BUSINESS
Scaffolding DX of the industry's ordering system. Business Improvement Promoted by ASNOVA
Scaffolding The industry's ordering is still dominated by telephone and fax. This analogue adds complexity to both users and scaffolding rental companies. Therefore, in order to improve user convenience and improve the efficiency of operations, ASNOVA started to develop a web-based ordering system. ASNOVA's goal was to create an environment where users could place orders "anytime, anywhere, reliably." In preparation for the launch in March 2023, we are continuing to verify and modify the system while incorporating feedback from the field. This time, we interviewed Mayo Kasakawa of Corporate Planning Office, who is working on the DX of the ordering system, Maho Komurasaki, a staff member of equipment center, and Hue of Tranto Co., Ltd., who commissioned the development of the system, about the purpose and story behind the development and the future of the scaffolding industry, which will change with the introduction of the system.
Text: Yui Kitagawa
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- Mayo Kasakawa
- Corporate Planning Office. Joined ASNOVA in 2021. His business focuses on new businesses and marketing strategies.
- Maho Komurasaki
- Kanagawa Fujisawa Center. Joined ASNOVA in 2014. Perform front desk operations such as placing and receiving orders and responding to invoices.
- Hue
- System developer, Trant Corporation.
Scaffolding A web ordering system that drives DX in the industry
What is the online ordering system that has been developed this time?
Kasakawa: The web ordering system is a system that allows you to order scaffolding equipment "anytime, anywhere, reliably." Until now, telephone and fax have been the mainstream, but this was developed with the aim of improving customer convenience and customer satisfaction for ordering.
The WEB ordering system allows you to place orders from either a smartphone or a PC. Enter your individual address and password and select the center you want to use. Select the scaffolding equipment you want to rent from the product list, enter the pick-up date and the name of the site of use, etc., and the order is complete. With just one smartphone, you can easily place an order from anywhere and prepare the necessary equipment.
At ASNOVA, we believe that the promotion of DX will lead to differentiation from other companies in order to lead the industry as the commoditization of the scaffolding rental industry progresses. Therefore, we set up a project team around 2020, and we have been working on the development with the participation of Corporate Planning Office staff, Area Manager and front staff of the South Kanto Center, including Ms. Komurasaki, yard staff, and Ms. Hue from the system development company.
What kind of changes will the online ordering system bring about?
Komurasaki: Each center has a front desk staff who takes orders and handles invoices. We communicate the order we receive to the yard staff and provide them with the scaffolding equipment they want. However, it was difficult to convert the needs that could not be met due to lack of inventory and other reasons into data, and it was difficult to grasp the exact quantity because it relied heavily on the rules of thumb of Area Manager and Center Manager.
Of course, we know which parts have been lost for each center, but it was difficult to get an accurate figure of what and how many were lost for ASNOVA as a whole. With this online ordering system, we can clearly show the numbers, which we hope will minimize lost orders and create a system that can meet customer expectations.
Easy-to-use design considering both receiving and placing orders
What did you focus on most during the development process?
Kasakawa: Our biggest priority is to make it possible for customers to operate the system without a manual. We aimed to create a UI that is easy to understand for anyone, so that even first-time users can operate the system intuitively.
*UI is an abbreviation for user interface, and refers to all interfaces (points of contact) between the user and a product or service.
Hue: This time, ASNOVA asked us to create a design that would be easy for customers to use even without a manual, so we made multiple revisions to the screen design, keeping usability in mind, such as the navigation lines and button colors and placement.
*UI is an abbreviation for user interface, and refers to all interfaces (points of contact) between the user and a product or service.
Hue: This time, ASNOVA asked us to create a design that would be easy for customers to use even without a manual, so we made multiple revisions to the screen design, keeping usability in mind, such as the navigation lines and button colors and placement.
What difficulties did you face behind the scenes during development?
Hue: It was difficult to develop the system so that it could be operated without a manual. We have verified the system twice so far, but we had to review the entire system to reflect one correction. We also had a limited budget, so we always consulted with ASNOVA about priorities.
Kasakawa: There were many modifications, big and small, such as "I want to make it easier to select products" and "The screen for changing orders is hard to understand." Hue was able to propose alternative solutions while taking into account our budget and man-hours, which we were very grateful for.
Komurasaki: We at the front desk also participated in two system verifications, providing feedback from a field perspective on the operability of ASNOVA and the convenience for customers. Since the site is sometimes not decided when placing an order, we imagined usage scenarios from various everyday cases and made requests such as "I want to be able to place an order without inputting the site name," "I want it to be easier to add or change," and "It should be easier to understand when picking up a large order in multiple installments."
Kasakawa: In the development project of the web ordering system, not only our project team, including the development company Trant, but also people from various positions such as Sales Department and Equipment Management Department are involved. In that sense, communication was probably the hardest part. We had to keep our eyes on each other as we proceeded, so we made full use of online tools to communicate frequently. If I had any concerns, I would immediately send a chat saying, "Can we talk a little bit now?" and try to solve them by reconciling them.
Hue: Also, to avoid any misunderstandings with ASNOVA, we made sure to leave a proper Q&A session as we moved forward with the project.
After test marketing, it will be rolled out nationwide
What are you currently working on in preparation for the release in March 2023?
Kasakawa: Currently, we are hiring a cybersecurity company to diagnose the vulnerability of our systems. It is very important for customers to use it with peace of mind. We plan to conduct a test operation in the southern Kanto region around December 2022. First of all, from the center in the southern Kanto region, which also participated in the project, we will have the front staff, yard staff, and Center Manager use it in their actual work to identify issues in the work flow and improve them. At the same time, we would like to reach out to several customers who use the South Kanto Center and receive direct feedback from them to make it even better.
I see. I'm looking forward to the release. Finally, please tell us how you think the spread of the web ordering system will change ASNOVA's services and the scaffolding industry in the future.
Komurasaki: When taking orders over the phone, even if you are paying close attention, there is a risk of mistakes due to mishearing. Also, the way parts names and sizes are expressed varies from customer to customer, so careful listening is essential. However, by introducing this online ordering system, we hope to eliminate these concerns and reduce our workload. And for customers, being able to place orders at a time that is convenient for them will improve convenience dramatically. We believe that this new initiative will also lead to an improvement in ASNOVA's image.
Kasakawa: I think that the web ordering system will be able to provide customers with an environment where they can place orders "anytime, anywhere, reliably." Many of our customers perform several tasks on their own, and if we can reduce such complicated daily tasks, we can reduce time costs and management costs, and we can devote that time to other tasks. For ASNOVA, we believe that since we can reduce internal operations, we will be able to reduce order errors and devote more time to sales activities, which will eventually lead to the acquisition of repeat customers and new customers. Furthermore, by utilizing data, we would like to create a new system in the scaffolding industry that can respond to customer needs in real time.
| Thanks to Trant Co., Ltd. for their cooperation in the interview. | We provide contract application development, on-site system development, and offshore development in Vietnam. In order to realize our vision of "becoming an influential presence in the industry," We are constantly exploring new possibilities and creating better services. WEBSITE: https://www.trente.jp/ |
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