Ariane Systems is the world leader in guest self-check-in and check-out solutions for the hotel industry. With more than 3,000 installations worldwide, Ariane provides fully integrated mobile and kiosk self-service solutions, including hardware, software, consultancy, and support. All their self-service platforms are cloud-based and integrate seamlessly with PMS, keycard, and secure payment systems.
To support their global growth, Ariane needed a scalable and reliable way to generate quotes, contracts, and implementation documents directly from Salesforce and CPQ. Manual document creation was slowing the team down, so they turned to PDF Butler.
A Leader in Hospitality Technology
During our conversation, Laurent Cardot, CEO & founder at Ariane Systems, explained the company’s dual nature as both a software and hardware provider for hotels. Beyond leading the company, Laurent also serves as the internal Salesforce strategist, overseeing tool selection, implementation, and long-term platform decisions.
“We are a software and hardware company focused on guest self check-in platforms for hotels. I also lead our Salesforce strategy, so choosing the right tools is extremely important for us.”
This centralization of responsibility made the need for an efficient, easy-to-maintain document generation solution even more critical.
Before PDF Butler
Before adopting PDF Butler, Ariane Systems relied on a highly manual process for producing quotes and contracts.
- Data was exported manually from Salesforce and CPQ
- Word files were used as templates
- Teams copied and pasted information into documents
- There was no integrated digital signature process
- Updates to templates were time-consuming and inconsistent
Laurent summarized the challenge clearly:
“We used to manually export Salesforce and CPQ data into Word documents. It was time-consuming. And we had no automation or digital signature integration, so every step took much longer than it should.”
With a growing customer base and subsidiaries operating in multiple countries, this approach no longer scaled.
Why PDF Butler Stood Out
When searching the Salesforce ecosystem for a document generation solution, Laurent compared three different tools. Their criteria were clear:
- Simple to use
- Fast to deploy
- Seamless integration with CPQ
- No lengthy implementation project
- Strong support and reliability
“We didn’t have time for an eight-week implementation. We needed something efficient, easy to deploy, and compatible with CPQ. PDF Butler was the best fit.”
After several discussions and evaluations, Ariane Systems selected PDF Butler for its combination of flexibility, CPQ alignment, and ease of setup.
Implementation Process
One of the aspects Laurent appreciated most was PDF Butler’s intuitive approach to template management.
“Even if I don’t use the tool every day, I can come back after weeks and still make the changes I need. That’s very important for us.”
He also highlighted the support team:
“Whenever we needed help with something more complex, the PDF Butler support team was always very responsive and effective.”
How Ariane Uses PDF Butler Today
- Automated Quote Generation (95% of all usage)
Ariane’s sales team generates more than 1,000 opportunities per year. Quotes focus on numbers and configurations, pulled directly from CPQ. PDF Butler ensures documents are consistent, accurate, and ready for customer review.
- Contract Creation Across Subsidiaries
Contracts include terms and conditions, pricing, legal notes, and customer-specific details. Because Ariane operates across multiple regions, PDF Butler supports:
- Local currencies
- Multiple languages
- Subsidiary-specific templates
- Different legal frameworks
This flexibility was essential for scaling globally.
- Implementation Approval Documents
A newer use case involves generating documents that clients sign after a successful system deployment. Not high-volume, but operationally important for project closure.
Impact: More Than 60 Working Days Saved Every Year
Laurent shared concrete, quantifiable efficiency gains:
Contract Time Savings
- ~300 contracts per year
- ~10 minutes saved per contract
- ≈ 75 hours saved (11–12 working days)
Opportunity Document Time Savings
- 1,000+ opportunities annually
- Similar time savings per document
- ≈ 50 working days saved
Total Efficiency Gain
Across an eight-person sales team:
“We save around 60 days a year. That’s 3–4% of our total working time.”
These gains allow Ariane Systems to focus on higher-value work—selling, supporting customers, and expanding internationally.
A Strong Partnership Built on Practical Value
Ariane Systems’ journey reflects exactly what PDF Butler aims to deliver: a reliable, scalable, easy-to-use solution that eliminates manual work while supporting complex, multinational operations.
Laurent summed it up well:
“PDF Butler is simple, efficient, and easy to deploy. It integrates with CPQ and does exactly what we need.”
We are grateful for Ariane Systems’ trust and collaboration, and we look forward to supporting their continued growth in the hospitality technology market.
