servoprax

47 subshops, technology in need of refurbishment, complex data: SHOPMACHER get servoprax B2B commerce platforms on track

About servoprax

Seit Jahrzehnten ist servoprax ein zuverlässiger Partner für den medizinischen Fachhandel. Als Großhändler für Medizinprodukte und Medizinzubehör hat sich das Unternehmen einen Namen gemacht – nicht nur durch ein breites Sortiment an Markenartikeln, sondern auch durch die Entwicklung und den Vertrieb eigener Produkte. Was servoprax auszeichnet, ist ein tiefes Verständnis für die spezifischen Anforderungen der Branche. Trotz des Erfolgs im klassischen Vertrieb über den Außendienst erkannte servoprax schon vor Jahren die Notwendigkeit, auch den Online-Bereich zu stärken und zukunftsfähig zu gestalten.

The challenge

Over the years, the system became increasingly complex. The large number of subshops and the high regulatory requirements of the medical industry – such as product labeling and customer checks – made shop management increasingly complicated. As a result, updates became increasingly expensive and error-prone and loading times became longer and longer. In addition, some modules from the previous development phase were encrypted, which made troubleshooting and adjustments even more difficult.

Nevertheless, servoprax had big plans. In addition to the B2B business, the requirements from the B2C sector are also growing, as the subshop license partners generally sell directly to consumers. In addition, a gradual expansion into other European countries is planned. However, the existing shop system was not up to these requirements – it was neither flexible enough for the strategic realignment nor technologically future-proof. A comprehensive modernization was unavoidable, but had to be carried out carefully so as not to jeopardize ongoing operations.

Clear Prioritization and Focus on Key Business Processes

However, before any major adjustments could be implemented, SHOPMACHER first had to stabilize the existing system, fix bugs, eliminate technical weaknesses and create a reliable basis for the upcoming optimizations. Only when the system was stable again could targeted modernization measures be tackled.

The modernization began with the optimization of the search function – a central element in B2B business. The previous search solution was inefficient and resulted in long loading times, which were unacceptable for business customers in particular. After an extensive evaluation, servoprax, with the support of Shopmacher, opted for the search provider Battery Included, a powerful and cost-efficient solution. In order to implement the new search function as gently as possible, it was initially only rolled out in a minimal version in servoprax’s main shop and tested under real conditions. Only after successful stabilization will it be supplemented with further features and then gradually extended to the 46 subshops.

However, the introduction of the new search function brought another challenge to light: servoprax’s highly complex data management. In the medical industry, there are different article numbers for many products – some for retailers, some for medical registers or certifications. This diversity meant that data records were often confusing and inconsistent. In addition, the servoprax shops run in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, which led to additional language differences. To solve this problem, SHOPMACHER worked with servoprax to develop a “vocabulary book” – a kind of internal reference book that systematically records and standardizes product numbers, synonyms and industry-specific terms. This ensured that the new search not only worked faster, but also delivered the right results – regardless of which number or name a customer entered.

At the same time, SHOPMACHER began evaluating a new content management system (CMS) that best suited servoprax’s requirements, both technically and economically. The aim was to give the shop operators more flexibility in maintaining content and at the same time lay the technical foundation for future developments.

Result

In the long term, the shop will be gradually converted to a modern, scalable architecture – a process that is being approached with caution in order to minimize risks and achieve sustainable results.

The project shows that even overgrown and technically challenging e-commerce systems can be modernized – if you set the right priorities and pursue a well thought-out strategy. servoprax is now a decisive step further along this path.

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