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Platform Objectives
We needed to ensure that we found the right balance in servicing Omtis’ current customer base in a new way, at the same time attracting a new customer base who are more comfortable with transacting online.
In addition to this, Omtis required a customised platform and operational processes that aligned with their unique business and ways of working. A large part of this was seamlessly integrate our e-commerce platform with Omtis’ legacy ERP system (Oracle Netsuite) to ensure synergy with their current sales operations.
Lastly, and as always, we needed to build a scalable platform that would service Omtis for years to come!
Technology
Strategy is at the heart of all our projects, and this one was no different. Using Flowmapp as a core tool, we explored sitemap strategy, identified multiple user personas across new and old customer bases, explored user journeys, and created UX prototypes to confirm our strategy.
We then brought our prototypes to life using Craft CMS and its e-commerce solution, Craft Commerce. It gave us flexibility to create a custom frontend design that maximised their brand, but also allowed heavy customisation of the operational configurations within the backend. Craft Commerce ticked those boxes far better than any off-the-shelf solutions.
Inventory, product and user data is centralised and managed through Omtis’ existing ERP system, Oracle Netsuite. Craft and Netsuite communicate using a custom built two-way API to pass this information both in real-time and scheduled API calls - depending on the task.
Payments were handled using Stripe and offered Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Bank Transfer payments.
Challenges
As with any project, especially e-commerce, there were considerable UX challenges that we had to explore and work through with the client. How do we create a cart experience that allows huge flexibility but without creating a confusing interface? How do we communicate that Omtis offers various case and bottle sizes and avoid accidental purchases of wrong items? All these were strategised, prototyped, and solved between Butter and Omtis.
The largest technical challenge was integrating the platform with their existing ERP system, Oracle Netsuite. Netsuite is also a heavily customisable and flexible tool, but we had to consider the legacy structures in place and make sure we weren’t reinventing the Omtis wheel!
There was also a number of additional services that required completely custom solutions, plugins, and development. These all fed into the user account functionalities and Omtis’ ERP, Netsuite.
Results
After a challenging but stimulating project window we were able to deliver a bespoke solution for Omtis that had given them their first online e-commerce platform, allowing them to modernise the entire business and reach an entirely new customer base. On top of that we built a framework that gave Omtis the required operational flexibility to fit their unique business needs, with only a small amount of change.
