An omnichannel strategy offers businesses a significant opportunity to maximize profits. The more consistent and comprehensive it is, the better.
Objectives
Decathlon, a leader in the sporting goods market, approached Neontri to enhance their omnichannel experience within their stores. Their goal was to expand an existing mobile application to further strengthen their omnichannel strategy and drive profitability.
Expectations
Our client aimed to streamline the transaction process by launching an application that would enable store staff to finalize product sales directly on tablets. As a result, customers would enjoy a seamless “pay and leave” experience without having to use the checkout. This would reduce wait times and frustration, potentially leading to increased satisfaction and reduced cart abandonment.
Customers would be able to pay for their products directly using BLIK—a Polish mobile payment service. In cases where a particular product size or color wasn’t in stock, they would also approach store employees to place an order. These orders would be handled through our mobile application on the tablet. Apart from streamlining the checkout process, this solution would also promote a paperless and eco-friendly experience by delivering all transaction details electronically to the customer’s email.
Outcomes
Neontri provided Decathlon with a payment engine capable of processing BLIK payments. We also had to integrate it seamlessly with their existing system. We took on the task of creating and setting up the app’s payment system, making sure it worked well for both customers and store staff. Remarkably, we achieved this within budget and in a timeframe exceeding expectations. More precisely, we completed the project in just 70% of the allotted time.
In the first week following the app’s launch, it processed a staggering one million euros in transactions. Within just a few weeks, the system handled thousands of orders. Moreover, both store customers and employees were very satisfied with the way our application worked.
Process
It was a project at the intersection of three specializations: mobile development, payment solutions, and audit (where we evaluated code functionality). We adopted a time-and-material approach, where project costs are based on actual time spent and resources used. The process began with a careful analysis of the legacy codebase and the client’s requirements. What we wanted to achieve was to understand the existing components, identify missing functionalities, and establish the goals for the application.
After receiving client approval, we started the development stage. This involved prototyping the solution and refining it to meet the client’s needs and uphold the highest quality standards. The final omnichannel solution was developed as a native Android application written in Kotlin. Both internal and client-side testing ensured a smooth user experience.
Finally, we had to make the application accessible to each store’s employees. Upon signing up, they would gain the authorization level needed to place orders and accept payments. This eliminated the need for customers to visit the checkout, significantly enhancing their shopping experience.
Why did Decathlon choose Neontri?
Decathlon sought a partner with expertise in navigating the complexities of integrating solutions within large organizations. Our proven experience in mobile development and payment solutions made us the ideal choice.
Challenges
It’s important to mention that, at the time, our client had around 60 shops in Poland alone. Our application would have to work in each of these locations and provide its users with a seamless shopping experience.
Aside from that, we were tasked with developing the entire application using existing legacy code. This meant we couldn’t start from scratch, and the legacy code was outdated. Worse yet, the documentation that was supposed to help us decipher it was rather lacking. To better understand the code, our engineers had to get in touch with people who were responsible for its creation. That was a time-consuming endeavor.
The project had also been somewhat neglected and wasn’t actively developed by the team. Thus, integrating multiple channels—such as retail, payments, and advisory services—proved to be quite challenging. Fortunately, we identified these limitations during the discovery and analysis phase. As a result, we built a project and cooperation plan that minimized any negative impact on the timeline.
Cooperation
Following a time-and-material model, we collaborated with a dedicated product owner on the client’s side. Weekly meetings, including demos, facilitated communication and ensured project alignment. We also adopted agile methodologies, incorporating weekly internal team meetings to maintain focus and efficiency.
The client’s stakeholder structure was streamlined, with the sponsor and technical lead being the same person. Our team comprised a project manager, Android developers, Java developers, and an analyst.
Solution
The solution included a BLIK payment module, new Android screens to support this module, and seamless integration with the client’s environment. The final omnichannel solution was developed as a native Android application in Kotlin. We focused on essential functionalities to ensure optimal performance.
Testimonial
What can briefly sum up the whole project with Decathlon are the words of their Head of Software Development:
“We were delighted by Neontri’s work and the hassle-free execution of the project. What’s more, they know that we have to present the budget to the board etc. so the whole process was super smooth in that matter! We have to admit that the team’s approach and quality of work were quite impressive. Last but not least, the quality of the solution and the whole process was brilliant since Neontri has wide experience in cooperation with big companies on the market.”
Head of Software Development
