A Customized Online Order Management System for Ralik
Operation and Logistic Management Behind a Fast-Growing Business
Ralik sells and distributes thousands of cleaning, food packaging, shipping, health and safety products to businesses across Quebec. In recent years, the distributor has experienced significant growth in demand, a phenomenon that increased with the arrival of COVID-19 and the marked enthusiasm for the types of goods offered. This, combined with the labor shortage in Quebec, led Ralik wanting to automate its operations in order to improve the efficiency and profit margins of the company. The supply challenge caused by the pandemic remained, but Ralik wanted to speed up its processes.
The Assignment: Developing a Digital Platform for Online Orders that Fully Integrates with the Existing ERP
To help staff speed up the production of quotes and the completion of orders, Ralik asked Unik Web to develop a solution that would allow them to implement logistics automation and reduce manual work. The distributor wanted to digitize its tools and set up infrastructures to allow them to respond to customers within a reasonable timeframe and always with the same accuracy.
Services
- Programming and Web integration
- Cybersecurity management
- WordPress integration
- Bidirectional synchronization between the ERP and Digital Platform
- Implementation and configuration of a secure, flexible and scalable hosting service
The Challenge: Integrating Millions of Order Combinations from the ERP into the WordPress CMS
Ralik offers to its customers thousands of items from hundreds of different suppliers at personalized prices. Its product catalog is entirely managed from the Enterprise Resources Planning system (ERP) Neovation, to which employees connect when they have to manually prepare purchase orders for their buyers.
To automate operations effectively, we needed to ensure that Ralik's customers could access their personalized product offering from a secure online profile. We also had to ensure that the offer presented online reflected the quantity of stock available in the warehouses. This represented a great challenge for our team, which had to integrate thousands of available prices and product combinations and assign them to the right user profile.
2,500
personalized customer profiles
supported by the platform
7,000
products cataloged
and tracked in real time
2,500
personalized customer profiles
supported by the platform
7,000
products cataloged
and tracked in real time
The Solution: Developing an Online Order Management System that Communicates with Administrative Softwares
In order to meet Ralik's needs, we linked the Neovation ERP to the WordPress CMS using customized APIs. With this integration, users can access their product catalogs and personalized pricing structures from the website and make their purchases completely online.
We then linked the warehouse inventory to the website so that the quantities displayed reflect the supply available in real time. Users, with their unique profile, know which items are in stock or not, on sale or promoted, and can adjust their online orders appropriately.
Automating the Logistics Behind Operations
In order to reduce manual work and help employees meet the high demands, we developed automation systems that linked all stages of an online order. We performed an integration that connects suppliers, deliverers and the accounting department so that Ralik can fulfill an order from A to Z with as few intermediaries as possible.
We also made sure that orders placed online were directly taken care of in the invoicing software. This lightens the task of the accounting department and simplifies follow-ups.
Thanks to the integration of the ERP with the CMS, the API formulas developed and the improved website, Ralik was able to support the exponential demand during the pandemic and continue its operations at the same efficiency as in normal times. Employees keep the business running smoothly while the web platform offers the ability to close multiple sales simultaneously at any time of the day.
50,000
orders completed annually
Simplify the User Experience by Centralizing Information on a Single Platform
To improve customer service and user experience, we integrated features into the online order management system that allows Ralik’s customers to track their purchases and account balance. With this tool, users can view their past purchases, track the status of an order in progress, find out the availability of warehouse items, consult their account, view their previous invoices, etc.
We also created a tool that allows users to request quotes from suppliers with whom they have not yet concluded an agreement. Once a contract has been signed between the parties, the buyer can access its exclusive product offer at the prices determined with the supplier.
Lastly, we implemented a secure, flexible and scalable hosting service, which adjusts to the volume of orders and the high traffic on the website. This prevents the website from crashing from high traffic and high volumes of orders.
Technologies Used
Client Testimonial
Thanks to the IT solutions developed by Unik Web, orders are now made mostly online, which saves time for my team and my customers. The agency has succeeded in significantly reducing the manual work of our employees. Unik has created tools that allow us to offer a 100% personalized experience to our customers, despite the challenges we have encountered during the pandemic.
Ali Mustafa
President, CEO
ralik.ca
