own internal team. While their operational teams were mature and process-driven using Microsoft Dynamics, the technical side faced growing pains.
"We were very happy with Stratos' recommendations and the long-term vision on our IT. It provided the clarity we needed to structure our growth."
The Challenge
The company relied on a portal built on Microsoft technology that had reached its limits. It was functional but difficult to evolve, forcing the CTO to spend 15 hours a week on support rather than innovation.
- Shadow IT: Teams relied on unsecured WhatsApp loops for field communication.
- Operational Friction: Project managers were "tinkering" with free tools to manage complex files (DP, FDT), hitting a productivity ceiling.
- Legacy Tech: The existing portal could not support a modern customer journey or advanced features like "calepinage" (layout simulation).
Approach
Stratos executed a deep-dive audit involving stakeholder interviews, process mining, and competitive benchmarking (Hello Watt, In Sun We Trust).
- Architecture Assessment: Analyzed the limitations of the "Full Microsoft" approach versus a custom development strategy.
- Product Roadmap Definition: Identified four critical product pillars: a new Client Space, an Admin Space for external sales and a Mobile App for installers.
- Financial & Org Modeling: Compared "Internal vs. External" hiring scenarios to build a sustainable R&D team, estimating budget for a complete overhaul.
Results
Stratos delivered a transformation plan focused on separating standard operations from high-value innovation:
Hybrid Architecture
Recommended keeping Microsoft Dynamics for back-office CRM but building the Client and Admin interfaces on flexible technologies (NodeJS/React) to own the user experience.
R&D Structuring
Defined a hiring plan (Product Owner, QA, Devs) to free the CTO from support tasks, allowing focus on high-value features like the "Calepinage" tool.
Mobile Efficiency
Proposed a dedicated mobile app for installers to upload "Fin de Travaux" (End of Works) documents immediately, aiming to drastically shorten payment delays.
