Bridging the gap

Bridging the Gap

Modernizing Business Operations through Cloud-Enabled ERP Transformation

Highlights

This valued client of QCS, is a wholesale distributor of mobile phones and also retailer of mobility solutions and home appliances with omni channel presence. Client faced critical challenges stemming from their legacy applications causing insurmountable inefficiencies across business operations.

Our team at QCS provided a comprehensive solution by implementing integrated business functions using a powerful combination of oracle cloud SAAS and PAAS development solutions. This approach seamlessly united key functions within the client’s operations. The integration of these systems streamlined processes, leading to improved accuracy in inventory tracking and addressing inefficiencies across the organization. The result is a modern, efficient, and synchronized operation that enhanced the client's competitiveness and customer satisfaction.

Share:

Reading Time: 6 minuntes

Features of Native Apps

  • Native apps epitomize a bespoke approach, epitomizing the incorporation of craftsmanship tailored to a specific platform.

  • Employing programming languages finely attuned to their respective platforms, namely Swift for iOS and Kotlin for Android, these applications neatly tap into the complete array of device capabilities.

  • Performance, a hallmark virtue of native apps, is achieved through optimized execution, enabling seamless multitasking and fluid animations.

  • By assimilating deeply with the host ecosystem, native apps are equipped with unparalleled access to device hardware, thereby enabling the integration of advanced functionalities like cameras, GPS, and sensors.

  • Security is fortified through the utilization of platform-specific encryption mechanisms, safeguarding user data.

SDLC Approach Image

Features of Hybrid Apps

  • In stark contrast, Hybrid apps encapsulate a pragmatic blend of web and native technologies.

  • Characterized by a single codebase written in web technologies—HTML, CSS, and JavaScript—Hybrid apps are enveloped within a native shell that facilitates cross-platform compatibility.

  • The prime appeal of Hybrid apps lies in their expedited development cycle, guided by code reuse.

  • While not matching the performance zenith of native counterparts, Hybrid apps offer a credible compromise between platform consistency and reduced development effort.

  • They wield a fragment of access to native device capabilities through plugins or bridges, harmonizing their operational footprint with certain hardware interfaces.

SDLC Approach Image

Similarities Between Native and Hybrid Apps

Generally associated with their disparities, Native and Hybrid apps share common ground in several facets. Both app archetypes enable sophisticated user interface design, engendering visually appealing and interactive experiences.

Distribution, a pivotal phase, is mirrored across both realms, as apps from either paradigm find their conduits to user devices via app stores. Notably, both categories support connectivity to remote servers, enhanced by network-enabled communications.

Furthermore, both paradigms embrace the app analytics mantle, assimilating insights to unravel user behaviors, thereby informing strategic refinements.

SDLC Approach Image

Pros of Using Native Apps

The paramount advantage of Native apps resides in the realm of performance optimization. This refinement leads to brisk execution and fluid user interactions, important for graphics-intensive or real-time applications.

Native apps offer an unparalleled avenue to harness a variety of device features, presenting an imperative for applications reliant on camera, augmented reality, or geolocation.

The profundity of the user experience is unfurled through careful adherence to platform- specific design principles, thereby fostering a seamless and intuitive interaction nexus.

Noteworthy examples of Native apps span a spectrum from the illustrious "Instagram" to the omnipresent "WhatsApp."

Famous Native Apps List:

  • Instagram (iOS, Android)

  • WhatsApp (iOS, Android)

  • Spotify (iOS, Android)

  • Uber (iOS, Android)

  • Airbnb (iOS, Android)

SDLC Approach Image

Pros of Using Hybrid Apps

Hybrid apps wield a distinct allure centered on cross-platform code reusability, effectively curbing development costs and accelerating the release. Aptly suited for content-centric applications or prototypes, Hybrid apps present a beneficial path for reaching diverse audiences.

The utilization of web technologies for development extends an approachable entry point for web developers keen on mobile app forays. Recognized instances of Hybrid apps encompass the widely utilized "UberEATS" and the interactive "Untappd."

Famous Hybrid Apps List:

  • UberEATS (iOS, Android)

  • Untappd (iOS, Android)

  • Instagram Lite (Android)

  • Twitter Lite (Android)

  • Evernote (iOS, Android)

When to Choose Native App Development

The compass of selecting Native app development finds harmony in complexity, performance optimization, and platform fidelity. Projects requiring intricate animations, augmented reality, or real-time interactions find their zenith in the native domain.

Furthermore, applications seeking to harness the entirety of platform-specific features, like camera functionalities in a photography app, indubitably gravitate towards native endeavors.

However, it is essential to acknowledge that Native app development entails duplicated efforts for different platforms, potentially elongating development timelines.

When to Choose Hybrid App Development

The realm of Hybrid app development beckons in scenarios where cost-efficiency, rapid development, and a simplified maintenance continuum merge as primary considerations.

