Digitization of a complex offer process in the industry
Simplifying complexity with a good user experience
BlechCon GmbH & Co. KG is a supplier of customized sheet metal parts and tube blanks. The focus is not only on the use of modern production technologies and machines, but also on the subject of digitalization along the value chain. From the outset, there was a keen interest in using a customer portal to automate the order process as far as possible, as part of the digitization process.
The project at a glance
- Initial solution in use with customers in 6 weeks, fully operational after 4 months
- Rapid adaptation to customer requirements through early access to potential solutions
- More than 80% of customers already use the newly created online calculator
- Around 50% of the order volume was already placed in this way shortly after the project ended
Initial situation
Laser cutting is based on digital design drawings (CAD files) that define the cuts required to fulfill an order. 3D shapes add an extra dimension and therefore additional complexity. In some cases, design drawings may define cuts that cannot be realized for production reasons or that lead to an undesirable end result. This means that the offer calculation by the production company, in this case BlechCon, always requires prior validation of the design drawings.
- Can the cuts be made as required due to the material properties?
- Do cuts overlap and thus lead to an undesired result?
- Additional services such as deburring or chamfering must also be included in the calculation.
These questions can be answered automatically for many requests. This means that customers do not have to put up with avoidable waiting times. Moreover, BlechCon's experts would have more time to focus on the “borderline cases” in quotation calculations that cannot be automated. The goal was therefore to develop a customer portal that would make it easier for both parties to request quotations, despite the inherent complexity of the subject.
Solution
The project start in June 2020 coincided with the end of the first coronavirus lockdown. BlechCon saw the restrictions on standard industry sales channels as encouragement to press ahead with its digitalization initiative. Working together with codecentric AG, the aim was to quickly create a digital foundation for an ordering process that is highly complex due to the wide range of technical options offered by lasers.
Starting from the specified process framework (provision of CAD files for the purchase inquiry), short feedback cycles (delivery, test, feedback) were used to identify which parts of the current (partial) solution worked well for BlechCon and its customers and which still had room for improvement. This approach was fundamental to understanding the specifics of each industrial production process, including from a developer's perspective.
The solution was developed in the cloud using Amazon Web Services (AWS) with Cognito, S3 and DynamoDB. This allowed us to deliver incremental solutions in near real time. The frontend was created as a react web application; the core calculation and validation functions were integrated via an API interface.
The system architecture was deliberately designed to be modular in order to realize a loose coupling to existing systems so that future changes in the system landscape can be easily adapted.
Result
80% of customers now use the portal. Depending on the complexity of the drawings, it usually takes only a few minutes from the customer uploading the CAD files to validation and provision of a quotation. This was previously only possible using complex input masks that only experienced users were able to understand. Customers are able to submit an individual request for design drawings for which the system cannot provide a quotation without the expert knowledge of BlechCon’s employees.
Many of the requests for quotations that previously required lengthy manual review by BlechCon employees are now quickly checked automatically and customers can create a request for a quote at the press of a button. As a result, customers are able to create a cost estimate and order request at any time of day and largely on their own, despite a high level of complexity in the subject. Only final order confirmation is still performed in a partially automated process for reasons of quality assurance.
The online calculator has also found a surprising secondary use, as it is now also used internally by BlechCon employees for pricing.
Erik Schlößer
Head of IT, BlechCon GmbH & Co. KG
Thanks to codecentric's support, we were able to develop a digital solution for our quoting process in a very short period. Our customers now receive a offer in response to their request much more quickly, and our administrative workload has been significantly reduced. I am very happy with the agile approach of codecentric's team and the quality of the end product.
Erik Schlößer
Head of IT, BlechCon GmbH & Co. KG
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Further reference projects
Find out about further successful projects that we have completed with our customers. Perhaps you will find inspiration here for a use case in your own company.
Markus Amsel