The Overview
Viridian Glass are the largest glass supplier and only manufacturer in Australia and New Zealand, operating in New Zealand for over 130 years. The request from Viridian Glass NZ seemed simple, ‘Design an innovative, superior online ordering system that is so simple Nana can use it’. To get to Nana level simplicity, Olympic33 had to help Viridian evolve their legacy outdated online ordering platform.
The Challenge
In 2020, Viridian Glass New Zealand faced declining market share, disrupted by a competitor expanding into glass manufacturing. Viridian’s legacy ordering system, Tradelink, was outdated—designed in the 1970s for slower-paced business operations. The system required manual handling of order specs, often leading to errors and inefficiencies, with orders submitted via emails, physical mail, or even hand-drawn sketches. Customer expectations demanded a modern, self-serve interface—an experience as intuitive as ordering a pizza online.
To address these issues, Olympic33 were tasked with creating a system that improved logistics and simplified the customer journey while meeting Viridian’s ambitious goal: a platform requiring no training to use.
The Benefits
- Ease of Use: Simplifying complex ordering processes.
- Error Reduction: Minimizing mistakes and inefficiencies.
- Streamlined Operations: Eliminating redundant handling of orders.
- Enhanced Morale: Boosting team productivity and satisfaction.
- Improved Customer Experience: Creating a seamless and satisfying user journey.
The Solution
Through collaboration with diverse stakeholders across Viridian’s departments and input from key customers, Olympic33 re-engineered its Trader platform and integrated it with the DX2 digital exchange to create the Viridian On Line Trader (VOLT) platform. Key features include:
- Simplified Design Interface: Allows merchants to create precise drawings.
- Built-in Validation: Ensures designs comply with manufacturing capabilities and regulations.
- Visual Previews: Helps customers visualize final products, avoiding errors.
- Automated CAD Generation: Eliminates ambiguity and manual errors.
- Instant Quotes and Scheduling: Speeds up approvals and production timelines.
The Approach
Olympic33 worked closely with Viridian Glass throughout the project, employing a deeply collaborative and agile process. This approach ensured that every solution was tailored to Viridian's unique challenges and aspirations:
- Stakeholder Engagement: Olympic33 assembled a large, diverse group of Viridian team members from all departments—including production, sales, customer service, and logistics—to gather a wide range of perspectives. This diversity enabled a comprehensive understanding of the pain points, operational bottlenecks, and customer expectations.
- Customer Input: Key customers were involved in testing and feedback sessions to ensure the platform met their needs and expectations. This customer-centric approach ensured the system worked seamlessly on both ends of the transaction.
- Iterative Design: Olympic33 adopted an agile methodology, enabling rapid prototyping, testing, and refinement of features. Regular feedback loops allowed the team to adapt quickly and refine the platform based on real-world insights.
- Knowledge Transfer: Viridian’s team educated Olympic33 about the complexities of glass production, including manufacturing constraints and compliance requirements. This mutual exchange of expertise bridged knowledge gaps and aligned both teams toward a shared goal.
- Growth Mindset: Both teams embraced a culture of curiosity and continuous learning. Olympic33 encouraged open discussions, explored unconventional ideas, and worked tirelessly to create a solution that exceeded expectations.
The collaborative process not only delivered a robust technical solution but also fostered a strong partnership characterised by mutual respect and shared vision.
The Results
Viridian experienced a transformative shift in operations and customer engagement:
Operational Efficiency:
- Reduced order processing time.
- Increased on-time scheduling.
- Decreased errors in manufacturing.
- Virtually eliminated manual data entry.
Employee Satisfaction:
- Boosted morale with fewer errors and smoother workflows.
- Enhanced roles for customer service, transforming them into true service agents.
- Sales and production teams embraced innovation, driving demand for further improvements.
Customer Experience:
- Positive feedback on ease of use and intuitive design.
- Faster, more accurate ordering with minimal back-and-forth.
- Ready-to-use templates saved to customer profiles.
Environmental Impact:
- Reduced waste and carbon footprint through efficient processes.
Key Metrics:
- 60% of orders processed without human intervention, aiming for 80%.
- Employee satisfaction rose by 10 points.
- Customer NPS improved significantly, with DIFOTIS reaching 99% (up from 7%).
- FOCR dropped to less than 2% (down from 12%).
The Conclusion
The success of VOLT stemmed from the following 4 key areas of focus:
- Customer Focus: Deep understanding of customer needs.
- Thorough Testing: Including real-world customer feedback.
- Team Synergy: Building trust and shared understanding across teams.
- Growth Mindset: Fostering curiosity, learning, and creative problem-solving.
“VOLT has become more than a system—it’s our competitive edge and central to how we do business. We’re continuously astonished by its adoption and impact.” – Sid
“It has given us the advantage to beat the market.” – Glen
