Flexcavo is a Berlin-based start-up that optimizes how construction machinery is rented and managed through cutting-edge software and technology solutions.
Flexcavo’s value proposition is based on digital innovation. Therefore, it was important for Flexcavo to create and launch a world-class, intuitive B2B eCommerce platform that matched their vision of creating a seamless, end-to-end rental experience for both vendors and renters.
Flexcavo’s existing website did not match its ethos of convenience, simplicity, and speed. The business ran using a single WordPress site with a basic eCommerce plugin to support their machinery rentals.
When Flexcavo engaged with SaaSXpert, they operated a construction machinery rental business in Bayern and were headquartered in Berlin. While the website was fit for purpose when they started and ran a low number of rentals, it wasn’t scalable or able to grow with them as they expanded.
Flexcavo foresaw logistical problems that would result in poor customer satisfaction if they did not improve their rental platform in anticipation of new growth.
Flexcavo is a highly ambitious brand that aims to be a market leader in construction machinery rental solutions in Germany and a number of other EU countries. The company was looking to expand its portfolio to include multiple rental sites across Germany, collaborating with numerous construction machinery companies.
Their B2B eCommerce platform needed to reflect their vision and planned growth, positioning them as an esteemable, technology-led construction rental company.
Flexcavo Buildproject view
Flexcavo needed a stable, robust, and flexible online solution that could support their business operations as they continued to grow. They realized that their plugin and template-based Web platform couldn’t deliver the right service levels according to their objectives.
They approached SaaSXpert with a clear vision in mind: creating a complex and powerful, custom-coded eCommerce system that could manage the entire rental process end-to-end, from client orders to handling to inventory management.
SaaSXpert gladly rose to the challenge, delivering a user-friendly and sleek design without compromising on the technological capabilities they needed to deliver a world-class service to their client base.
The key required design deliverables included:
Website
A professional B2B website, which both represents the service and embodies a clean, modern look and feel.
Customer-facing B2B eCommerce site
An easy-to-use customer-facing rental booking system with a seamless and customizable order flow.
Order management and CRM Platform
An Angular-based CRM platform to seamlessly manage inventory, orders, and client relations.
Customer perception starts with design. Design builds a brand image, gets its message across, and realizes the product’s potential by making it easy for customers to use and achieve their goals.
At SaaSXpert, design is who we are and is rooted in our thinking and methodology. When working with Flexcavo we utilized a six-phase, design-first approach. We follow this process with any new clients:
SaaSXpert started the design process by conducting multiple UX workshops to better understand Flexcavo’s plans, goals, and the infrastructure that would support them. It was also crucially important to gauge their understanding of their greater competitive and operating environments.
The more information we can gather, the better prepared we are during the subsequent discovery phase.
During the kick-off phase, we gain a comprehensive understanding of:
What our client wants to achieve;
How their customers think;
What a hypothetical customer/user journey might look like;
Their business infrastructure and its ability to scale.
We understood that Flexcavo’s long-term goal was to revolutionize the construction industry machinery rental business, which meant that their obsolete renting portal (using third-party CRM and Telemetric platforms) wouldn’t suffice.
With their antiquated portal, employees and big clients needed to use multiple platforms for their operation, which reduced their efficiency and increased the chance of delays and errors. Flexcavo needed an all-in-one solution tailored to their business.
With the right business partners to test the solution and enough funding available to scale, we were able to assist with turning their vision into reality.
Once we understand the client’s perspective on their product and market, we start with our analysis, comparing their view with the harsh reality of their operating environment. We conduct thorough and independent user, market, and competitor research to help our team (and our client) hone in on the critical focus areas.
During the discovery phase, we focus on:
The client's operating environment;
The competitive analysis;
The client's position in the market, as well as their way of thinking.
Based on our research, we confirmed that most of Flexcavo’s assumptions were right. We knew that there was a solution they could implement, but the product was extremely complex and would need a strategically paced roll-out to succeed. We started with a minimum viable product supporting one main machine rental, plus accessories from the eCommerce experience. We also enabled multiple main machine rentals, inventory management, and billing from the SaaS platform.
With this phase complete, we were able to use all the information we had gathered to create a detailed product plan.
The client’s inputs and our own research are used to form a complete picture of the project and what needs to be achieved. The product plan we formulate incorporates the features that need to be included to create a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), the product structure, and the main user flows.
Below is an example of the user flow of a Flexcavo customer when making a rental request (Fig 1) and the user flow of a Flexcavo employee managing a rental request (Fig 2):
Fig 1. Flexcavo customer when making a rental request
Fig 2. Flexcavo employees are fulfilling customer order
This phase sees the first version of the new SaaS product and eCommerce experience. We create a clickable wireframe so that the client and other stakeholders can interact with it.
This allows the client, developers, and designers to walk through the new website’s entire structure and functionality without getting sidetracked by colors, images, or other design elements.
Once the design is user-tested with the stakeholders, we implement any findings or remarks to the wireframe and proceed to the design phase.
Once the wireframes are approved, we create an innovative look and feel for the eCommerce site and app based on the company’s existing brand guidelines, taking market preferences and user feedback into account.
Flexcavo was looking for a simple, clean look and feel that was easy to use under their branding and white labeling. We based our designs on Material Design, with a light corporate appearance, vibe, and customizable primary color. All designs were optimized for desktop, tablet, and mobile environments.
Ecommerce experience
Webapp in operation
Manage take over with mobile phone
Additional user testing also takes place during the design phase to ensure that our end-users are able to confidently and easily navigate the final product.
During the final phase, our research and design come together.
The Flexcavo developers received an interactive prototype with trackable CSS codes, thorough documentation, and explainer videos. These detailed instructions eliminated misunderstandings and improved the quality of implementation.
Working with a complex B2B eCommerce company was a challenging but gratifying experience.
By working closely with the Flexcavo team and conducting thorough research and user testing, we were able to create a complete MVP for an eCommerce site with a supporting SaaS tool in under two months.
This use case was the first time SaaSXpert used our professional communication tools in collaboration with a client, especially video messaging. This reduced friction between stakeholders and accelerated delivery by reducing the time spent on unnecessary emails and meetings.
We loved working with Flexcavo on this project and continue to work with them to add more features to their product.
During the final phase, our research and design come together.
The Flexcavo developers received an interactive prototype with trackable CSS codes, thorough documentation, and explainer videos. These detailed instructions eliminated misunderstandings and improved the quality of implementation.
If you need help with UX design, UI, product research, or product planning for your website or mobile platform, reach out to SaaSXpert. We’re always happy to engage with new businesses and cater to all clients, from start-ups to global enterprises.
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