Prodo Case Study
Client & Project Overview
Prodo is a B2B e-commerce / procurement platform design to simplify indirect procurement for businesses by automating supply chain touchpoints , improving transparency, and enabling made-to-order/white-label consumable manufacturing. The goal was to streamline procurement workflows, reduce orders lead times, improve quality checks, and deliver a smooth digital-first purchasing experience for businesses.
Challenges / Needs
- Fragmented supplier / manufacturer workflows ; multiple steps from sample → order → QC → fulfillment.
- Manual or semi-manual order management : often involving calls, emails, spreadsheets.
- Lack of visibility into order status, quality and delivery timeless.
- Quality assurance and sampling stage delays.
- Need for scalable product catalog with custom / made-to-order options.
- Payments, invoicing, and documentation managements: ensuring accurate records, timely payments.
- Ensuring good UX for business users; browsing catalog, custom quotes, managing orders.
Goals & Objectives
- Provide businesses a unified platform to browse consumables, get samples or white label offers, place orders, track them, handle QC.
- Automated procurement workflows ; sample approval, order generation, QC, production, shipment.
- Allow manufacturers / suppliers to manage catalogs, customizations, pricing, quality checks.
- Payment & invoice management, with clear documentation for both buyers & sellers.
- Real-time status updates for orders; notifications at key stages (sample approved, production started, shipped etc.).
- Reporting & dashboards: order volume, lead times, supplier performance, quality metrics.
Our Role & Scope
- Requirements gathering with stakeholders : procurement managers, suppliers, quality teams.
- UI/UX design : catalog browsing, custom quoting process, order tracking screens.
- Backend architecture & development : order management, sample workflows , QC stage, supplier module.
- Integration of payment gateway, invoicing, documentation, possilbly logistics / shipping systems.
- Dashboard / admin tools for suppliers to manage their catalog , see buyer feedback , track performance.
- QA & Testing : functional tests, sample quality check flows, error / exception handling.
Solution & Key Features
- Product catalog & custom order options: standard yields plus customizable options (white-label, custom packaging etc.).
- Sample / QC Workflow : ability to request, review samples, approve or reject, feedback loop.
- Order tracking & status updates : real-time updates for each stage : sample → production → shipping.
- Supplier dashboard : manage product listing, customizable price option, view orders, respond to QC feedback..
- Buyer portal : browse products, request quotes or samples, place orders , view past orders.
- Payment & invoicing module : generate invoices, track payments, manage terms.
- Notifications & alters : for sample approval , production start, payment reminders, shipment.
- Reporting & Analytics: key metrics like lead time, quality rejection rates, supplier performance, order fulfilment times.
Challenges & How We Overcame Them
- Aligning expectations at sample stage: built feedback loops and acceptance criteria.
- Ensuring quality: implemented QC checks, image uploads, visual documentations, supplier accountability.
- Handling delays in production or supplies: status tracking + alerts + buffer timelines.
- Complex catalog configurations & custom pricing: managed via flexible data models & product attributes.
- Data consistency across buyer & supplier portals: rigorous data validations, version control of catalog information.
Design & UX Approach
- Clean, business-friendly design: catalogs with images, filters, customization options clearly displayed.
- Minimal steps for buying: sample request → approval → order.
- Dashboard clarity: different personas (buyer / supplier) see what’s relevant.
- Responsive design for desktop / tablet.
Results & Impact
- Lead time from sample request to order reduced by X%.
- Order volume increased by Y% due to the ease of use & automation.
- Quality rejection rate dropped / improved due to feedback & QC flows.
- User satisfaction improved (buyers & suppliers) based on surveys.
- Clear visibility into procurement spend, supplier performance.
Key Learnings & Future Enhancements
- Early onboarding of suppliers and clear documentation / training helps smooth workflows.
- Customization (white label etc.) adds complexity; keeping UI & data model flexible is important.
- Real-time status tracking and transparent communication are huge in B2B procurement.
- Future enhancements could include: predictive purchasing (recommendations), competitive pricing intelligence, better logistics integration, mobile app for suppliers, AI for QC scanning or anomaly detection.
Visuals / Assets Ideas
- Screenshots: catalog browsing; sample request flow; order tracking; dashboards; invoice management.
- Flow diagram: sample → production → shipping.
- Before vs after graphs: sample approval times; order lead times; rejection rates.