Aliments Benin, a dynamic startup based in Benin, is revolutionising the way agricultural producers and consumers connect. Their innovative platform facilitates direct interactions, ensuring better prices for both parties, alongside a pioneering crowdfunding solution for agriculture.
The Challenge
Aliments Benin faced significant hurdles as they endeavoured to enhance their eCommerce capabilities. Operating on a tight budget, they struggled with adapting WordPress/Woocommerce to their unique needs. The available plugins were largely incompatible with West African market nuances, notably the absence of zip/postal codes. Furthermore, their distinctive multi vendor setup and in-house shipping solution demanded tailor-made development, all while keeping costs to a minimum.
Our Strategy
Our engagement with Aliments Benin was driven by a series of ambitious goals, aiming to customise their user-facing application for enhanced efficiency and user experience. Our plan included:
- Optimisation for Speed: Crucial for a region with varying internet speeds, we aimed to reduce loading times significantly.
- Shipping Visibility: Implementing real-time tracking of shipments to provide transparency for consumers.
- Customised Delivery Costs: Developing a solution to calculate delivery fees based on distance without reliance on zip/postal codes.
- Group Purchase Integration: Facilitating collective buying to unlock economic benefits for users.
- Seller Dashboard: Creating a distinct interface for sellers to manage their products and sales more effectively.
Collaboration in Distributed Delivery
The project was emblematic of distributed delivery’s potential. Our interaction was exclusively virtual, with communication channels like WhatsApp and email serving as vital links for sharing documentation and code.
This setup, while challenging due to feedback delays, encouraged a more autonomous approach, enabling us to advance with new tasks proactively.
Distributed delivery works well when there's trust between the consultant and client. This trust allows the client to focus on larger goals, relying on the consultant for the technical expertise.
Effective communication is also of key importance. Ensuring clear understanding and smooth collaboration fosters creativity and innovation, significantly contributing to the project's overall success.
Results and Added Value
The outcomes of this collaboration were remarkable. We successfully developed a working proof of concept (POC) for each identified goal, alongside achieving significant performance enhancements on their marketing site – a vital aspect considering the internet speed disparities in West Africa.
Conclusion
The journey of Aliments Benin, supported by the Startup Boost initiative, illustrates how distributed delivery can indeed transcend geographical and technical barriers, bringing transformative solutions to life. This specific client case showcases the importance of adaptability, clear communication, and innovation in driving a company’s success in today’s globalised digital landscape.
It also proves that even when working from different locations and even different time zones, turning challenges into opportunities is possible, highlighting Aliments Benin's success as evidence of distributed delivery's viability.
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Find out more about Aliments Benin:
Homepage: https://www.alimentsbenin.com
X: https://twitter.com/AlimentsBenin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliments_benin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alimentsbenin
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