Implementation of a Coswin e-learning platform at Carrefour

In 2010, the 2nd Worldwide Major retailers Group chose Coswin 7i flagship software, developed by Siveco Group, to consolidate its french trading brands and build a new maintenance management system. The Project scope concerns deployment of the application in about 580 stores throughout France. Carrefour acting in concert with Siveco Group set up an innovative capability with the creation of a distant learning platform for the Coswin 7i CMMS tool. This system acclaimed by Carrefour responds to the needs of heterogeneous users and optimized training schedules.

Project context

By acquiring a common maintenance tool for all sites (about a total of 1000), Carrefour Group wished to unify maintenance operating modes for all its entities. The issue for the Group was to find a flexible system capable of allowing about a thousand CMMS users to easily understand the complete technical and functional characteristics. That’s how the Coswin e-learning project was born and consists of sharing Coswin reference materials throughout France.

E-learning was a training program already chosen by Carrefour France to train its collaborators in optimal conditions. Therefore, quite naturally Coswin e-learning Project was born ahead of the CMMS Project. The target was to integrate the Project into the existing organizational structure.

The distance learning process is built on the availability of training materials on an intranet network, allowing all CMMS users to learn at a computer. Multimedia materials can combine text, graphics, sound, animation and even videos. These materials allow a new training approach with more engaging methods where interaction plays an important part and which offers the possibility to adapt the learning process for each user even more. People can learn at their own pace according to their needs and availability. In addition they can replay the training material as many times as they wish, over and over again.

The development of the main guidelines and the creation of multimedia content were entrusted to the Siveco Service team. Course materials and procedures have been implemented by Lamine Lo and Florian Viseur from Siveco, together with Frédéric Rocher, CARREFOUR France Maintenance Manager. It required 10 working days. A week later, Carrefour was announcing the setup of the e-learning Project.

The Pilot phase, consisted of a panel of 30 Carrefour Market stores, evaluated until around July 2010. On 1st October, 300 stores were deployed.

Encouraged by the Coswin 7i e-learning success under the Carrefour Market banner, Carrefour Group has deployed the platform to all its hypermarkets in France. A second specially adapted version largely identical to the first one was released at the end of 2010. Today, more than 2000 login have been registered in Coswin.

In time the Coswin 7i e-learning platform will be consulted from 1000 remote sites and by an estimated number of users nearing 3000, about 1200 Carrefour users and more than 1500 external participants.

Training contents

The Training program addresses various groups of CMMS users (staff, subcontractors or suppliers), allows people to get web training at their own pace in a playful manner. The contents take full advantage of multimedia capabilities with sound, animation, interaction and guidance.The e-learning platform has been divided into six parts. The first three parts “CMMS Training Approach”, “Understanding CMMS Approach” and “Discovering CMMS Approach” cover all fundamental concepts of maintenance and the functionalities of CMMS global approach of the maintenance function. The fourth part is entitled “Using CMMS tool” and presents all maintenance operations to be processed in Coswin. A tutorial of Coswin principal modules is available for a better daily use of the software. Finally, the last two parts “Evaluation” and “Conclusion” complete the distance training approach. Coswin e-learning allows an evaluation and personalized training, centered on the needs and skills to be acquired. Users assess themselves by filling out a questionnaire at the end of each session. They can download a printed version too and a training reference on the main software processes.

Today Carrefour Market Store Directors, and maintenance technicians for Carrefour Hypermarket France have the possibility to get training on Coswin 7i CMMS through e-learning. This approach puts new technologies at the service of skills improvement and offers many advantages both for the user and the enterprise. E-learning is an excellent way to personalize training and gives a greater freedom in when and where it is ccessed. It ofen reduces the costs of training. Users get quickly accustomed to the solution and can go back as often as necessary to review a key step of the maintenance process or Coswin tool.

In forty years Carrefour Group has become a worldwide leading retailer. It is the second retailer in the world, and the first retailer in Europe, developing four main food store formats: hypermarkets, supermarkets, maxi discount and proximity stores. Today, the Group numbers more than 15 500 stores.

Siveco Group

Hélène Fernandez