About the Case Study
Convinced by our extensive experience in web development, Nordart, a market leader in heating systems has entrusted us with improving the look, feel, performance and load speed of their web store. Let's take a look at how our team at Bluebird improved their customers' experience on their site – and how we established an ongoing long-term partnership with Nordart.
Our Client
Nordart, founded in 1992, is one of the leading companies in the Hungarian electric heating market. Until 2008, their main activities were consulting, training, sales and project management. They subsequently became a distributor of electric heating systems. After narrowing their business scope, they became the official Hungarian distributor of the Norwegian Adax and Glamox heaters. Over the years, they have expanded their profile to include products made by the Norwegian Beha, towel driers from the French company Atlantic and electric heating cables by the Polish Elektra. By 2017, Nordart had built up a network of resellers throughout Hungary.
Apart from constant growth, Nordart's aim is to bring to the fore the modern and efficient heating solutions distributed solely by them in Hungary. They use multiple sales methods, including personal sales in their outstanding showrooms, online sales, and sales to special partners.
Our story together began in October 2022...
The Challenge
Why did Nordart contact us?
The advancement of Nordart's multi-million dollar web store required the involvement of an IT company with extensive experience in the domain.
During our first conversation, it became clear that we would be able to provide them with a solution that would take the burden of the accumulated web store development tasks off their shoulders.
While still in the bidding process, our expert team identified issues that went unnoticed by our competitors. This convinced them that Bluebird was indeed the best candidate for this partnership.
Nordart decided to hand the challenge over to Bluebird, a reliable, high-performing company with a long history of completed software development projects.
Pre-offer measures
After the necessary non-disclosure agreements had been signed, we were able to get an idea of the state of the code base on their server. Following a thorough review, we indicated to them the actions that needed immediate intervention and then agreed on the requirements for the development process. We determined the optimal performance requirements of the server and estimated the time needed for the migration process.
The Solution
Once the proposal was completed and the contract signed, we created a development environment, configured the live and test servers, and then performed the move at a pre-agreed, business-friendly time.
Hardware changes: Fivefold increase in SSD speed
When it came to choosing hardware, we opted for best-quality components tailored to Nordart’s exact needs. Before starting the migration process, we had chosen a server that we knew would meet their needs in terms of speed and reliability. As a result, the site became up to several seconds faster without implementing any changes in code.
We have reduced the memory capacity from 16 gigabytes of RAM to 8 gigabytes of RAM. After reviewing the historical data, it became clear that the memory capacity they used was considerably higher than necessary, but there was significant room for improvement in terms of quality and technology. After implementing efficient configuration settings, we achieved the same performance with much better quality. The NVMe SSD storage (about 3,500 MB/s) we switched to made stored data available to clients 536% faster—and the increased memory performance has resulted in further performance gains.
Updating software versions
Once the system was up and running, we found no errors in its operation on our side. Subsequent issues reported by the client were fixed within 24 hours. One of the key actions identified during the review was to update outdated software versions, so PHP 7.2, Laravel 5.5 and all other necessary components were updated. This also made the site remarkably fast and eliminated some issues they had encountered before.
Laravel and PHP
Test email and Deployment Guide
We have created a test email sending feature that allows you to test timed emails without having to place a new order on the site.
We've updated the deployment guide several times, which allows us to smoothly deploy new versions to live, staging and local environments.
In the offer emails, we've added an access code to the link leading to the offer. This way, 404 error messages—in case a registered customer tries to open the offer without logging in—can be avoided. (A 404 error is a "not found" status code for the HTTP protocol. If a website is not found on your server, the browser will return a 404 error message).
After the updates
After a user acceptance test on the test server, the changes have been made live. The new system is now running on PHP 8.1 and the new 9.0 Laravel version.
Nordart homepage
Nordart category page
Nordart calculator
The Results
Thanks To The Improvements, The Store Is Now Stable, Reliable And Error-Free.
All Processes Are Faster:
This is also helped by the fact that we are constantly implementing new features on the site. These improvements are made on a monthly basis, enriching the current software and making it easier for Nordart’s staff to do their daily work. And their customers will find it infinitely easier to browse the site and place orders.
In the next phase of the project, we are going to collect our development suggestions and customer needs in a common backlog. We are going to process these needs based on customer prioritization in addition to executing regular monthly deliveries.
Acceleration of loading speeds
As a result of the move to the right web server (and proper configuration), the site’s load time has increased by 68.9%, significantly improving the user experience.
Nordart's current loading speed (8 January 2023)
Our Further Cooperation
Thanks to the success of our partnership and the high quality of our services, Nordart has decided to continue working with us.
We provide them with a very fast response time, which means that in priority cases we fix any emerging issues within 2 days. Furthermore, we start any software development work within 5 days with a specified deadline, which we always strictly adhere to.
In early 2023, we will help them set up a structure in which not only an aggregated central stock will be displayed, but also the number of products stored in individual consignment warehouses. This solution will ensure optimized logistics.
Technologies/Tools Used
Summary
Our services have helped Nordart's development efforts greatly by eliminating delays and finding more cost-effective solutions for them (e.g., switching to an NVME SSD, which allows for a fivefold increase in speed). Multi-layered communication and an experienced development team ensured the success of the project and the development of a new partnership.
Which Bluebird service has our client used and who would we recommend it to?
Technology migration and web development. Our team of experienced developers and technical experts can help businesses of any size build a web store, improving its performance and functionality. With our support, you can focus on running your business, knowing that your online store is in good hands. From custom feature development to ongoing maintenance and support, we have the skills and resources to help you succeed in the digital world.
Contact us today to find out more about how we can help!
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