Case Study:
System Maintenance For A Global Fashion Company
Microsoft .NET
WCF
SQL Server
24*7 Back support
Tailored support process built to guarantee rapid response time
Bug occurrence rate significantly reduced
Client & Requirements
The client, an American fashion company established tens of years ago, has significant influence in the global apparel industry through its diverse portfolio of brands.
The client possesses a proprietary goods management system that oversees a vast inventory spanning various channels and regions worldwide, including retail stores, online marketplaces, and distributors. The system categorizes goods based on attributes such as wholesale/retail pricing and brand affiliation. The system seamlessly integrates with the client’s internal SAP, ERP, and financial systems, facilitating efficient data exchange. However, the system’s susceptibility to recurring bugs has resulted in frequent disruptions, affecting its reliability. Some bugs pose direct business implications, warranting immediate attention and resolution by a dedicated technical team. Furthermore, the system requires ongoing feature enhancements to align with evolving business demands.
Recognizing the need for external expertise, the client’s software service provider sought collaboration with Shinetech to bolster their technical support capabilities.
A Pisode
At the project’s outset, Shinetech and the US software provider assembled a six-member team (comprising four Shinetech personnel) tasked with technical upgrades, ongoing development maintenance, bug resolution, and other support functions, providing round-the-clock backup.The US software provider exhibited a strong adherence to its established development process, which encompassed various review procedures that demanded rigorous execution. While this intricate process ensured high-quality submissions, it also significantly hindered response times, adversely impacting the client’s business operations.
This collaborative arrangement endured for over a year, during which an increasing number of issues surfaced. Consequently, the client opted to engage Shinetech directly for its technical support needs.
The Cooperation
1-month Onsite Visit
Our project lead conducted an on-site visit to the client’s location for over a month, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the system, business context, and customer requirements. Through close collaboration with the client, a detailed service plan was formulated, encompassing specific regulations for the service process and response times. A new development team of five individuals, comprising developers and QA personnel, was established to seamlessly take over the responsibilities from the US service provider.
Embracing a Customer-Centric Mindset for Expeditious Response and Enhanced Business Value
The technical support requirements of this project diverged from the team’s previous development experience, demanding a rapid response to customer and end-user feedback to ensure uninterrupted system operations without disrupting daily business activities. In response, the team underwent a mindset shift, learning to approach problem-solving from a customer-centric perspective rather than solely relying on technical expertise. A comprehensive and hierarchical technical support process was established, continuously refined, and documented in a detailed process specification. This specification encompassed procedures for weekends, weekdays, urgent tasks, communication ways, ticketing, responsibility levels, repair processes, deployment plans and other aspects. There are different treatments for different situations, basically covering all kinds of problems encountered.
Proactive Bug Detection and Resolution
To preempt the occurrence of bugs and ensure their timely resolution, our team devised and implemented various programs and scripts. These automated mechanisms conducted regular code checks at predetermined intervals and promptly notified the team of any detected bugs. Depending on the severity of the bugs, the team would either inform the client or proceed with immediate resolution.
Rigorous and Systematic Review Process
In the initial phase of the project, when the system was plagued with numerous bugs, the team conducted weekly defect reviews to identify and rectify issues swiftly. Over time, as the system stabilized and the number of bugs dwindled, the frequency of defect reviews was reduced to once a month. This meticulous review process played a crucial role in minimizing system bugs and ensuring its stable operation.
The result
Our partnership with the client has spanned over four years, characterized by a remarkable transformation in the system’s stability. Through our concerted efforts, the system’s bug occurrence rate has been significantly reduced, leading to its exceptional stability. Consequently, we were able to scale down our team size from the initial five members to a lean team of three, comprising two full-time and one part-time engineer. The team’s primary focus has shifted from rapid bug fixes to the maintenance and enhancement of the system’s expanding functionalities.
