Zodiac

How we transformed Zodiacs online platform

With a paper catalog as a foundation for their product data and a highly customized solution to migrate from, we had to transform both product data as well as the solution but still maintain many of the optimized processes that were available within the organization. This resulted in an elaborate process of Agile development with our client where 20 years of learning had to be included.

We started out by structuring the data so that it is available in the old catalog structure but could also provide for new and standardized e-commerce solutions as well. This resulted in a single source of truth and Product Information Management (PIM) within Umbraco itself. Having the right data in the right format available throughout the solution provided a strong basis to build on. With an integration to the ERP, we made sure that any product change and order would have a seamless journey throughout the Zodiac organization.

Next, we needed to solve the problem of having many images in different formats optimized for both on- and offline. Here, we extended the standard Umbraco media section towards a Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution that could provide for some specific needs and would integrate some of the optimized processes that were used in the organization.

The final problem we had to solve was, that we had to provide the dealers with an easy solution to customize their own stores and handle their orders. To achieve this, we extended the Umbraco backend to provide an easy and friendly editor experience.

The result: A fully customized backoffice

Due to Umbraco’s high extendibility and the possibility to easily use existing components, we were able to create a seamless experience for the client as well as their editors and end-users. We ended up with a fully customized backoffice that consists of Umbraco sections that are targeted at specific parts of the client’s business, like, for example, Media, Commerce, and the dealers. We also arrived at a solution that allows Zodiac to reuse its media for both web and physical formats.

The solution consists of a catalog tree, with multiple levels of categories, that can be searched and filtered based on language and specific selections of products and categories. These selections can also be managed within this commerce section and can be used to export XML's and blueprints used for the creation of the physical catalog. In addition to the DAM and Commerce sections, we have added a section that is focused on the dealer: the Dealer Lounge. Here, Zodiac's dealers can gain insights into their B2C and B2B orders, dealer discounts, and freight costs and order parts directly from Zodiac.