End-to-end application development and post go-live support for a solar installation vendor’s aggregation and customer on-boarding portal
8Minutes, a new-age energy tech start-up, wanted to exploit growth opportunities in the solar market. By building a digital platform, they would connect customers intending to switch from grid to solar power with suppliers who could install the solar power generation set-up at their location. UIConnect developed a web application that connected all the stakeholders, with transparency of information as the core highlight.
- Transformation of business need to live digital product
- Latest technology implementation
- Ease of integration and management
Background
Solar energy is being heralded as the energy of the future. Commercial and residential users alike are looking for ways to install solar panels either as their primary source of energy or as an alternative. 8Minutes was already in the business, providing services to retail as well as enterprise customers. However, scaling up the business would need a lot of resources, investment and sales effort.
They came up with the idea of becoming an Uber for solar energy set-up installations, envisioning an app that would register prospective customers with the help of a simple user journey. The process of customer on-boarding would have just a few steps, beginning with inputting the rooftop area / monthly power consumption bill. The app would calculate ROI at the back-end to arrive at an estimate for switching from grid to solar-based power. Interested customers could follow this simple online process to get solar service installation from the comfort of their homes.
How does Solar service aggregator model works
- A customer logs in to 8Minutes’ Customer Onboarding Portal to register the details of the property where solar panels are to be installed.
- Using a separate access, an empanelled agent captures these details and then visits the customer.
- After the visit, the agent designs a 3D visual, mentions the plans and cost involved and books an appointment to fix the panels.
- Customers select a plan and pay online through a payment gateway.
- Throughout this process, a progress timeline is maintained and all documentation is made available to the customer online.
Key Challenges
- As with many start-up businesses, the idea of being a solar installation aggregator digital platform needed a lot of homework. The new business model meant tweaking existing processes and understanding both a new user’s journey as well as customer apprehensions around the online model, especially considering the high transaction values involved in the procurement of solar panel equipment.
- There was no precedent of a similar workflow or set-up in the current company, nor were any references available. All planning, UX strategy, design and development had to be started from scratch.
- The client had timeline pressures as they wanted to leverage and ride on the government's upcoming solar implementation regulations.
Our Solution
Once we understood our client's business requirement, that of being an online aggregator platform, we recommended developing this as a web portal. Access to customers would be based on an online sign-up process, while solar providers would gain access only after completing an empanelment process through the 8Minutes administrators, who would monitor and manage the portal.
UIConnect formed a remote but dedicated team of UX designers and web developers, and led by an on-site delivery lead, worked on the application development with the following tech stack:
- Front-end: Bootstrap, HTML5, CSS
- Database: MongoDB for registering and storing the customers/vendor records
- Backend: Node.js and Express
Our Approach
- Since timelines were short and ideas around an online business model were in the infancy stage, UIConnect's expert proposed a UX-led delivery approach.
- A detailed functional HTML prototype was developed using a Bootstrap framework that captured detailed user journeys and requirements at each stage for different users, i.e., customers, agents and administrators.
- Details of business logic and calculation algorithms were studied and translated into the middle layer.
- The code-ready prototype was later integrated with the back-end (Node.js).
"8minutes is another success story that highlights importance of UX-led Development Approach and right fit for startups or evolving business ideas.
The approach brings every stakeholder on the same page of the development, expected outcomes and gaps. The time allocated for functional prototype pays dividend later in the form of reduced time and budget spends on development and testing efforts. It's time and again proven win-win strategy for all."
The approach brings every stakeholder on the same page of the development, expected outcomes and gaps. The time allocated for functional prototype pays dividend later in the form of reduced time and budget spends on development and testing efforts. It's time and again proven win-win strategy for all."
Parag Sapre
Head of UX Delivery
Result
- A perfect digital platform developed and delivered for solar enthusiasts and early adopters wanting to migrate from traditional grid-based power generation to an environmentally friendly and renewable solar energy mode. The portal helped customers to calculate their initial investment for the big switch as well as the ROI on solar vs grid power costs.
- The online platform automated many of the cumbersome calculations required for order processing, thereby reducing the overall time taken from order logging to delivery.
- The application could also be used by 8Minutes’ administrators to process offline orders more accurately and efficiently.
Success
- Within four months of project initiation, 8Minutes had a functional portal that allowed its administrators, customers and agents to log in, process and track solar installation orders.
- The portal was ready just in time to reap the benefits of the government's new solar policy regulations.
