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2020 is an important year for 360.Agency!
Ten years ago, Louis-Yves Cloutier and Daniel Martin made their dream of a lifetime come true and founded their first company, Solutions Média (SM 360).
Their goal? To modernize the automotive retail business. Here’s a spotlight on an adventure launched at full speed!
2020 is an important year for 360.Agency! Ten years ago, Louis-Yves Cloutier and Daniel Martin made their dream of a lifetime come true and founded their first company, Solutions Média (SM 360). Their goal? To modernize the automotive retail business. Here’s a spotlight on an adventure launched at full speed!
There is one iconic story that all 360.Agency employees have heard: when Louis-Yves explained his business strategy to Daniel after one of their hockey games, using the now famous napkin on which to write his ideas. This meeting was a decisive moment for the two teammates and future co-founders of the 360.Agency group.
Louis-Yves is passionate about the automotive world and marketing, while Daniel is interested in finance and new technologies. A perfect match which saw them launch a project as innovative as it is daring: to become the leaders of the digital automobile market in Canada.
Louis-Yves Cloutier
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- Passionate about the automotive industry.
- Experienced in product marketing.
- A goal-oriented visionary.
- Spent 10 years with ADP (now CDK – automotive technological solutions supplier).
- Keenly interested in innovation and new technologies.
- A high-energy person who needs a fast-paced professional life.
“Daniel had experience in technological development and that’s what I needed to get started. It was reassuring to know that he was convinced by my idea and that he was ready to embark on this adventure with me.”
Daniel Martin
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- Studied finance and technology.
- Flourished in unconventional “start-up” type structures.
- Experienced in creating innovative digital solutions.
- Was quickly won over by Louis-Yves’ business strategy while discovering the automotive industry.
- Had the technical knowledge necessary to realize Louis-Yves’ vision.
“Starting my company did not scare me. […] Fate intervened and I met Louis when I was ready for this new challenge in my life.”
RDS was the first company to place its trust in the young company, and SM 360’s small team developed the first sports news application in Quebec: RDS Go (now RDS). A great showcase and recognition for SM 360, as its application is still the benchmark in the field today.
In December 2010, the Beaucage group and its numerous dealerships became the agency’s first automotive customer. The SM 360 adventure is truly underway, and it’s unstoppable!
At the end of 2010, Louis-Yves and Daniel created a second company, Consultant Auto 360 (CA 360) to offer support and consultation to their dealership clients.
“When you think starting a business will be hard, think again because the truth is it’ll be way harder than you could ever imagine!” (laughs) Daniel Martin
The beginnings are modest, and the first offices are in Louis-Yves’ basement in the outskirts of Montreal. Meetings and interviews take place in the restaurant next door. An unforgettable time for all of the employees.
The realities of start-up life!
The company grows rapidly, and its numerous employees outgrow the basement office space. In December 2012 they moved to the 9th floor of 355 Peel Street in the heart of Griffintown in Montreal and SM 360 established itself in its new headquarters.
| 1 | 2010 – Daniel Martin and Louis-Yves Cloutier hit it off professionally. They create SM 360 in Louis-Yves’ basement. |
| 2 | They develop the first version of the XMS 360 inventory manager in 15 days of hard work along with CRM 360 that very same year. |
| 3 | RDS is their very first client. |
| 4 | SM 360 begins the race for digital solutions for car dealers with the Beaucage Group. |
| 5 | December 2012 – The company moves to Peel street in Montreal. The company continues to grow and develop its presence in the Canadian automotive industry. |
| 6 | New products are added to XMS 360 and CRM 360 and developed into CRM Pro 360 and XMS Pro 360 — suites of solutions working in synergy, fulfilling the need of North American car dealers. |
| 7 | 2016 – SM 360 and CA 360 and their sister companies NetMedia 360, Humanify 360 and Fidelitix are now united in the group of 360.Agency companies. |
| 8 | 2017 – SM 360 launches the first 100% online vehicle sales platform in Canada: SHOWROOM 360. |
| 9 | September 2019 – The company now boasts over 250 employees! |
| 10 | February 2020 – For its 10th anniversary, SM 360 launches DESKING 360 during the NADA show 2020. This eagerly awaited collaborative tool eliminates the barriers between online experience and dealership purchasing. Your consumers now have a unique shopping experience. |
Because of SM 360’s tireless and passionate work, 360.Agency has become one of the leaders in the market, offering innovative solutions that revolutionize every step of the automotive retail business. With 142 employees (258 for the group at the time of writing), the company is strengthening its presence across Canada and is truly unstoppable!
