Founded in 1979, Ymag is located in Dijon (central eastern France). Today with over 2,500 training centres, Ymag is the leading French provider of digital services for the country’s apprenticeship centres (Centres de formation d’apprentis – CFA) and vocational training facilities. With its 125-strong team and revenue close to €16 million, Ymag has enjoyed record growth since 2019. This performance has been fuelled by the French government’s reforms on vocational training and apprenticeships. Last year, Ymag signed as many as 450,000 contracts through its software solution. Then, in summer 2021, the Dijon company’s business application completed integration of the Oodrive Sign solution – the secure electronic signature product by Oodrive – Europe’s first trusted collaboration suite.
A shared goal for full digitalisation that is smoother and more secure
Ways of working have somewhat developed since Ymag’s first CFA contract signed in 1985. Dematerialisation solutions for workflows have made progress, though not across the board. Ymag has contributed to the widespread deployment of such solutions, and this is just one of the Group’s many on-the-go initiatives. Thanks to the electronic signature and its API connector co-developed with Oodrive, Ymag is able to significantly streamline the workload of various training centres and facilities. “Our aim is to facilitate and secure work as well as saving our customers’ precious time”, comments Arnaud Guillaume, Ymag CEO. On top of that, “Ymag provides training facilities, apprenticeship centres and apprentices with a fully digital experience. Added to which none of this disrupts the data chain, which includes funding for training”, explains Alexandre Rouzotte, Oodrive ISV Sales Director. All told, the Oodrive Sign solution met both Ymag’s technical specifications and the sector’s digitalisation needs.
A complementary partnership full of promise
Ymag has considerably strengthened its offering as a result of its partnership with Oodrive Sign: “We have consolidated Ymag’s market positioning in addition to scaling up all of its vocational training activities, not to mention its entire contracting business”, adds Alexandre Rouzotte. Oodrive’s excellent listening skills and French company status were key to securing the partnership.
Together, Ymag and Oodrive strive to develop a “paperless” process. They also share ambitions to provide educational support for users already affected by disrupted working practices due to the vocational training reform and on the back of a two-year pandemic. With its current team of 25 systems integrator consultants, Ymag is increasing its initiatives and its visibility. And customer interest in the electronic signature business module is constantly on the rise, as reflected in the 40% surge in related inbound requests.
A strategic ally for the growth of Ymag
Ymag’s revenue practically doubled from 2019 to 2022. The Dijon-based group supports more than 2,500 loyal stakeholders in vocational training and apprenticeship, averaging almost one hundred new customers on an annual basis coupled with a low churn rate. With Oodrive Sign, Ymag is stepping up its activities and raising its profile. At this stage, assessing the impact of the solution remains a challenge. However, feedback is glowing and augurs well for the future. Ongoing projects appear to confirm this assessment. The electronic signature via Text option offers real added value, particularly for younger signatories. Medium-term, and by deploying its fully digitalised solution, Ymag will target one million signatories per year.
What’s more, through its Oodrive collaboration, Ymag remains firmly focused on its CSR commitments: “September will see us move to an energy-positive, eco-friendly building which benefits from a low carbon footprint” adds Arnaud Guillaume. “Oodrive’s commitment to becoming carbon neutral and to ensuring good environmental practices are entirely in line with Ymag’s own values. These efforts are supplemented by facilitating user functions and dematerialising signature processes – both of which fully comply with the principle of digital responsibility”.
