D’Ieteren Automotive is revolutionizing customer relationships and dealership management in Belgium through the Cross3 digital transformation project involving Inetum, fostering a paperless, fully digital system across 160 locations.
By deploying a new unified management system in 160 Belgian dealerships, D’Ieteren Automotive is profoundly transforming its customer relationships with the support of Inetum.
At a time when the automotive industry is reinventing itself, D’Ieteren, the historic importer of Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche in Belgium, is undergoing its own digital revolution. “We want to be more customer-centric through new technologies,” said Giovanni Palmieri, CIO of D’Ieteren Automotive. This digital shift is materializing through Cross3, a colossal project that transforms the management of 160 dealerships from Ostend to Arlon, with Inetum as a strategic partner.
Behind the acronym DMS (Dealer Management System) lies the backbone of digital transformation in the automotive industry. Cross3 is not just an IT update, but a complete overhaul of business processes. “Cross3 allows us to contact the client more easily, for example, to book an online appointment or to interact with the mechanic,” explained Giovanni Palmieri.
The ambition is clear: create a “fully digital system” and be “in a paperless garage.” A disruption for the entire Belgian network, affecting both small dealers with one or two sites and groups like Emil Frey with its 90 locations.
Inetum: Emphasizing Change Management as a Differentiating Factor
D’Ieteren selected Inetum over several other candidates primarily for its flexibility. “When you’re deploying such a massive tool, you need a lot of flexibility,” highlighted the CIO. “The project requires constant adaptation, with team sizes ranging from four to six people to forty to fifty people depending on the project phase.”
The numbers speak for themselves: sixty Inetum employees are currently working on Cross3. Their objective extends far beyond the technical scope. “This project is not just IT-driven but is mainly business process-oriented with a significant focus on knowledge transfer and adoption,” clarified Inetum.
People at the Heart of the Transformation
The human dimension advocated by Inetum’s teams makes all the difference in this type of deployment. An approach praised by Bernard Debras, Head of Service Desk at D’Ieteren: “I admire how you manage to absorb the amount of information in such a short period of time. For example, the ‘Summer School Cross3’ initiative enabled the intensive training of 30 participants.”
In the field, the consultants experience this adventure as a unique opportunity. “I enjoy traveling from Ypres to share my knowledge with new CROSS3 users,” said Jean-Michel Van Elslande, Support Agent. Ludovic Ceccotti, another mobilized consultant, talked about the positive feedback from users, and that D’Ieteren gives him “a boost each time.”
From IT Provider to Strategic Partner: Inetum’s Evolution
This collaboration marks a turning point in how transformation projects are approached. “We want a true end-to-end partnership, not just technological, not just management. We need both, an end-to-end approach,” added the CIO. The relationship between the two companies has evolved over time. “Inetum has transitioned from a technological advisor, outsourcing partner, to a management consulting partner, a business advisor,” observed Giovanni Palmieri.
This paradigm shift might well set a precedent in other sectors. In an era where technology is becoming the driving force behind business transformations, the lines between technical and strategic consulting are blurring, favoring a more holistic and user-centered approach.
D’Ieteren and Inetum are thus redefining what it means to be partners in a digital transformation project: not just deploying a technical solution, but supporting each step of a profound change that affects both processes and the people who bring them to life. It’s a silent revolution transforming Belgian garages, one dealership at a time.
Project Brief
Client’s Industry: Automotive distribution (official importer of Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Lamborghini, Skoda, and Maserati)
Country: Belgium
Industry: Transport / Automotive
Key figures:
> Deployment in 160 dealerships across Belgium
> 60 Inetum consultants mobilized for the project
> Flexibility enabling teams ranging from four-six people to forty-fifty people depending on the needs
