Customer Story
ENGIE Vianeo’s Electrifying Journey with Sitetracker: Powering the Future of EV Charging Across Europe
Established in 2022, ENGIE Vianeo has rapidly deployed and operates an extensive network of charging stations across France and Belgium, with plans to expand further into Europe (especially in Italy, Germany, and Spain).
As the world moves towards a more sustainable future, ENGIE Vianeo, a subsidiary of the global energy leader ENGIE, is at the forefront of revolutionizing the electric vehicle (EV) charging landscape in Europe. At the helm of this ambitious initiative is Fabien Remy, the Chief Information Officer (CIO), whose mission is to ensure that the company adopts cutting-edge digital solutions to meet the evolving demands of the market. Determined to prevent operational challenges from slowing their expansion, ENGIE Vianeo opted for Sitetracker to redefine and optimize how they manage deployments.
One of the main challenges was to quickly deploy our charging stations to be present in the competitive landscape. To achieve this, monitoring site deployments is crucial, particularly when you have a certain number of projects in parallel and a growing organization.
Challenges: Scaling Operations Beyond Pen and Paper
ENGIE Vianeo’s mission to deploy a network of charging stations for all types of electric vehicles, from cars to freight trucks by way of the commercial fleets, is no small feat. Within its first year, the company successfully deployed 400 charging stations for EV (being 800 charge points) in 64 service stations along highways using elementary tools for project management. However, as the demand for EV infrastructure surged and new contracts were secured, it became evident that relying on such methods would not be sustainable in the long run.
“One of the main challenges was to quickly deploy our charging stations to be present in the competitive landscape,” says Fabien Remy. “To achieve this, monitoring site deployments is crucial, particularly when you have a certain number of projects in parallel and a growing organization.”
These limitations became increasingly apparent as ENGIE Vianeo began to expand its operations. The need for a more robust and scalable digital solution was critical to maintaining their competitive edge and ensuring the efficient deployment of their rapidly growing portfolio of charging stations.
We’ve had Sitetracker for just less than a year, and at the moment each project manager has an average of 20 projects in parallel. Since last year, we have over 2,000 projects in Sitetracker for 10 partners. This simply wouldn’t have been possible before.
The Solution: Sitetracker Helps Accelerate Growth
In response to these challenges, ENGIE Vianeo embarked on a search for a comprehensive project management solution. After evaluating several options the company chose Sitetracker after seeing a tailored demo focused on EV charging specific workflows that showcased how Sitetracker could address their needs, with emphasis on its proven track record in supporting similar organizations.
“We realized that Sitetracker could grow along with our business. Many of our competitors are also using Sitetracker, which told us we were heading in the right direction,” Remy explains. ”The human relationship we built with our account executive was also a significant factor.”
The implementation of Sitetracker was remarkably swift, taking just two months to set up the first project template and processes. This quick turnaround was crucial for ENGIE Vianeo, allowing them to transition smoothly from their previous methods to a centralized, digital platform. The benefits were immediate. Sitetracker provided a flexible framework that could evolve with the company’s needs without requiring weeks of development time. The platform’s ability to manage multiple projects concurrently, maintain budgetary oversight, and ensure all team members were aligned was invaluable.
“We’ve had Sitetracker for just less than a year, and at the moment each project manager has an average of 20 projects in parallel,” Remy notes. “Since last year, we have over 2,000 projects in Sitetracker for 10 partners. This simply wouldn’t have been possible before.”
Sitetracker’s features, such as project templates, budget management, and reporting capabilities, have been particularly beneficial. These tools have enabled ENGIE Vianeo to maintain control over its expanding operations, ensuring that every project is delivered on time and within budget. The ability to generate and share KPIs with partners has also strengthened these critical relationships, providing transparency and fostering trust.
Moreover, the relationship with their Customer Success Manager (CSM) has been a positive influence on ENGIE Vianeo’s journey. “Our CSM has been instrumental in pushing us to explore new features and expand our use of the platform,” says Remy. “We were even lucky enough to have the CTO visit our office in Paris to discuss the roadmap of the mobile application, which challenges us internally to move forward.”
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SOLUTION:
- Deploy over 5,000 EV charge points across France and Belgium since adopting Sitetracker.
- Manage an average of 20 projects per project manager in parallel with ease.
- Collaborate with 10 partners on 2,000 projects seamlessly.
- Generate KPIs to provide transparency and strengthen partner relationships.
- Expand EV infrastructure efficiently with custom project templates.
- Optimize charging station deployment to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.
- Transition from rudimentary processes to a flexible and centralized digital platform in just two months.
Conclusion: Powering the Future with Sitetracker
As ENGIE Vianeo continues to expand its EV charging network across Europe, the company’s goals remain ambitious. After starting from just 64 service stations for EV at the start of 2023, ENGIE Vianeo deployed an impressive 2,600 charging points in France and 1,500 in Belgium by June of 2024. Looking forward, they plan to extend their reach even further, with a particular focus on launching a charging corridor dedicated to eTrucks, which will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from freight transport.
“We are very proud of the progress we’ve made in just one year, and Sitetracker has been a key enabler of that success,” says Remy. “Our strategy moving forward includes greater integration with our other tools, further expansion of our charging network, and continuous improvement of our deployment processes.” With Sitetracker, ENGIE Vianeo is not just keeping up with the demands of the market; they are setting the pace for the future of EV infrastructure in Europe.