An evolving platform for changing needs
Creating digital B2B solutions that are developed with the future in mind. Adaptable assets built to ensure future growth and continuous improvement while respecting budget and timeline constraints.
Project highlights
Background
When Hu-Friedy and Acro Commerce began working together, the scope of the project was wide and ambitious. This multi-level project included a new look and feel for Hu-Friedy's website, as well as:
- Adding comprehensive and adaptable product catalogue functionality, with the potential for future commerce capabilities.
- Hu-Friedy needed large-scale software integrations for the website and sales portals to talk to essential legacy systems.
- The global expansion and addition of location & language-specific websites.
Everyone was excited and ready to dive right in. All teams were ramped up and ready to roll. In fact, the project had progressed on quite a few fronts, but it seemed that COVID-19 had other plans.
Like almost every organization around the globe in 2020, Hu-Friedy faced a paused budget for their digital projects. Some organizations would have put large-scale dreams on hold and waited to see the outcome of the pandemic.
Fortunately, Hu-Friedy nor Acro Commerce were fans of that approach, preferring to look at the project with a new set of eyes. The adaptability of both parties led to a flexible solution based on the client’s budget and timeline while keeping the future in mind.
Objective
Add a customer-friendly product catalogue to Hu-Friedys’ site, improving the user experience.
Update the back-end functionality and continue building for the future of the site.
They knew what their customers wanted in an online experience:
- Personalized catalogues based on user types, country location and the user’s language.
- The potential to purchase online, rather than by phone.
And they understood their business objectives:
- Integrate existing legacy systems with the site.
- Continue building for the future while staying budget-minded due to the pandemic.
The challenge was designing a solution that met all internal stakeholders' (accounting, marketing, logistics, IT, C-suite) needs, as well as enhancing the experience of their customers.
Hu-Friedy wanted:
- A clean, updated website with improved UX design.
- Integration with legacy accounting and ERP systems.
- Global expansion of language-specific sites, including automatic translation and market-specific personalized catalogues.
Solution
Work together to build a flexible plan that allows for the new budget and timelines, while building for the future.
The first step involved breaking the original project into new, budget-friendly phases. while keeping the future build needs in mind to avoid any duplication of effort.
- June 2020 launch
- Updates to the existing Drupal 8 code, reskin and updated UX for the website with behind-the-scenes functionality for future growth opportunities.
- Future launches
- Launching a user-specific consumer portal with access to personalized catalogues, news and specific content.
- Integration with legacy accounting and ERP systems.
- Specific language sites, each one leveraging the technology used in the first to get to market faster with less expense.
Outcome
An updated website with a solid plan and architecture for future growth.
This flexible solution allows Hu-Friedy to:
- Get much-needed updates to a dated website.
- Build for the future while being cognizant of current budget restraints and uncertainty due to the ongoing pandemic.
Project takeaways
While the project parameters had to be re-assessed and re-worked, the result is still something to smile about.
- A new, refreshing design and user experience.
- Essential data connectivity of new and legacy systems.
- A bold and exciting plan for the future.
What this project has showcased so far is the absolute importance of flexibility by all parties involved.
By working intimately with the Hu-Friedy team, Acro Commerce adjusted to their needs, while still delivering exceptional value and keeping the future of the original project scope in mind.