Case Study: Digitalize a Jewelry Workshop in 90 Days

Digitalization may seem like a titanic project. However, with the right method and realistic goals, it's possible to significantly transform your organization in 90 days.

This case study traces the journey of a Lyon-based jewelry workshop that took on this challenge. Methodology, obstacles, results: here's the complete story of this transformation.

The Starting Point

Workshop Profile

The Initial Situation

Organization

• No management software
• Tracking via notebooks and Excel spreadsheets
• Communication by email, phone, WhatsApp
• No real-time visibility

Daily Pain Points

• 2h/day spent responding to status requests
• Scattered information, difficult to find
• Regular specification errors
• Clients frustrated by lack of visibility
• Permanently stressed team

The Trigger

A major client (35% of revenue) threatened to change partners due to lack of visibility on their orders. The owner decided to act.

The 90-Day Method

Overview

Guiding Principles

1. Start small: Not everything at once
2. Quick wins first: Visible results quickly
3. Involve the team: No top-down imposition
4. Iterate: Adjust continuously
5. Document: Keep track of decisions

Phase 1: Diagnosis (Days 1-15)

Week 1: Map the Existing

Actions completed

• Observation of daily operations for 3 days
• Interviews with each team member
• Analysis of current tools (Excel, emails)
• Review of recent incidents

Deliverables

• Map of current processes
• Prioritized list of pain points
• Time measurement by activity

Key findings

Week 2: Define Objectives

Team workshop 2-hour meeting to:

• Share findings
• Co-define priorities
• Gather ideas
• Build buy-in

Selected objectives (SMART)

1. Reduce phone status requests by 80%
2. Centralize 100% of client exchanges on a single tool
3. Cut specification errors in half
4. Enable instant access to each order's status

Project scope

• Focus on client relations (not internal production)
• 3 pilot clients to start
• Manufacturer coordination tool (not full ERP)

Phase 2: Preparation (Days 16-30)

Week 3: Choose the Solution

Selection criteria

• Fast deployment (not a 6-month project)
• Easy to learn
• Client accessible (portal)
• Budget-compatible pricing

Solutions evaluated

Final choice Specialized collaborative platform, deployable in a few days.

Week 4: Configure and Prepare

Tool configuration

• Account creation
• Workflow setup
• Import of base data (clients, models)
• Technical testing

Pilot client preparation

• Contact the 3 chosen clients
• Present the project
• Plan their onboarding
• Gather their specific expectations

Team preparation

• General information about the project
• Identification of internal "champions"
• Training schedule

Phase 3: Pilot (Days 31-60)

Weeks 5-6: Pilot Launch

D-Day: Launch

• Team training (2h)
• Launch with first pilot client
• Enhanced support for the first days

Pilot rules

• Everything goes through the platform (no parallel emails)
• Daily feedback for the first 2 weeks
• Weekly review meetings

First Results (Week 2)

Weeks 7-8: Adjustments and Extension

Feedback

Extension to the other 2 pilot clients

• Individualized onboarding
• Adaptation based on learnings
• Progressive scaling

End of pilot review

• 3 clients on the platform
• 40% of monthly orders managed
• Team autonomous on the tool
• First measurable time savings

Phase 4: Deployment (Days 61-90)

Weeks 9-10: Generalization

Rollout to remaining 5 clients

• Communicate the change
• Grouped onboarding sessions
• Responsive support

Switch to 100% on the platform

• Stop emails for orders
• Redirect calls to the platform
• Document exceptions

Weeks 11-12: Anchoring and Optimization

Anchoring actions

• Written and shared procedures
• Training for remaining resisters
• Celebrate successes
• Integration into routines

Final optimizations

• Automation of certain alerts
• Creation of custom reports
• Adjustments based on 4 weeks of usage

Results at D+90

Quantitative Indicators

Qualitative Indicators

Team

• Significantly reduced stress
• Pride in work accomplished
• Better collaboration

Clients

• Increased satisfaction (NPS +35 points)
• Strengthened trust relationship
• New orders

Management

• Total visibility on activity
• Easier oversight
• Ability to absorb more volume

Project ROI

Investment

• Year 1 subscription: 4,800 euros
• Configuration and training: 3,000 euros
• Internal time: 5,000 euros
• Total: 12,800 euros

Annual savings

• Time saved: 18,000 euros
• Errors avoided: 6,000 euros
• Clients retained: 15,000 euros (margin)
• Total: 39,000 euros

ROI: 205% in the first year

Success Factors

What Worked

1. Committed Sponsor The owner personally championed the project, removing obstacles and maintaining course.

2. Limited Scope Focusing on client relations (not digitalizing everything) enabled quick results.

3. Internal Champions Two motivated people pulled the others up.

4. Progressive Pilot Starting with 3 clients allowed adjustments before generalization.

5. Zero Tolerance on Workarounds Once launched, no going back to emails. Collective discipline.

What Could Have Worked Better

1. More In-Depth Training Some took longer to become autonomous. More training time would have helped.

2. Earlier Communication Notify clients sooner about the upcoming change.

3. Documentation from the Start Written procedures came late, creating inconsistency.

Roadmap to Replicate This Success

Prerequisites

• A sponsor determined to see it through
• Pain strong enough to motivate change
• A minimal budget (5-15k euros)
• Time to dedicate (not 0% availability)

90-Day Checklist

Days 1-15: Diagnosis

• Observe and interview
• Map processes
• Prioritize pain points
• Define SMART objectives
• Communicate the project

Days 16-30: Preparation

• Select the solution
• Configure the tool
• Prepare the data
• Identify pilots
• Train the team

Days 31-60: Pilot

• Launch with 1-3 clients
• Collect feedback
• Adjust continuously
• Measure initial gains
• Prepare for extension

Days 61-90: Deployment

• Generalize to all clients
• Cut off old tools
• Anchor practices
• Optimize
• Celebrate

After the 90 Days

The Logical Next Steps

This first project paved the way for other improvements:

At 6 months

• Extend tracking to internal production
• Management dashboard
• Accounting integration

At 12 months

• Complete material traceability
• Enhanced client portal
• RJC certification preparation

Lessons for the Future

The owner summarizes: "We thought digitalization was a 2-year project with a huge budget. In reality, in 90 days and with a modest investment, we transformed our client relationships. The key: start, even imperfectly, rather than planning forever."

How LIINK Supports This Transformation

LIINK was designed for this type of rapid transformation:

Express deployment Configuration in days, not months.

Easy adoption Intuitive interface, quick training, minimal resistance.

Immediate value Time savings from the first weeks.

Scalability Start simple, enrich progressively.

Conclusion: 90 Days Can Change Everything

Digitalization is not reserved for large structures with unlimited budgets. A 12-person workshop can transform its client relationships in 90 days, with tangible results and rapid ROI.

The key: dare to start, accept imperfection, and iterate.

Further Reading

• ROI of Digitalization: How to Calculate Return on Investment
• Digitalization in Jewelry: 2025 Status Report
• WhatsApp, Excel, Email: Why Your Jewelry Production Management Deserves Better

Ready to transform your workshop? LIINK can support you in rapid and effective digitalization. Discover LIINK