Applications geared towards content distribution, simple utility, or profitable prototypes, are preferably built as Hybrid applications.

Moreover, projects manifesting a shortage of resources and desiring a uniform user experience across platforms are poised to extract substantial benefits from the Hybrid approach.

In the intricate landscape of mobile application development, the dichotomy between Native and Hybrid app development is not dichotomous but reflective of a nuanced spectrum.

Native apps exude performance finesse and an intimate nexus with platform-specific capabilities. Conversely, Hybrid apps, embodying the synergy of web technologies and native containers, resonate with cost-effective convenience and cross-platform uniformity.

The choice between these paradigms hinges on a meticulous assessment of project requirements, aspirations, and fiscal considerations.

Ultimately, the harmonious combination of these methodologies promises to revolutionize the mobile phone world with numerous captivating and utilitarian applications.

Conclusion

In the end, the choice between native and hybrid app development hinges on the project's specific goals, requirements, and constraints. Native apps excel in performance, user experience, and access to device features, making them ideal for applications where these factors are critical, such as gaming or resource-intensive applications.

On the other hand, hybrid apps offer the advantage of quicker development, cost savings, and cross-platform capabilities, making them a strong contender for projects with limited resources or a need to target multiple platforms.

It's important for development teams to carefully evaluate the trade-offs and prioritize aspects that align with the project's objectives. Additionally, considering the rapid evolution of hybrid frameworks and the ongoing advancements in native development, staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies is essential for making informed decisions.

In this article

The Challenge
The Approach
Outcome

The Challenge

Our client, a pioneering company with a rich history spanning over two decades, currently grappled with a legacy system that weathered the tests of time but now posed significant hurdles to its growth and operational excellence.

This aging system, coupled with manual processes heavily reliant on Excel spreadsheets, had become a bottleneck, giving rise to inefficiencies that permeate throughout the organization. These inefficiencies manifested as debilitating financial losses, an inaccurate and obscure inventory tracking system, and a glaring absence of integrated processes.

Recognizing the urgency for change, the primary challenge at hand for QCS team, was to orchestrate a seamless transition from this antiquated siloed software system to a cutting-edge, cloud-based integrated ERP system that not only modernized operations but also fostered harmonious integration with the client’s diverse array of business partners and legacy systems. Some very typical processes required an out of box approach for handling post sales incentive through comprehensive development on Oracle PAAS and integration through Oracle Integration cloud.

The Approach

To surmount this challenge, QCS team’s carefully crafted approach was designed to breathe new life into the company's operations, revitalizing key business functions such as finance, supply chain, store operations, warehouse management, and the service center. Inherent to implementation was integration with store operations system, warehouse system, ERP system, E-commerce application and various legacy systems like HR system, Cash Management system etc.

In the process our team recognized the paramount importance of addressing the unique demands of the Mobility and Home Appliances business. Our guiding North Star in this transformational journey was Oracle's comprehensive suite of ERP solutions, tailor-made to address the specific needs of modern businesses like this esteemed client. The essence of our approach laid in a harmonious blend of process-driven optimization, leveraging the power of Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Warehouse Management System (WMS), and Visual Builder Cloud Service (VBCS), store applications (X store).

Outcome

At the core of our strategy lied the seamless integration prowess of Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC), which enabled us to forge strong connectivity bridges with the critical systems of the client. We engineered a fully integrated solution for post-sales promotion, meticulously synchronized with the Oracle ERP system.

We undertook the intricate task of migrating data from disparate and disjointed legacy systems, and uniting them under a cohesive, centralized data environment.

A central pillar of this project was the achievement of near real-time integration with Oracle Retail solutions, including X store and Oracle Cloud WMS. We brought to life the core functionalities of Fusion Financials, Supply Chain (with a focus on procurement and order management, including Landed Cost), and Warehouse operations.

As the pièce de résistance, we seamlessly wove together the fabric of our client's business ecosystem, integrating with key stakeholders such as Brands for comprehensive sales reporting, financial institutions via bank interfaces, the legacy HR system for seamless personnel management, the E-commerce platform for holistic online engagement, and even advanced systems like the Smart Safe and Cash in Transit to fortify security and asset management.

This transformational endeavor adhered to a 10-month implementation timeline, and bolstered by a subsequent 1-month hypercare phase followed by 2 months of dedicated support. An elite team of 6 functional and 8 technical consultants diligently engaged over the span of a year, ensuring a comprehensive and holistic approach. Leveraging an innovative onsite-offshore delivery model, we conducted critical phases such as Requirements and User Acceptance Testing (UAT) at the client's location, fostering a close partnership and crystal-clear understanding.

In conclusion, this case study illuminated a profound odyssey, marked by the challenges of legacy systems, manual processes, and the urgent need for transformation. Through the adoption of state-of-the-art Oracle cloud technologies and a meticulous approach, we not only succeeded in overcoming these challenges but to elevate our client's operations to new heights of efficiency, integration, and growth.