Q3 Technologies enhanced client's M2M Solution for different Vending Machines.

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.


Summary

Vending machines have become omnipresent in our daily lives and managing them efficiently and smartly would be anybody's dream.

Company Profile

The Client is an Italian company with a recognized position in the provision of services and solutions for automatic multi-channel communications. The Client aims at improving the outbound/inbound communications processes between companies and their customers, and with this desire, the Client facilitates the introduction of new instruments for interactive one-to-one relationships with the clientele, by means of systems that provide the appropriate response to any kind of demand: off-line services in full outsourcing, the provision of services on-demand, or the sale of license agreements for use of the platform. The Client has recently extended its range of services to include the promising Machine-to-Machine (M2M) market that includes vending machines. Client provides a specialized middleware for the development of remote operation and data acquisition, using both LAN and wireless infrastructure.

Business Situation

A few years ago, managing vending machines was seen as a tricky task because you could never know when your vending machine needs to be filled. The client saw opportunity in this difficulty and gifted the M2M market, a middleware that could help people manage vending machines remotely using GPRS technology.

The product facilitated multi-channel communication through SMS and e-mails; thus controlling the vending machines became a cakewalk and this considerably reduced the vending machine filling time. The product was widely accepted and its demand kept growing over the years.

However, the growing demand was accompanied with greater expectations; customers expected the product to be customized to their needs, and it was becoming increasingly difficult for the Client to cater to all. This is where the Client showed faith in Q3 and offered to hire its services; the client diverted the customization demands to Q3.

 

Challenges

• Study the specifications listed by the Client's customers.
• Study the vending machines at customer end, using simulators, to identify the exact requirements.
• Perform investigation on device support aspects.
• Customize Client's product so that it becomes a standardized product and caters to the requirements of many customers.

Solution

Q3 treated each customer differently and carefully studied their vending machine using appropriate simulators, and accordingly customized the Client's product. At the same time, Q3 kept generalizing the requirements and investigating on the possibility of standardizing the product, and finally came up with a solution that delighted the Client and its customers alike.

Technology Used

• C#
• Java
• JavaScript
• Ajax
• Web services
• SQL Server
• M2M Protocol
• OS: Windows , Linux and MAC

Benefits

• Efficient management of vending machines including setting price, retrieving historical data, receiving alerts etc.
• Reduced filling time
• Multi-channel communication between vending machine and controller
• A standard product for assorted vending machines