Development of a logistics system: NetMechanics case with Jmix
Cost efficiency
Booking accuracy
Customer satisfaction
Company
Netmechanics is a leading IT solutions provider specialising in web development, custom software, and digital marketing. Based on the island of Crete, Greece, the company caters to various industries, including tourism, logistics, and banking, offering comprehensive digital transformation services. The company has over 15 years of experience in software development, digital performance marketing, and web development. They support the digital transformation of businesses through innovative technology solutions, serving over 150 partners across various industries in Greece.
Problem
Netmechanics needed to develop a robust logistics system to manage and streamline bus round trips between cities efficiently. This requirement came from increasing demands for better management of tourist and local transportation services, necessitating a scalable, maintainable, and efficient backend solution.
Why Jmix
Netmechanics searched for a development platform that was easy for junior developers to learn, ensured future maintainability, and provided comprehensive features out-of-the-box. Key considerations included:
- ease of use,
- scalability,
- integration capabilities,
- long-term support.
They considered various other platforms but found Jmix better due to its robust Java-based framework, extensive marketplace for add-ons, and community support. Other solutions lacked the seamless integration and comprehensive feature set Jmix offered. The key reasons for choosing Jmix were its intuitive interface and well-documented framework, which allowed junior developers to quickly get up to speed; the platform's structured framework, which ensured long-term maintainability and ease of future upgrades; and its comprehensive features, such as BPMN engine, decision-making systems, and reporting modules, crucial for developing complex business applications.
Solution
The primary objective was to create a new logistics system for managing bus round trips, encompassing booking, scheduling, and reporting functionalities. The project aimed to improve operational efficiency and customer experience in the transportation sector. The project team consisted of:
- four developers responsible for coding and integration,
- one business analyst managing requirements,
- one project manager overseeing project timelines and stakeholder communication.
End-users, transportation company executives, and a technical support team were also involved.
The project followed a detailed timeline:
- planning (2 months),
- development (6 months),
- testing (2 months),
- deployment (1 month).
During development, they used email and reporting add-ons for generating and sending reservation tickets and REST API for integrating with the front-end CMS and bank payment gateway. Challenges included integrating with the existing CMS and meeting customization needs, both of which were addressed using Jmix's REST API capabilities and flexible architecture.
The solution developed is C.TR.S. Major features developed included a comprehensive booking management system for bus trips, integration with bank payment systems for secure transactions, and backend reporting and analytics for trip management. They integrated with the company's existing CMS for a unified user experience and connected to the bank's payment gateway to facilitate secure online transactions. Jmix’s BPMN engine was employed for managing complex booking workflows, and decision-making systems were used to optimize trip scheduling and resource allocation.
Result
Using Jmix resulted in significant cost efficiency, reducing development time due to Jmix’s pre-built modules and add-ons, and lowering maintenance costs owing to the platform’s structured framework and regular updates. Development costs were estimated to be 30% lower compared to using other platforms, primarily due to reduced development time and maintenance efforts. The project successfully met its objectives, delivering a robust, scalable logistics system that significantly improved the transportation service’s efficiency and user experience. Netmechanics plans to expand the system to cover more routes and integrate additional features such as real-time tracking and advanced analytics. They highly value Jmix for its ease of use, flexibility, and robust support system, considering it a pivotal tool for future development projects.
