With bolder design shoes, without losing the characteristic of comfort, the windows of the gaucho shoe manufacturer Usaflex signal the changes implemented by the executive Sérgio Bocayuva since he took over the company, almost seven years ago. The clientele rejuvenation process began with the acceleration of digitization, caused by the pandemic, and also the expansion of the brand’s presence abroad.
Empresas & Negócios – How do you evaluate the performance of the brand in 2022?
Sergio Bocayuva – We closed 2022 with revenues of R$520 million, and we project to reach R$650 million this year. Our results are always based on two important pillars: people and innovation. The greatest proof that we know how to manage people well is that we are a company where 67% of the staff are women. When I bought the company, the representation of leadership was below 27%, and we project to reach 50% by 2025. But I foresee the anticipation of this goal, since we have already reached 42% of the female leadership staff. And it is not by chance that we are the only ranked company with the Great Place To Work seal, there are other companies certified here, but not ranked. We have been, for six years, companies with the best practices to work with and with national prominence. In order to generate profit, it is necessary to treat employees well. So, in the last year, we invested in renovating all the cafeterias, air conditioning 100% of the industrial park, we renewed the entire fleet of buses, we have a series of support services for college, school, we really think of the employee as a unique individual.
E&N – What legacy did the pandemic leave for Usaflex?
Bocayuva – The company continues to grow at an accelerated pace, mainly through digital, which was created in 2019 and had a very modest proposal. But, with the pandemic, we ended up being forced to speed up the process sharply. I brought in qualified professionals, set up a structure, made an investment of BRL 100 million. What was expected in results for five years, we achieved in two years. And it has been growing strongly, representing around 15% of the company’s revenues in 2022. What many stores took more than 10 years to achieve, we achieved in a year and a half what most take. We achieved this with a lot of focus, a lot of determination and an agile structure.
E&N – And what were the novelties implemented in digital terms?
Bocayuva – We are part of the ominchannel ecosystem, which already transacts through 80% of the chain’s stores. That is, we have all the tools: pick-up-store (to pick up merchandise at the store), ship-from-store (when the store delivers to the customer), infinite shelf (where the store owner has access to all the stock ) and has an infinite showcase (the franchisee puts the end of stock on our website). The tool works very successfully, huge adherence, bringing the customer to the center of the decision. We already have 10% of sales in a system where the customer buys and can receive it in up to two hours, depending on the location of the store, or in the worst case scenario, the next day.
