B2B eCommerce
Native Mobile App
iOS and Android
A Case Study
iOS and Android
The goal of this case study is to explore the development and implementation of a customizable, white-label native mobile app tailored specifically to the needs of mid-market manufacturing and distribution companies. This mobile app aims to address the identified challenges by providing an affordable, easy-to-use, and scalable solution that can be integrated seamlessly with existing systems. The study will examine how such an app can help these companies:
I conducted surveys with our existing customers to gauge their interest and assess the practicality of introducing a mobile app tailored to their needs. The questions aimed to understand their enthusiasm for adopting a mobile app and evaluate its alignment with their business models. While a significant number expressed a keen interest in a mobile app, the main hurdles identified were the challenges related to developing and launching a native app, including the time and resources required. This feedback underscored the importance for Optimizely to efficiently manage app store listings and ensure the mobile app provides a seamless extension of the web experience.
Further investigation revealed that such an app would be particularly advantageous for our field sales representatives. These team members often travel to customer sites to discuss and finalize sales of products. The mobile app would serve as a valuable tool for them, enhancing their efficiency and effectiveness during these off-site engagements.
Megan's role involves extensive travel to client sites where she presents products, negotiates deals, and closes sales. Her success hinges on her ability to access critical sales tools and information on the fly, making her heavily reliant on mobile technology to manage her sales activities efficiently. Megan's proficiency in leveraging tech solutions enables her to provide instant, up-to-date product and inventory information to clients, streamlining the sales process from initial contact to deal closure. Her role is crucial in not only meeting sales targets but also in enhancing the customer buying experience through quick and informed responses, underlining the importance of integrating mobile technology in field sales operations.
Carolina Jones operates at the forefront of digital commerce as the E-Commerce Manager for a consumer goods distribution company. Her role is pivotal in strategizing and executing the company's online sales initiatives, aiming to expand the digital footprint and enhance the online shopping experience for customers. Carolina's responsibilities encompass website management, digital marketing, and analytics, focusing on optimizing the e-commerce platform to drive sales and improve customer engagement. She integrates mobile sales channels into the company’s broader e-commerce strategy, leveraging data from mobile app usage to gain insights into customer preferences and behavior. Her expertise in digital marketing tools and analytics enables her to implement targeted marketing campaigns and personalized offers, significantly contributing to customer retention and sales growth. Carolina's role is critical in ensuring a seamless and consistent user experience across web and mobile platforms, thereby aligning with the company’s objectives of boosting online presence and achieving digital sales targets.
Megan begins her day planning visits to client sites, requiring access to her schedule, client information, and product details.
The team outlined a workflow where Megan logs into the app, views her daily schedule, and accesses client profiles. Before each visit, she reviews product information and inventory levels to prepare for discussions. During meetings, Megan uses the app to present products, check inventory in real time, and place orders directly from the field. The app also prompts her to schedule follow-up tasks and update client records post-visit.
Real-time access to information, efficient order placement, and the ability to manage customer interactions on-the-go.
Carolina's day involves analyzing sales data, updating the e-commerce platform, and planning digital marketing campaigns.
The session outlined a workflow where Carolina uses the app to monitor real-time analytics of app usage and sales data. She updates product listings and promotions directly through the app and sets up targeted marketing campaigns based on user behavior. The app allows her to track the effectiveness of these campaigns and make data-driven decisions.
Seamless integration with the e-commerce platform, access to real-time analytics, and the ability to execute and monitor marketing campaigns from anywhere.
Participants expected a buying workflows to mimic popular B2C commerce platforms like Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. My prototype received praise for offering a similar, intuitive shopping experience, aligning with these expectations.
The prototype revealed a gap in capturing essential custom components unique to our customers' storefronts during the checkout process. Notably, it missed integrating custom payment gateways and shipping methods that are crucial for our clients' operations.
There was a strong desire among customers for greater flexibility in personalizing the app's visual elements. This includes brand-specific colors, page layouts, and icons, underscoring the need for a more adaptable and brand-cohesive user interface.
As a white-label application, this B2B app offers customers the flexibility to tailor the look and feel of their storefront by customizing buttons, link text, and icons to align with their brand identity. Specifically, customization is concentrated on the home page, allowing clients to inject their unique branding elements into the app's entry point. This decision strikes a balance between ensuring hassle-free updates from our side and granting our customers the creative freedom to make the app truly their own, enhancing the user experience while maintaining a consistent and easily updatable framework.
A primary objective was to ensure the mobile app accurately replicated the product data from our customer's web store, enabling our personas, such as field sales representatives and e-commerce managers, to effectively track orders and access product information on-the-go. This seamless integration empowers users with real-time data, enhancing their ability to stay informed and make decisions from anywhere.
Our foremost aim was to meticulously mirror the product data from our customer's web store within the mobile app, providing a coherent and reliable resource for our personas. This ensures that individuals like Megan Mooney, an outside sales rep, and Carolina Jones, an e-commerce manager, have immediate access to up-to-date product information, facilitating efficient decision-making and enhancing their ability to serve customers effectively while on the move.
The development and implementation of the white-label B2B e-commerce mobile app have had a transformative effect on our client businesses and their operational dynamics. For outside sales representatives like Megan Mooney, the app has been a game-changer, providing real-time access to product information and order tracking, thus significantly enhancing sales efficiency and customer service on the road.
E-commerce managers such as Carolina Jones have benefited from the app's ability to seamlessly integrate with existing web stores, offering a unified platform for managing online sales and marketing campaigns. This has not only streamlined operations but also provided valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences, leading to more targeted and effective marketing strategies. Overall, the app has facilitated a more agile, informed, and customer-centric approach to B2B e-commerce, underscoring the importance of digital tools in today's competitive market.
This project has been a profound learning experience on multiple fronts. Firstly, it underscored the critical importance of understanding user needs and preferences in developing digital solutions. Engaging with personas like Megan and Carolina highlighted the diverse requirements within a business and the necessity of a flexible, customizable app to meet these needs. Secondly, the usability study revealed the significance of mimicking familiar B2C functionalities in a B2B context to enhance user experience, while also addressing the unique challenges of B2B operations, such as custom checkout processes.
Finally, the project emphasized the ongoing need for balance between customization and manageability, ensuring that the app remains both a powerful tool for users and a viable product for developers to maintain and update. This project has not only advanced my technical and strategic skills but also deepened my appreciation for the complex interplay between technology, business operations, and user experience in creating successful digital solutions.