Belforti: Streamlined Production, €50K Savings with AI 3D Models, and 10,000+ Customizations
- +10,000 customization options
- €50K saved with AI-generated 3D models
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In the highly specialized world of custom guitar building, Belforti, a French company, saw the need to offer more creative freedom to its customers. To meet this demand, Belforti turned to Zakeke’s AI-powered 3D configuration tool, revolutionizing the way customers design their guitars. This transformation not only enhanced customer satisfaction but also streamlined Belforti’s production process, resulting in significant cost savings and improved operational efficiency.
Belforti is a French company, founded in Paris, specializing in the creation of high-end, luxury electric guitars and basses. With a strong focus on craftsmanship and attention to detail, Belforti produces exceptional instruments designed for professional musicians. The company was launched after its founder returned to France from the U.S., bringing a passion for creating unique musical instruments. The name Belforti is a tribute to the founder’s Italian heritage, inspired by his grandfather, an Italian immigrant.
“Belforti is a French company, born in Paris. I started it after coming back from the U.S. to build amazing, luxury instruments, mostly electric guitars and basses. The name comes from my Italian grandfather.”
Marin Nourry-Belforti – CEO, Belforti
THE CHALLENGE
Belforti faced significant challenges in managing the endless customization possibilities for its guitars. Each customer request required manual adjustments to pricing and options, often complicating the sales process and risking potential deals. Furthermore, visualizing the final product was difficult, especially given the vast range of options. With over 80 color choices for entry-level guitars alone, showcasing these options was time-consuming and inefficient.
Customers would frequently request changes, and each modification required new 3D renders using traditional modeling software, creating a frustrating experience for both the customer and Belforti.
“It was time-consuming and didn’t feel professional. Every time a customer asked for a different color, I had to create new renders. It didn’t look good or feel good for either the customer or myself.”
Marin Nourry-Belforti – CEO, Belforti
In addition to managing customization requests, Belforti struggled with communicating the guitar design process to customers unfamiliar with it. The absence of an intuitive way to visualize how different components, like structure, colors, and woods, come together in a custom guitar made the process even more complex.
Using tools like Excel sheets and Word documents to track and present options felt outdated and added to the confusion.
“The main drive for having a 3D configurator was to streamline this process. I used to rely on Excel sheets and checkboxes – it wasn’t good.”
Marin Nourry-Belforti – CEO, Belforti
THE SOLUTION
One of the key features Belforti appreciated was Zakeke’s ability to use AI-generated models. This advanced technology helped automate the customization process, reducing the manual work required to set up each model and its possible customizations while ensuring high-quality, detailed models.
Even without professional 3D design skills, Belforti could create accurate, optimized models that were easy to adjust and refine over time.
“The AI-generated models were a game-changer for me. I could create complex designs without being a 3D designer, and they worked perfectly from the start.”
Marin Nourry-Belforti – CEO, Belforti
Belforti quickly found Zakeke to be the most user-friendly solution for streamlining the complex customization process. Its intuitive interface and easy back-office setup made the tool simple to navigate, even for someone without extensive technical knowledge.
This ease of use allowed Belforti to seamlessly integrate Zakeke into its operations, helping customers visualize and create their custom guitars and basses with minimal effort.
“I found Zakeke through Google, and it looked simpler to work with, especially in the back office. It felt like the perfect solution for me.”
Marin Nourry-Belforti – CEO, Belforti
Zakeke empowered Belforti to offer limitless customization options, allowing customers to create guitars and basses with over 10,000 possible combinations. The configurator made it possible to manage these complex designs without the need for advanced 3D modeling expertise. This capability ensured that customers had the freedom to personalize every aspect of their instruments, enhancing both the creative process and customer satisfaction.
“There are beyond 10,000 combinations for just a bass or a guitar. Even without being a professional 3D designer, I managed to make it work, and it’s fun to use.”
Marin Nourry-Belforti – CEO, Belforti
THE RESULTS
With Zakeke, Belforti transformed its production workflow by generating detailed, accurate order sheets that included all customization options. This made it significantly easier to convert these orders into production schedules, even when various configurations altered the entire process.
Zakeke’s automation eliminated manual back-and-forth communication, streamlining the entire operation from customer order to production, allowing Belforti to focus on crafting guitars instead of dealing with administrative hurdles.
“Having a production sheet with all the details for each option is a game changer. It makes the entire process easier and more efficient.”
Marin Nourry-Belforti – CEO, Belforti
Zakeke’s 3D Configurator also saved Belforti considerable costs in terms of 3D model creation. As a one-person company with limited resources, the ability to generate these models without hiring a professional 3D designer was invaluable.
Belforti estimated that outsourcing the creation of individual variants for each model could have cost up to €50,000, a figure the company avoided thanks to Zakeke’s flexibility and adaptability.
“If I had to pay someone to create all the 3D variants, it would have cost me around €50,000. With Zakeke, I managed to do it all myself.”
Marin Nourry-Belforti – CEO, Belforti
Zakeke didn’t just improve Belforti’s internal operations, it also enhanced the customer experience. Customers became the creators, choosing every detail of their custom guitar from color to wood texture.
Additionally, the data collected through Zakeke provided valuable insights into customer preferences, helping Belforti understand which models and options were most popular, further driving business growth.
“The customer is the creator. They pick their own color, texture, and model, and the whole process is ready in my Shopify admin, which makes everything easier.”
Marin Nourry-Belforti – CEO, Belforti