Custom B2B Platform for Canada's Largest Office Supply Retailer
Client
Staples Professional (Canada)
Available on
Category
B2B Retail | Stationery & Office Supplies
Engagement Type
Staff Augmentation
Engagement
Solution Modernization, Maintenance, New Feature Development
Technologies
Brief
Staples Professional is the largest office supply retail chain in Canada with 302 active locations. It offers office supplies, furniture, tech gadgets (laptops, printers, projectors, tablets, etc.), tech services (repairs and installation), and print & marketing services. Staples had built a custom web platform using Dot Net to provide better services to their clients and offering a seamless way to integrate their SOPs on their platform.
The Challenge
The key challenge with the existing platform was redundancy and lack of platform support. The client’s objective was to modernize and enhance their platform without affecting the day to day operations.
Limitations of Existing Solutions
The frontend and backend of the system were tightly coupled which prevented changes from being implemented effectively.
Individual sections could not be updated and the entire code had to be updated to reflect the changes.
The technology used for building the platform was outdated and lacked the support to continue delivering quality services.
It was difficult to upgrade the backend system as the technology was outdated.
Proposed Solution
After the initial exploration of the challenges and conducting an in-depth audit of the entire system, we proposed a phase-wise transition using the SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) approach. Our engagement with the client was initially for UI/UX revamp, which eventually led to the entire platform modernization.
In order to lay the grounds for modernizing the system, we had to decouple the frontend and the backend. The entire frontend was developed using React. For the backend, the team worked on microservices. After setting the base architecture for the new solution, our team started working on features one-by-one based on critical business flow.
To ensure seamless coordination between development and operations, our DevOps team worked on CI/CD. Additionally, we ensured compliance with Government mandated accessibility norms required for the web platform.
The backend ops (managed by the client) had the necessary mechanisms to allow specific user groups to operate the new system with access being restricted or allowed to the feature level. This allowed us to migrate users to the new modules in a controlled manner in order to test the new version and also to allow seamless on-boarding without disrupting daily operations.
Key Deliverable
Development Stages
Key Feature Enhancements
Product Search
We improved the product search feature both on the UI and capability level to provide better search experience for the users.
Cart & Checkout
The cart feature was revamped to accommodate more details and smoother check-out process.
Order Management
The order management capabilities were optimized to allow end to end tracking of orders and visibility at all stages.
Custom Order approval Workflow
The custom order approval workflow was optimized to accommodate specific requirements from the customers and ensure proper treatment for the requests.
Account Preferences
With this enhancement, users can now set their account preferences easily and manage multiple accounts seamlessly.
Analytics
The system has a revamped analytics module which provides better insights to help stakeholders make data driven decisions.
Accessibility Compliance
We have worked on optimizing the platform to ensure compliance with WCAG accessibility norms. The platform is not certified for AA level WCAG compliance.
New Feature Development
Promo Tools
This module was created as a sub-project which allowed the admin to manage promotions across product lines. The module can be implemented across the platform as per requirement.
Delivery & Deployment
The app was successfully launched for the web and desktop platforms first.
This was followed by the launch of the mobile apps.
As of now, the team is engaged with the maintenance and continuous upgrade of the application.
Galaxy’s R&D team is currently working on integrating AI-driven capabilities like sentiment analysis.
Value Creation & Impact of the Solution
Commercial Impact
From a business perspective, the direct commercial benefit of this solution is achievement of 83% conversion on the platform. Moreover, the new system required less maintenance and changes could be done faster without affecting the system uptime. During the development and migration, there was no impact on active operations.
Impact on Team Performance
With a modernized system, the operations team is now equipped with the tools and technology to improve their efficiency and productivity. This also helped to boost the morale of the team. Our close collaboration with the team instilled confidence in the client’s internal development team members with respect to working cohesively with an offshore technology partner.
Impact on Brand Equity
With industry giants like Amazon entering into the B2B eCommerce space, the platform modernization enabled Staples Professional to compete in the market and grow their market share. This has a significant impact on brand equity which has helped them retain their clients and also attract new prospects.
Platform for Future Innovation
The platform was modernized in keeping with sustainable future growth. It has enabled the client to conceptualize and implement new features faster and with greater ease while ensuring seamless integration. The integration of promo tools is a good example of the capabilities of the platform in terms of supporting future innovation.