Building an application for the largest national network of filling stations : Ukrnafta Case Study
- Swift
- Kotlin
- Java
- Firebase
- React
Ukrnafta by the numbers
Ukrnafta, the leading oil company of Ukraine, has had an extensive service network since 1994.
About the client & the story behind them
UKRNAFTA, acknowledged as the largest national network of gas stations in Ukraine and proudly occupying esteemed positions within the top 10 according to the Ukraine Business Awards, faced a notable absence—a lack of a dedicated mobile application for customer interaction and communication.
Despite its substantial presence with 456 filling stations across the nation, UKRNAFTA recognized a crucial void in its service offerings. The company, which connects people through its extensive network, identified the potential of a mobile application as a powerful tool for effective communication and overall enhancement.
In a bid to modernize and amplify customer engagement, UKRNAFTA embarked on a significant rebranding effort for its gas stations across Ukraine in 2017, a move that earned the company an accolade from the Reddot Awards at 2019. This rebranding initiative reinforced the company’s commitment to evolution and improvement.
Realizing the significance of aligning with contemporary consumer expectations, especially considering the competitive landscape where rival companies had already embraced mobile applications, UKRNAFTA recognized the imperative need to bridge this gap. Thus, the decision was made to develop a mobile app — a strategic move aimed at not only enhancing customer experiences but also establishing a seamless, modern communication channel to better serve its diverse customer base.
Request to Devlight
The initial objective presented to Devlight was the development of a competitive mobile application aiming to engage a younger audience by offering competitive prices and innovative features. The primary goals encompassed attracting new customers, particularly those interested in non-fuel products, and implementing customer segmentation strategies.
Critical performance metrics for the app revolved around enhancing sales by increasing the volume of liters sold through transactions not reliant on traditional cash registers. The focus on wallet-based purchases was integral to driving sales. Key advantages of the application included its swift functionality and the prominent display of pricing on the main screen, ensuring immediate value delivery upon user interaction.
UKRNAFTA’s overarching business objectives post-app launch were twofold: achieving a substantial increase in customer acquisition within three months and driving significant growth in cashless transactions over the same period.
Devlight was chosen as the development partner following a competitive tender process that centered on our proposal for a user-centric design approach, ensuring a qualitatively superior application development flow. Our approach aligned seamlessly with UKRNAFTA’s vision for the app, emphasizing both user-centric approach and efficient development methodologies.
Challenges and Limitation
The project encountered several challenges that impacted the development process. One primary hurdle was the urgency to swiftly implement the product within a limited timeframe, amidst evolving product development requirements and loosely defined business goals.
The decision-making procedures within UKRNAFTA, being a state-owned entity, introduced complexities such as security protocols and bureaucratic processes. This created initial delays in commencing the design phase as decisions had been made earlier based on the application design concept.
Integration with the CRM system posed another significant challenge. Originally intended to work in tandem, the application’s development faced hindrances due to insufficient data accessibility from the CRM system. Subsequently, the client introduced a new, untested CRM system from another vendor, necessitating the development of an independent admin panel to ensure operational efficiency and autonomy from the CRM. This entailed the intricate task of integrating the newly developed admin panel with the CRM system.
Problems we faced
- Technical challenges arose in implementing payment and refueling processes from a vehicle without using a cash register system;
- Change of managers (product owners) on the customer side, impacting consistent communication and decision-making;
- Efforts were directed towards increasing sales through wallet-based and contactless transactions, necessitating technical adaptations for seamless execution;
- Initiating digitization for customers who previously had no digital interaction or platform engagement posed a fundamental challenge;
- The need to establish groundwork for a personalized loyalty program was hindered by changes in project direction and functionality due to customer rejections during mid-development stages. This impacted the loyalty program, discounts, and related features.
How we did it — solutions, approach, methodology
As we embarked on the journey of developing the UKRNAFTA mobile application, our initial phase, termed ‘Discovery,’ was pivotal. This stage involved extensive discussions with the client, delving deep into their operational constraints and allowances. We meticulously crafted a blueprint by defining requirements through acceptance criteria, Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN), and meticulously documented APIs.
In the initial stages of development, due to time constraints on the client’s end, it was decided to bypass the wireframing stage and proceed directly to crafting detailed UI & UX designs. This approach ensured a comprehensive groundwork before advancing into the development phase.
As we transitioned into development, our team concurrently tackled backend and front-end development. Simultaneously, we delved into native development for both iOS and Android platforms, shaping the app’s future. However, amidst this progress, we encountered a hurdle during Azure deployment. The integration with a financial partner had to be postponed due to a pause initiated by the client, momentarily delaying our process. Nevertheless, our backend was skillfully developed using Java, ensuring robust functionality.
The testing phase was crucial, marked by closed beta testing exclusively for the client’s review. This rigorous testing ensured that the application was stable, functional, and aligned with the client’s expectations.
Finally, the culmination of our efforts led to a momentous event—the successful release of the application to the world. The launch marked a significant milestone, but the real impact lay in the user experience, the app’s functionality, and its reception in the market. The release opened new chapters, inviting users to engage with the app and setting the stage for further growth and enhancements.
Completed Challenges
Upon overcoming the challenges, the project achieved several significant milestones:
The release of the application marked a significant achievement, boasting a user-friendly design that prioritized convenience.
Operational enhancements were profound, automating gas station processes and facilitating customer digitization, thereby enabling effective segmentation. This transformation provided a competitive edge, elevating the gas station’s stature and aligning it with industry trends.
Notable features introduced included the fuel wallet option, offering benefits such as convenient gas station mapping for easier searchability. These advancements elevated the gas station’s competitiveness, positioning it as a higher-tier player within the industry and in sync with contemporary trends observed among other gas stations.
Future challenges
Moving forward, the gas station market remains dynamic, with each player continuously enhancing its functionality. While the current version surpasses the MVP (Minimum Viable Product), future plans involve integrating promotions, discounts, and an independent loyalty program rewarding fuel purchases. The aim is to broaden functionality by incorporating additional useful features.
The ongoing collaboration aims to elevate the application’s capabilities, providing enhanced value and further enhancing service quality. Continual efforts are dedicated to refining the app to offer an even richer user experience and to meet evolving customer needs in this competitive market landscape.
KEY FEATURES AND VALUE
Final design
Here are some of the final design screens that we want to share with you.
