Maintaining and re-architecting a supply chain management system
Advanced supply chain software ensures efficient logistics without downtime and losses. Erbis has recently developed one for a logistics company in San Francisco which was considered to be the biggest move in terms of the expansion strategy. Below, we'll trace the project stages and evaluate the results that were achieved.
Challenge
Our client has been in the logistics business for a long time, providing software for carriers and their customers. Their supply chain app was developed many years ago. Eventually the time came when it no longer met the growing needs of customers and couldn't compete with similar products on the market.
Realizing this, the client turned to us with a request to upgrade their logistics software. They needed to develop an app to manage the supply chain and deliveries in real-time. The client specified that high speed and reliability were their main system requirements. Additionally, the application was required to cope with heavy loads and work effectively with any number of logged-in users.
Pre-development stage
The work on the project started by studying the client's business and the logistics market. Our business analyst (BA) worked on a product strategy. Soon we provided the product value and the problems it would solve for the customers.
At the same time, our technical specialists examined the product documentation, reviewed code, and analyzed the IT infrastructure. They listed current product features and highlighted the functionality that needed to be upgraded or implemented from scratch.
Before adhering to development, our team provided the client with a product roadmap. It described the tasks for the following six months and the approximate deadlines for their implementation.
Development flow
Erbis worked on the project for two years. The team consisted of six people:
- Project Manager
- Front End Developer
- Back End Developers (two people)
- UI/UX Designer
- QA Engineer
During the course of development, we did the following:
Shifted to microservices architecture. This allowed us to easily scale the product according to business needs and implement many tasks independently. Microservices enabled high fault tolerance: if one of the services crashed, the rest continued working as usual. Additionally, the project gained high flexibility and allowed us to apply new technologies without the risk of harming the whole system.
Created REST APIs to migrate to a new app frontend. For example, the existing app version had an API for creating, deleting, and updating users. In the new admin panel, we decided to create an object called "User group" to bulk manage users grouped by a certain characteristic. For that, we implemented new methods in a new REST API.
Built new web forms that integrate into customer portals. One of these forms allowed customers to calculate the delivery cost based on dispatch place, destination, and package weight. The users could compare the prices of different carriers and choose the best one.
Supported existing platforms while delivering new features to existing customers. We carried out a comprehensive software upgrade. This allowed us to improve existing functionality and add new features to meet growing customer needs.
Tech stack
- AWS
- Angular JS
- Microservices
- Saas
- JAVA EE 7
- Oracle
End product
Erbis’ supply chain management solution aggregates data from more than 40 US-based carriers. It provides analytics tools that help companies not only control their shipping rates but also negotiate better contracts and identify fraudulent activities.
The features of the supply chain app include:
- Personalized dashboards
- Real-time notifications
- Self-service portals
- Role-based authorization
- Prices comparison
- Package tracking
- Delivery management
The Results
The software is used by Fortune 500 companies, helping them reduce costs and increase operational efficiency. It optimizes business processes, facilitates staff work, and helps to rationally use available resources.
For our client, the product modernization brought such benefits as:
- elimination of downtimes
- effortless scalability
- fewer calls to the support center
- growth of new customers
- increased profit
Do you want to develop a supply chain app?
There are many benefits for companies which upgrade to modern supply chain solutions. The main advantage is to retain old customers and attract new ones. Other important motivations include risk management, downtimes reduction, and strengthening overall brand confidence.
No matter whether you run an e-commerce store or a transportation company, a supply chain app will help you enhance business processes through automation. If you want to develop one, don't hesitate to get in touch . Our expert team with 10 plus years of experience will be happy to help.
