E-commerce across the seven seas

Even for us, fixing the issue of internet access at sea is a tall order, so instead of charging headlong into the challenge, we are sidestepping it entirely by reducing the need for internet access in the first place. By using a PWA with Optimizely e-commerce, large amounts of data can be stored directly in the browser.

Under the old approach Garrets worked with orders being submitted as Excel sheets, with large amounts of data, resulting in resource-intensive administration. On top of the obvious problem of having to allocate more resources to the task, this also meant more manual handling – and thus more risk of human error causing or compounding problems.

With this new solution, we are doing away with the previous approach, which was both time and resource consuming, in favour of a digital purchasing portal, which compiles all the products in an offline catalogue that isn’t dependent on access to wifi.

One salient aspect of the new approach, we are developing for Garrets, is the smoother workflow and its attendant benefits for both Garrets and their clients. The solution we are providing to Garrets also means that internet access at sea can now be used strategically to update the offline product catalogue – so when the need is there, it can be done, but the dependency is drastically reduced. When in port, wi-fi makes sure that the catalogue is as up to date as can be, before the shipping vessel sets out to sea once more. 

On Garrets’ side, a smoother, easier to handle workflow means that they can devote fewer resources to the purchasing process, providing Garrets with optimised work processes. Additionally, the simple truth is that the more human handling there is of a given task, the more the risk of human error creeps in. With our new solution, that risk is diminished.  

For Garrets’ clients, the result is that it is easier to stay within budget – a notable benefit for any business unit – and faster to get an overview of what you need and how to get it. This means that clients’ lives become easier, which gives Garrets a competitive advantage over other players in the market. As with any other company, Garrets has a vested interest in keeping their clients happy – after all, a strong partnership is more likely to endure in the long term.