Customer Profile:

Our client is a national leader in portable storage solutions, providing services across approximately 80 locations throughout the United States. They specialize in secure, portable storage and moving solutions for both residential and business customers. Renowned for their durable, all-steel storage containers and superior customer service, they’ve supported countless moves; from local storage needs to cross-country relocations. With rising demand, they recognized the need for advanced technology to streamline their processes and meet evolving customer expectations.

Background:

The logistics involved in moving and storage can be complex and challenging to manage, especially when balancing container availability, driver scheduling, and customer expectations. Traditional methods for tracking container availability and estimating delivery times created bottlenecks, leading to potential delays and increased costs. Our client wanted a solution to improve their logistics operations, enhance resource efficiency, and reduce operational costs, ensuring a smoother customer experience.

Client Requirements:

To optimize their logistics processes, the client identified the following requirements:

Bridgera's Solution:

Bridgera assembled a dedicated team of onsite and offshore developers, utilizing Agile development practices and conducting weekly sprint reviews with the client’s business associates. This approach ensured the solution was tailored to their operational needs while maintaining flexibility for rapid adjustments and improvements.

• Dedicated Development Team: Assembled onsite and offshore developers using Agile practices and weekly sprint reviews for tailored solutions and flexibility.
• Right-the-First-Time Development: Employed a robust iterative process for continuous testing and feedback, ensuring accuracy and reliability in the final solution.
• Container Tracking App: Developed an app for real-time tracking of container availability and rental status, improving inventory management.
• Driver App for ETA & Route Optimization: Created a driver app providing real-time ETAs and dynamically optimized routes, enhancing delivery efficiency.
• Custom Business Applications:
  • Call Center Application: Designed an intuitive app for agents to streamline order booking and servicing.
  • Customer Order Management: Enhanced the website with self-service capabilities for order booking and management.
  • Operations Application: Provided facility managers with tools to optimize container delivery, pickup, and storage.
  • Paperless Driver App: Developed a mobile app for drivers to operate efficiently in a paperless environment, boosting productivity.
• Centralized Middleware Platform: Implemented middleware for seamless communication between business applications and the ERP/accounting system, streamlining workflows and reducing redundancy.
• Data Warehouse & BI Infrastructure: Established a data warehouse and BI solution to centralize data and deliver KPI reports for data-driven decision-making.

Technology Stack

The solution was developed using a versatile and scalable technology stack:

• .NET Framework (C#, ASP.NET, LINQ) for backend processing and efficient data handling.
• MVC5 for structured app development.
• WCF (REST & SOAP Webservices) for seamless integration of container tracking and route optimization functionalities.
• SQL Server, Entity Framework for database management.
• Angular, jQuery, and Bootstrap for a responsive, user-friendly interface.
• Back-end & Middleware: Microsoft .Net, Azure Functions, Azure Service Bus, Azure SQL Database.
• Front-end: Angular, Sitecore for customer-facing interfaces.
• Data Infrastructure & BI: Azure SQL Data Warehouse, Azure Data Factory, Power BI.

Results:

The Bridgera-developed solution achieved substantial improvements for the client:

• Operational Efficiency: Optimized driver routes and streamlined container tracking led to faster delivery times and reduced operational bottlenecks, directly enhancing productivity.
• Increased Customer Satisfaction: Real-time ETAs and improved scheduling allowed for transparent customer communication, reducing uncertainty and improving the overall customer experience.
• Reduced Costs: By enabling drivers to complete more deliveries within the same time frame, the client achieved fuel and labor savings, while the robust tracking system reduced inventory-related costs.
• Seamless Integration: Our long-term partnership facilitated seamless integration across business functions, significantly improving efficiency.
• Empowered Self-Service: Customers were empowered with self-service capabilities, reducing the load on the call centre.
• Scalable Solution for IT Growth: With dedicated support from Bridgera, the client’s IT throughput increased, addressing skill gaps and ensuring a sustainable solution capable of meeting future demands.

Conclusion:

Through a collaborative partnership, Bridgera enabled our client to enhance operational efficiency, improve customer satisfaction, and reduce costs. The custom container tracking and driver apps have streamlined logistics workflows, positioning our client as a leader in customer-focused, technology-driven moving and storage solutions.

Impact:

Our client’s adoption of Bridgera’s solution has significantly advanced operations by overcoming logistical challenges and increasing service efficiency. This improved accessibility encourages wider engagement, leading to the creation of more impactful interventions.