Case Study - Mobile and Web App

Background

Enterprise confusion in an evolving market

The Customer Communications Management (CCM) industry is fast evolving with the help of emerging technologies and new ways of working. The gradual convergence of CCM with Digital Customer Experience (DCX) has brought about changes in the competitive landscape, making the job of choosing a CCM provider increasingly complex for enterprises.. 

As the industry continues to converge the challenge to understand it fully has become greater. This has created a gap in the market to develop a dynamic means of assessing the CCM technology available to enterprises and how it might meet their needs. More than static vendor comparison grids, enterprises today need interactive, online access to tools that visualise the vendor landscape.

Aspire sought to address this need by totally reinventing the model. The vision of Kaspar Roos, CEO and founder of Aspire, was to completely transform and modernise the traditional analyst grid. The finished product would not only provide an essential offering for enterprises looking to buy CCM technologies, it would also unlock a major new stream of revenue. 

Aspire quickly identified AppDrawn as the perfect partner for developing the responsive web and mobile app.

Solution

Reinventing the traditional analyst model

Aspire’s CEO had spotted a gap in the market. However, the project wasn’t simply a business system re-design or upgrade – it was the invention of a very technical, yet user-friendly platform. Underpinned by a new business model (involving hosting contributed content from sponsors), and with hopes of disrupting the traditional IT procurement process, Aspire needed a partner who could help guide the plan from concept to a new, bespoke platform. 

“Tim (Founder and Managing Director, AppDrawn) was recommended to us by a mutual contact,” explained Roos. “We researched several vendors but, in the end, we preferred working with someone that was local, knowledgeable, and trustworthy.” 

The team at AppDrawn directed the project as both technical consultants and SaaS product specialists. Designing and developing the new analyst platform Aspire had in mind, required a team with strong UX and developer skill sets, but also one that understood market demands. “Tim is super responsive, helpful, and proactive,” added Roos. “He's a trusted advisor to us when it comes to IT, and isn't afraid to push back when he thinks we should take a different direction.”

Working closely with Aspire, initial ideas for the bespoke software platform were discussed in terms of how they could/would translate into the finished product. The initial design exploration phase was followed by agile development, with configurations to the platform tested and reviewed by Aspire. 

The result was the launch of the Aspire Leaderboard, an interactive, self-service digital platform that dynamically visualises the CCM vendor landscape. Technology vendors are analysed based on the strengths and sales capabilities of their software, as well as their future plans for their solution. AppDrawn’s technical team integrated Aspire’s in-depth, expert analysis into the platform, which could then be plotted onto a grid on each business user’s dashboard, based on their individual requirements. 

Unlike a traditional static quadrant or report, results can be filtered by the user to create a personalised vendor ranking. AppDrawn worked with Aspire to create numerous filters based on factors like geographical location and the specific vertical in which their business operates. Users are able to adjust different parameters and see the research via an easily navigable dashboard. Results, visualised as a leaderboard grid with a number of categorised sub-grids, can then be shared with other members of the business’s team. 

Outcome

Market disruption and a new revenue stream

Unlike a traditional spreadsheet- and report-based tools, the visual aspects and self-service nature of the new platform have made the process of CMM vendor research and selection accessible to a wider scope of business users. The platform enables collaboration between different users from across an organisation. It has helped to open up the IT procurement process and ensure businesses can make the most informed decisions, purchase the products that are the right fit for their CCM needs, and guarantee the strongest ROI.

The platform’s success, said Roos, “has enabled us to develop a new, recurring revenue stream.” The platform’s unique technical capabilities and sleek UX have attracted enterprise users to the service, while new corporate partnership agreements means fresh content is regularly added to the platform. This includes collateral such as whitepapers, blogs, and CCM industry analysis, providing a value-add to users. With AppDrawn’s technical consultancy and direction, Aspire has totally reinvented the traditional market research model and launched a unique solution in a market ripe for disruption.