Assistance.lu: Fit 4 Innovation to support its growth

Operating 24/7, Assistance.lu was established through the merger of two well-known Luxembourg brands: SOS Dépannage and AutoRent. This new entity has become a major player in emergency mobility and vehicle rental in the Grand Duchy, underpinned by a strong brand identity.

With over 50 employees — including mechanics, tow truck operators, and drivers — spread across two sites in Leudelange and Niederkorn, the company provides breakdown assistance, on-site repairs, and towing services for all types of vehicles. Additionally, it offers a comprehensive fleet of replacement and rental vehicles to serve both individual and professional clients.

Supporting rapid growth while maintaining its DNA

The creation of the Assistance.lu brand was far more than a simple name change. It marked the beginning of a significant human and organisational project: integrating teams, professions, and operational methods that had developed separately over many years, while safeguarding the strengths and identity of each activity.

In addition to this challenge, the company experienced considerable growth in both turnover and headcount. While this growth is positive, it also demands robust internal organisation, governance, and processes to sustain progress effectively.

Jacques Cukier, Director of Assistance.lu SA, elaborates: "Our real challenge was to support this new phase of development by ensuring our organisation, governance, and processes were fully adapted to the ambitions of the new company. It was crucial to preserve the strengths and DNA of each activity while building a more coherent, collaborative company better prepared for future growth."

Contrary to popular belief, digitalisation was not the central focus. Assistance.lu already operated with a powerful ecosystem of tools covering operational, administrative, and HR activities. The true challenge lay in structuring a more mature organisation, capable of sustainably supporting growth while ensuring a return on investment.

Fit 4 Innovation: an outside perspective to take a step forward

In this context, Assistance.lu partnered with Luxinnovation and enrolled in the Fit 4 Innovation programme. This initiative, supported by the Ministry of the Economy, is specifically designed to help Luxembourg SMEs optimise their daily operations, strengthen competitiveness, and free up resources for innovation.

Through Fit 4 Innovation, the company collaborated with approved, experienced consultants to conduct an in-depth 360° assessment of its key internal processes — production, logistics, finance, and organisation. This assessment culminated in a tailored action plan, complete with cost estimates and a guaranteed return on investment within 12 months.

The Fit 4 Innovation programme gave us the benefit of an objective external view of our organisation and helped accelerate the strategic thinking necessary for our growth. Jacques Cukier, Assistance.lu

The programme provides financial support, covering 50% of consultancy fees during the diagnostic phase (up to a total cost of €15,000), and 25% during the optional implementation phase. This public financial contribution ensures the process remains accessible to SMEs, regardless of their size.

Eligibility criteria require that the company must be a Luxembourg-based SME, hold a valid business permit issued by the Ministry of the Economy, and not be classified as a "company in difficulty".

A participatory approach with the consultant

For the diagnostic phase, Assistance.lu worked with consultants from FICEL Conseil, a firm approved by Luxinnovation under the Fit 4 Innovation programme.

The approach was highly participatory: the consultants engaged with numerous employees from various departments and levels of responsibility, demonstrating professionalism, attentiveness, and empathy. Jacques Cukier praised their approach: "We particularly appreciated their ability to understand the specificities of our business. Troubleshooting is a demanding, continuous activity, where urgency, stress, and emotion are part of everyday life."

This immersion into the operational reality of Assistance.lu enabled the consultants to formulate recommendations that were genuinely tailored to the company’s needs, rather than generic solutions. These recommendations accounted for the unique constraints of continuous emergency services.

The results of the diagnosis: confirmed strengths, areas for improvement identified

The diagnosis confirmed several structural strengths within Assistance.lu: high team involvement, strong digital maturity, and a leading market position.

It also identified several priority areas for improvement, including:

• Establishing a more structured governance framework
• Strengthening intermediary managerial relays
• Developing performance indicators
• Improving synergies between SOS Dépannage and AutoRent activities
• Continuing to optimise business processes

"This phase allowed us to identify not only our strengths but also areas for improvement and the levers that could help us take the next step in our development," summarises Mr Cukier.

As soon as the diagnostic phase concluded, Assistance.lu implemented several concrete actions, such as creating a management committee, reinforcing the managerial structure, and gradually formalising responsibilities and processes..

Luxinnovation's support: fluidity and solution-orientation

Throughout the process, exchanges with the Luxinnovation team were straightforward, constructive, and solution-focused. "The Fit 4 Innovation programme gave us the benefit of an objective external view of our organisation and helped accelerate the strategic thinking necessary for our growth," notes Mr Cukier.

This relationship of trust illustrates Luxinnovation's mission: not only to guide companies towards financing opportunities but also to actively support their transformation with responsive communication and structured follow-up.

Outlook: a company that is structured to last

Assistance.lu has now entered the implementation phase of its action plan. The objective is clear: to transition the company from a model historically reliant on a few key individuals to a more structured organisation driven by defined processes, reliable indicators, and strengthened governance.

"This evolution should enable us to continue our growth while preserving what has been our strength from the beginning: our values, proximity to our customers, the responsiveness of our teams, and the quality of our service," concludes Jacques Cukier.

Fit 4 Innovation: a lever for Luxembourg SMEs in the growth phase

Assistance.lu’s experience highlights a key reality often underestimated: obstacles to SME performance are not always technological. Organisational challenges can also play a critical role. This is precisely where the Fit 4 Innovation programme delivers concrete, measurable value.

Would you like to evaluate your company’s organisation and discover the levers for improvement that could unlock your growth potential? Contact the Luxinnovation team.