Project Overview
How we managed to create an app that gave an initial payback in just 11 weeks. Then 8 months later took the client out of a technology 'cul de sac' and future proofed their solution.
During this project we automated an inefficient manual business process and made a huge impact not just on sales, but also on speeding up invoicing and cash flow. We then migrated the company, Bunzl, from a point solution to the most agile enterprise mobile application platform, Pyxis Mobile.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Robin Dexter - Project Manager
Leonid Vaner - Solution Architect
Bruno Campos - Senior Analyst
Andrei Kosmynin - Senior Developer
Project Brief
Bunzl's sales team visit their customers daily to collect their orders. Originally, this involved a manual process where at the end of each day, two hours were spent, keying in the data from home, on a sometimes 'flakey' vpn connection. The keyed in data would then need to be 'rekeyed' into the backend system for the orders to be processed and given the items were perishable goods, all delays were bad delays.
LogicalTech designed and built a first generation system using Windows Mobile 6.5 as a platform and designed the app to work optimally with a Palm handset (as selected by Bunzl). This worked a treat and saved hours a day per each sales rep, as they were now able to enter data into their handsets and they would then send the orders straight back to head office.
Unfortunately, Palm withdrew from the Australian market and with the attrition of handsets due to normal wear and tear, meant that Bunzl started to run out of them. So the next phase was to re-engineer the system to have the capability to run on multiple platforms, starting with Android. Instead of writing it in a native language, LogicalTech used the Pyxis Mobile Platform, which allows an app to be configured to run simultaneously on iPhones, iPads, Android phone and tablets and BlackBerry devices. Within 6 months of making it available on Android there was a request for iPhone access and it took just 5 days of ‘tweaking’ to allow that to happen.
Project Innovation / Need
Using the Pyxis Mobile platform means that native apps for multiple devices can be created quickly as they are configured not coded. This is achieved by tapping into 10,000 routines in the library that have been thoroughly tested - which also reduces the testing cycles and reduces risk.
The Pyxis Mobile platform also comes with a middleware layer that allows someone to easily tap into mutiple backend or external data sources. This then allows data to be presented in a single mobile app, which may have multiple backend origins.
By using the platform approach, an organisation can focus on determining the business advantage they are looking for and not worry about staying up to date with the latest versions of operating systems and handset versions. At the same time, not having to compromise on the end user experience as a native app is created for each user's device that allows for full exploitation of its functions and features.
User Experience
LogicalTech made sure we engaged Bunzl's IT team, their sales management and the end users to find out what they really wanted. The end result can be seen in the following three videos:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PALYYM2Ifg4&feature=player_embedded - features Geoff Reid talking about the first version of the app and Bunzl's reasons for doing the app and their subsequent experience. Runs for 1 minute and 12 seconds.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4biN0l4M4P0 - talks through the evolution of Bunzl's needs and the new set of problems that needed to be solved. Runs for 8 minutes.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0eu8w7SYJ0 - summarises the benefits as Bunzl seems tem from using the Pyxis Mobile platforms. Runs for 2 minutes and 41 seconds.
Project Marketing
LogicalTech are roadshowing the Bunzl solution and Geoff Reid has been kind enough to participate in videoing of a number of questions, which has allowed us to use the footage as part of a presentation - making it a lot more viewable and meaningful for an audience.
We are promoting these seminar events through our partner network and existing customer base.
Sales Force
This category relates to applications that are design to aid a sales force become more productive.
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