How smarter software accelerated order processing and transformed customer service for a British window and door installation company.
Industry:
Construction, Ecommerce
Web Development
UX and Design
Constantly rising consumer expectations are a perpetual driver of delivering digital products that are fast, transparent, and easy to use. Core Sash Windows — a British window and door construction company — identified gaps in its customer experience, from first interactions to post-purchase service, and sought to address them with a strategic software overhaul.
The company’s challenges spanned multiple stages of the sales and fulfillment process.
Core Sash Windows’ internal application for taking measurements had been developed when the company operated on a much smaller scale. Over time, its limitations became increasingly apparent.
The system didn’t provide drawing functionality, relying entirely on text-based descriptions, which managers could interpret, but customers found difficult to visualize. Rather than seeing a technical sketch, they were presented with descriptions such as “a single casement window with maximum glass and one fixed fanlight.”
To compensate, managers used third-party design tools like Paint, Krita, and Canva to create rudimentary sketches. As a result, customers received two separate PDFs — one with measurements and another with a sketch — leading to confusion and delays.
Mostly manual and, therefore, drawn-out price calculation was another major bottleneck affecting customer experience. Prospective buyers often faced delays while managers referenced product catalogs to provide even a rough estimate.
Opaque order processing affected both internal teams and customers:
With no in-house team to act on these issues, the company partnered with *instinctools to build integrated software that could improve both internal workflows and customer interactions. We assembled a dedicated team of a business analyst, web developers, QA and DevOps engineers, and a UX/UI designer, and set to work.
To ensure that the new solution aligned with the needs of multiple stakeholders, *instinctools’ business analyst conducted interviews with measurement specialists before structuring the project backlog.
We translated the client’s need for speed, transparency, and scalability into a custom web app with three interrelated components:
The team recommended building the new system with an open-source React.js library for several reasons:
Upon setting up the development environment and infrastructure, our team adhered to biweekly sprints and demos to keep the client in the loop.
To reduce inefficiencies, the system was modified so that only accepted quotes were sent to the accounting software. That way, accountants could focus only on active transactions without getting sidetracked by irrelevant orders.
Our team also made it possible to track the order status within the internal portal to keep the managers updated on the order progress.
Replacing the company’s outdated measurements app required a solution that was both intuitive and functional offline. Our team implemented:
Casement windows were consolidated into four base templates.
Sash windows required 12 templates due to variations in glazing patterns.
Any details can be added or changed at a later stage.
Doors shared attributes with casement windows, so they required only minor modifications, such as adding styles for the door leaf.
Our UX/UI designers perfected the templates down to the last detail. For instance, thanks to varying line transparency, customers can see the difference between the joints of the window parts.
We also provided the option to apply specific parameters, like openability, to individual window components rather than the entire unit.
When the measurements are done, customers receive a concise, easy-to-read PDF, while manufacturers get a version containing detailed technical specifications.
By integrating the internal portal with the company’s accounting system, pricing became automated. This change allowed managers to provide customers with an immediate cost estimate during measurement appointments, eliminating unnecessary wait times.
To enhance post-purchase communication and provide customers with a simple way to check their orders, we developed a customer-facing web app.
How it works:
To manage both the internal and customer portals, the development team built a React-based admin panel using an open-source AdminJS, which consolidated all data and system settings into a single interface.
Perfecting customer experience at all touchpoints is vital for any business, especially in B2C. As tech evolves so do your customers’ expectations — and most businesses aren’t keeping up. In fact, ⅔ of customers* feel brands are too slow to adapt. The good news is that there’s always a way to automate operations, increase process transparency, and simplify workflows to turn frustrating service into service excellence.
* According to the Harvard Business Review
