By 
Strategic Preparation Drives AI-First Customer Experience Transformation Across France
Sabio Group, an AI-first customer experience (CX) transformation specialist, has demonstrated the strategic value of pre-implementation consultancy through its partnership with Bouygues Telecom, one of France’s leading telecommunications operators.
RELATED: When Africa’s networks learn to think: How AI is rewriting the rules of connectivity
According to a recently published case study, Bouygues Telecom’s decision to invest in expert consultancy before vendor selection enabled the company to transform a routine technology refresh into a large-scale, enterprise-wide customer experience transformation, supporting millions of consumer and business customers.
From Technology Refresh to CX Transformation
When Bouygues Telecom’s customer relationship platform approached end-of-life, the organisation recognised that replacing legacy technology alone would not deliver meaningful impact. Rather than issuing a conventional request for proposals (RFP), Bouygues Telecom engaged Sabio to provide strategic consultancy in contact centre transformation.
“The project began due to technical obsolescence,” said Yves Rousseau, Functional Architect for CX at Bouygues Telecom.
“A market study showed that nearly all vendors were offering cloud-based solutions. That realisation forced a strategic reset—returning to fundamental business needs rather than writing detailed specifications for an integrator.”
300+ Consulting Days Laid the Foundation
Sabio’s pre-implementation consultancy programme spanned more than 300 consulting days, during which the team conducted 35 business workshops and four large-scale IT workshops before any technology vendor was selected.
This early-stage investment enabled Bouygues Telecom to:
- Identify and optimise 35 user personas across the organisation
- Redesign and document more than 20 customer journeys
- Align stakeholders across 25 operational sites
- Integrate 15+ outsourcing partners into transformation planning
- Engage over 3,900 internal users in the transformation process
Three-Phase Transformation Framework
Sabio’s consultancy engagement followed a structured three-phase approach:
Phase 1: Target Operating Model Definition
Development of the transformation charter, functional specifications, and vendor evaluation frameworks to support effective demonstrations and informed selection.
Phase 2: Operating Model Design
Following the selection of Genesys Cloud as the Contact Centre-as-a-Service (CCaaS) platform, Sabio reinforced Bouygues Telecom’s internal teams, accelerating implementation readiness through agile methodologies.
Phase 3: Deployment Strategy
Creation of detailed mapping foundations for proof-of-concept deployment, translating business requirements into practical configuration language.
“CCaaS solutions require new methodologies and a return to core business needs, supported by external expertise,” Rousseau noted.
Preparation Accelerates Vendor Implementation
The value of Sabio’s pre-implementation consultancy became most apparent once the selected technology vendor began implementation.
“The preparation phase was so robust that the vendor immediately recognised how much groundwork had already been completed,” said Guillaume Faure, Principal Solutions Manager at Sabio.
“This significantly reduced project risk and accelerated delivery timelines.”
Measurable Outcomes from Strategic Consultancy
The consultancy engagement delivered clear, measurable outcomes prior to vendor onboarding:
- 35+ user personas fully defined
- 20+ customer journeys redesigned for implementation
- 15+ outsourcing partners aligned across 25 sites
- Two major business units unified under a single CX platform strategy
- A comprehensive evaluation framework enabling optimal vendor selection
Why Consultancy Must Precede Migration
Unlike traditional transformation models—where requirements are defined during implementation—Sabio’s approach ensured Bouygues Telecom fully understood its transformation objectives before making technology decisions.
“Clients often ask fundamental questions,” Faure explained.
“How do we combine digital and AI to benefit customers? What are the blockers in our current CX? How do we prioritise effectively?”
Building Capability, Not Dependency
A core principle of Sabio’s consultancy model is knowledge transfer, ensuring long-term autonomy for client teams. Bouygues Telecom’s internal staff were empowered to own process analysis and deployment planning beyond the consultancy phase.
“This was not simply a technology migration,” Rousseau said.
“It was a reimagining of customer relationship management using cloud and AI-enhanced capabilities.”
Setting a New Benchmark for CX Transformation
The Bouygues Telecom case study illustrates that successful digital transformation begins before vendor selection. Strategic preparation, robust methodology, and expert consultancy are essential to reducing risk, accelerating delivery, and driving real CX innovation.
“Whether it’s a contact centre evolution or cloud migration, this is about transformation—not just modernisation,” Faure concluded.
