One-Click Car Rentals and Maintenance. We Improved Customers Comms for a Company Selling Trucks and Specialty Vehicles
Alliance Trucks is a mobile app for renting and selling trucks and specialty vehicles. It was created for the Alliance Trucks group of companies, a multi-brand trade and service complex that sells and maintains vehicles. The app runs on iOS and Android.
40 cars
on the market
10 months
of work on the project
1,500 hours
of development
Task
The client‘s objective was to streamline communication with customers. The client wanted an app where one can quickly sign up for a test drive and maintenance, as well as contact a manager to discuss purchasing or renting a car.
The app had to be logical and intuitive.
Solution
We came up with an app with a user-friendly catalog where customers can select cars and find service centers. Customers can easily sign up for a test drive or get a commercial offer for renting.
Managers answer questions in a chat. The app has news and promotions sections.
You can use it anonymously or log in. This helps attract visitors who are not ready to buy yet.
There is also an administration panel, where the client can manage customer requests, view profiles, receive feedback from users, etc.
Development Process
The project started in December 2019. We chose Kotlin MPP as the base.
We started with analytics, then created a design and a prototype. After that, we went on to develop the core functionality — created an admin panel, a catalog, a news feed, etc. All in all, the development took 10 months. Another 2 months were spent on tests and modifications.
We implemented the practice of continuous integration. That is, instead of waiting for the final phase to start the tests, we tested the project as we worked.
The Hardest Part
The backend had a complex system for importing data from an external service, with a rather substantial amount of data.
How we solved these tasks
We optimized the data import for the backend through an API.
To make the import secure, we use a request signature with a secret key. The key is known to us and the client server. Before sending the request, the client hashes the data and the key using the SHA512 algorithm. When the data comes through, we do the same, then compare the hashes. If they match, everything is OK.
Vladimir Timonov
“This project made us realize that we need to work more with client expectations and feedback.
After completing each phase, we would call our clients and discuss what went well and what didn’t. Then we create a customer satisfaction index. Based on this index, we can adjust the actions of our team: the salesperson, the project manager, and so on.“
Technology Stack
KMM (Kotlin Mobile Multiplatform)
Coroutines
MOKO-network under the hood ktor-client with entity generator and Api classeskotlinx.serialization
Firebase
MOKO-widgets
MOKO-mvvm under the hood AAC (Android Architecture Components)
MOKO-resources
Other libs from MOKO frameworkResults
Both iOS and Android versions have been released. We presented the client with a finished app with source codes and an administration system — now they can tweak the product, if needed.
The customer can view the car card and make a request to either buy or rent it.
