Q3 developed a web based tool to restructure and build the system to make it more user-friendly and ready for large customers. Also added new features to the Web solution and provided a Desktop based Admin tool.

Q3's global sourcing model gives the maximum benefit to customers in terms of cost savings, improved quality, access to highly talented professionals, flexibility of operations and reduced time to market.

Company Profile

Client is a leading email service provider based in Baltimore. Client is providing their customers with both service and technology solutions that help them maximize the email marketing channel. Client provides both full service and self-service email marketing solutions to its global client base of over 600 clients. Its leading Web based platform, is currently in its seventh release, bringing the latest features to the customers’ browsers. The latest release offered enhanced deliverability solutions, detailed and customized reporting and analytics, and an easy to use intuitive user interface, all combined with leading customer service and support.

Business Situation

E-mail marketing is a form of direct marketing, which uses electronic mail as a channel for communicating commercial or fund raising messages. In its broadest sense, every email sent to a potential or current customer could be considered email marketing. While in a complex business model involving the main client, their customers, and influencers makes the Email marketing industry challenging, companies in this sector have to often battle huge customer churn. Thus, the only way to win this battle and increase the customer base is to provide the customers with the much more comprehensive yet versatile solution with great performance.

The requirement was to restructure and build the whole system from scratch to make it more user-friendly and ready for large customers. Also, there was a need to add new features to the Web solution and provide a Desktop based Admin tool.

Following are some of the new features that need to be added to the Web Application:

• List management using multiple lists and databases, user-defined fields, and powerful list and database search. Publicaster also includes full-featured subscriber preferences management.
• Segmenting data based on an unlimited number of database conditions, field values, and any part of a subscriber’s activity on past campaigns.
• Build email creative using a powerful WYSIWYG creative builder which includes full HTML editing, email personalization, import from MS Word, and large libraries for Flash, Video, and even document attachments.
• Send email from hosted deployment environment capable of sending several hundred thousand emails per hour.
• Review progress with real-time, graphical campaign reporting with multi-level detail drill down and comprehensive results exporting.
• Manage and protect account with robust account management functionality. One may create sub-accounts with standalone databases, an unlimited number of users, and may set user permissions that are unique for each user/account pair.

Why the customer chose Q3 technologies?

Based on Q3 Technology’s ability to meet challenges, the email marketing giant has chosen Q3 Technologies as their distributed team in the development of the latest version of their leading Web Based Email Marketing solution and its Desktop Administration software.

Solution

Project required development in both Web (Web based solution) and Desktop (Admin Application) platforms. Q3 Technologies formed a team of senior developers having experience in .NET development for both Web and Windows based platform and appointed a manager having experience in these domain. Communication was made through the telephonic calls, Skype chats and emails. The initial set of requirements was put down by going through the existing Web application and a number of meetings with the client. The solution follows a MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture where the middle layer is used in both the web and desktop based application. The middle layer was generated using an advanced tool “LLBL Gen” that generates the project and classes for the database layer.

Technologies used:

Following are the third party software applied in different modules besides the platform IDE:

• QuickBooks for Financial module in Desktop Admin application.
• ASPNetMX for Email verification/validation in web application.
• SalesForce integration to get client’s information.
• Infragistics Controls for the desktop application.
• Telerik Controls for Web application.
• LLBL Gen to generate the middle layer.

Q3 Technologies conducted an in-house training on some of the above software whenever required to make the best use of them in the application.

Benefits

• The beta version of the product was already in the market.
• Customers reported a great satisfaction and client received positive feedback for the sophisticated new look and marked up performance of the product.
• Q3 Technologies adhere to the timeline completion of the task even in rolling requirements. Client appreciated for such an accomplishment.
• With the continuous involvement of the QA team in maintaining the quality of the product, the product became more user-friendly.
• Client reported good figure of hits even on the beta release.