At Althéa, we are proud to collaborate with specialized entities such as the Ermitage group (an independent cooperative owned by its milk producers).
Our involvement enabled the Ermitage group to manage its project to transform its time management tool with the support of experts, advice, and methodologies to ensure its success.
Discover feedback from Mariannick Tassin, Payroll Manager for the Ermitage group, as well as insights from Nabil, an Althéa consultant, on this successful project.
Presentation of the Ermitage Group and its Context
Ermitage has been an independent milk producers’ cooperative since 1931 (soon to be 100 years old!). It brings together professionals proud of their craft, who work daily with passion and expertise to preserve local territories and cheese-making traditions. In 2023, the group comprises over 1100 employees, spread across the Grand-Est and Bourgogne Franche-Comté regions.
“Every day, the men and women of the cooperative are dedicated to producing milk that gives our cheeses a true personality.” – Ermitage
In February 2022, the group initiated a project to transform its payroll and time management tools. As part of this, Ms. Tassin joined the organization with the mission of modernizing and optimizing existing systems, including a complete overhaul of the software used.
The group was looking for a competent consulting firm to support its transformation, one that could also co-construct with the existing vendor: UKG.
Selection Process and Choice of Althéa as Consulting Firm
Althéa was chosen as the consulting firm due to its sectoral expertise, its capacity for local intervention, and the quality of its consultants. Furthermore, the Ermitage group particularly appreciated Althéa’s knowledge of the specificities of the agricultural sector.
The project thus began in October 2023 under the aegis of Xavier Maudet, Althéa Director.
Collaboration Process – How did this collaboration with Althéa unfold?
Mariannick Tassin: “Throughout the project, we received sound advice, particularly on key areas of focus and the methodology to follow. The involvement of Althéa’s experts ensured constant and personalized support. Our contacts proved flexible and responsive, which facilitated a smooth process and adherence to deadlines.
The main qualities I would highlight are:
- Availability and on-site presence.
- Althéa’s precision and rigor, which enabled them to anticipate potential issues and structure the transition phases.
- The quality of the consultants (a team with varied and committed profiles).
- The tools created, particularly the ticket management macro that we now use daily.
We also appreciated Xavier Maudet’s involvement in discussions with the vendor, as he always found the right balance to represent our needs and keep the project moving forward. From our perspective, for areas of improvement, we suggest considering the system’s modularity and the availability of test databases for each project phase.
In conclusion, everything went as expected with Althéa; we met deadlines. It was a very successful collaboration that I highly recommend.”
Insight from Nabil, Althéa Consultant, on the Ermitage Project
Nabil was involved in the acceptance testing phase of the transformation project for the Ermitage group. His involvement began at the end of January 2024 and lasted eight months.
Firstly, Nabil focused on creating a structured acceptance test plan to enable internal teams to conduct thorough tests and validate the regulatory functionalities of the solution. “My role was to monitor each test to ensure that the expected results were achieved.”
In addition to acceptance testing, Nabil contributed to change management by designing a training document for managers. This document helped prepare teams for using the UKG Ready solution. During the post-deployment phase, Nabil developed an Excel macro to centralize and track tickets, making user feedback management simpler and more efficient.
“This assignment was an opportunity to develop skills in the industrial sector, strengthening my knowledge of time management and digital transformation. I was fortunate to work with accessible, supportive contacts whom I appreciate, like Mariannick, who helped me grow in this complex project. It’s a rewarding experience that I recommend for any consultant at the start of their career.” – Nabil
Conclusion and Outlook on the GTA Transformation Project
The project was finalized within the planned timeframe despite unforeseen events and necessary adjustments.
Thanks to Althéa’s involvement, employees benefited from an efficient work structure and support tailored to the organization’s specificities. The project team was able to anticipate and resolve difficulties related to the migration and configuration of the new payroll and GTA tools.
“A big thank you to the Althéa team, especially to Nabil for his precision in drafting the documentation, facilitating internal communication and ensuring quick adoption by employees.” – Mariannick Tassin
We are proud to support specialized entities like Ermitage, representing the artisanal expertise that is so important to us. Do you have a GTA transformation project like Ermitage?
