Hello my name is Anne Mignard and I invite you through ZDNet.fr podcasts to discover the world of digital transformation in small and very small businesses.
Today I am talking to you about a guitar enthusiast who, since he was 18, has been making his instruments as an amateur and who, thanks to digital tools, has been able to turn his passion into a profession, that of a luthier.
After his studies, in 2007, Clément Guéton, with a degree in industrial design, started working. He was quickly hired by a company specializing in the manufacture of wood stoves and fireplaces.
Armed with a mouse or a pencil
Armed with a mouse or a pencil, he then drew these two heating elements all day long according to the wishes of the customers within the limits of the technical constraints.
At the same time, Clément devoted all his free time to his favorite instrument, the guitar. He played it of course but also made it thanks to the know-how acquired during his studies.
Years passed and the business declined. So much so that Clément, in 2014, was thanked with compensation. The opportunity for the amateur luthier to get started. Without a shop and to make himself known, he simply chose to sell his guitars on a website, on which he bet everything. He has also trained for this purpose, to be as well referenced as possible. The name of the site: ligerie-guitare.fr.
On this site, everything is there, the catalog, the photos of the prototypes, the prices
On this site, everything is there, the catalog, the photos of the prototypes, the prices … but also a configurator which allows customers to choose the characteristics of their guitar before placing an order …. a number of options are available in the manufacture of the future instrument.
The site also includes all the repair part, with each time, an illustration and the price to change a guitar string or a microphone.
And faced with this vast choice of options, isn’t the customer lost? He can always send emails for questions or simply call Clément in person.
As a result, there is no need for physical stores
And it works, since the site is now the second recommended by Google for everything that is “guitar made in France” or even “custom guitar”.
But Clément is not only an executor of the wishes of the customers, as he was for the wood stoves, he designs and creates the instruments himself. With a paper and a sheet but also a quantity of computer tools that leaves free choice to his imagination in terms of color, graphics or even material. What many musicians appreciate, some more or less known in the middle of rock metal… who make word of mouth work.
Clément has also created small demonstration videos of his instruments on his Youtube channel. Here too, all communication is controlled…the images and sound are of good quality and the videos dedicated to guitars are very informative and well illustrated.
As a result, there is no need for physical stores. In any event, two-thirds of Clément’s clients do not live in his region.
Many orders are made only by email, instant messaging and telephone, then the finished guitar is sent via carrier.
Overall Clément is rather proud and satisfied to have embarked on the adventure but has only one regret…he no longer has time to play his own instrument.