Comprehensive Software Ecosystem for Business Process Optimization

Project background 

Overview

The client, a prominent player in retail and customer services, needed a unified software ecosystem for business process optimization across analytics, CRM, and client-facing solutions. Their requirements included maintaining existing functionality, supporting legacy systems, and implementing improvements for greater operational agility.

Our team was tasked with maintaining and upgrading various business modules tailored to different operational needs:

• A module for analytics and forecasting for real-time insights and reporting capabilities.
• CDJ (Customer Decision Journey). A specialized CRM for managing complex sales workflows, such as lead management, customer meetings, quotes, and service orders.
• A client-facing solution for scheduling in-store consultations, connected with internal systems to avoid data leaks and streamline operations.

Project goals

• Build a scalable software ecosystem with interconnected business modules for analytics, CRM, and client-side functionality.
• Enhance user experience by improving and maintaining the client-facing Appointment Scheduler.
• Expand the CRM system with advanced features to support complex sales workflows.
• Deliver predictive and real-time insights through the analytics module.

Challenges

• Legacy code and systems required significant modernization to meet contemporary requirements.
• Integration between public-facing systems and internal applications demanded secure data isolation.
• Handling multiple authentication types, including global users, local site users, and database-stored users, while ensuring a seamless login experience.
• Managing and displaying complex data structures in dashboards and reports in an easily digestible format for diverse user roles.
• Supporting and extending functionalities in inherited projects while maintaining stability.

Our approach

Solution

Our developers worked on three key business modules, each addressing a critical aspect of the client’s operations:

• Analytics and forecasting 

The team upgraded the analytics platform to generate real-time insights and visualizations using DevExpress AspxDashboard. We implemented authentication mechanisms, including global users, local site users, and database-stored users for controlled access to dashboards. Enhancements to the dashboard builder allowed users to create highly customized reports based on their operational needs.

• Specialized CRM

CDJ was tailored to manage the client’s sales journey, from lead generation to post-purchase services. We supported existing functionality and added customizable email templates for customer communication with a centralized “Today’s Activities” page to streamline daily operations.

• Client-facing solution – appointment scheduler (AS)

Developed from scratch, AS allows customers to book in-store consultations. It was designed as a separate module integrated with CDJ to prevent data leaks while providing store employees with clear scheduling tools.

Team

This project was managed by a team of three developers and two tech leads. The tech leads played a pivotal role in guiding architectural decisions, code reviews, and seamless integration of all subprojects. Developers focused on specific tasks within each subproject, delivering high-quality solutions under tight deadlines.

Results

The integrated software ecosystem significantly improved the client’s operational efficiency. The analytics module provided real-time insights with advanced reporting capabilities for informed decision-making. 

The CRM module improved the customer sales journey with customizable emails and daily activity management, reducing manual tasks.

On the client-facing side, the Appointment Scheduler enabled customers to seamlessly book in-store consultations, enhancing the client’s service offerings. This business process optimization strengthened the client’s ability to serve their customers while maintaining robust internal operations.

Valeriia Bystrova

Experienced IT consultant and lead generation manager. Created dozens of compelling case studies and blog posts related to software development services.