Innovating Service Accessibility in Canada through a Seamless Online Platform

Introduction:

The client based in the picturesque landscapes of Canada had an idea to make an online service platform which would connect the service provider and the user. Renowned for its innovative approach, this product seamlessly blends virtual and physical services to meet the diverse needs of its users. One of its standout features is its user-friendly platform, empowering individuals to effortlessly search for a myriad of services within a specified radius.

Requirements:

The client urgently disruptions and the critical issues related to hosting, causing significant service disruptions, and rendering the platform unavailable. Immediate action was necessary, prompting us to expedite the setup of their services on Azure. The objective was to establish a seamless and reliable hosting environment, ensuring uninterrupted service delivery.

Simultaneously, our analysis uncovered various bugs affecting the website's functionality, demanding urgent resolution. Notably, the Stripe payment feature was identified as non-functional, potentially due to an unlinked account. A swift response was essential to rectify this issue promptly and restore the crucial payment functionality for the client. the client sought to streamline payment processes for service providers, emphasizing the importance of automatic payments through Stripe. Billing processes for service providers required attention to ensure smoother operations within the platform.

Furthermore, the client expressed a need for design changes on both the front-end and back-end of the platform. This encompassed enhancing the user interface for calendar service requests, optimizing the break time feature, and implementing automatic notifications for refunds. These enhancements aimed to improve the overall user experience and streamline service-related processes.

As part of their forward-thinking approach, the client explored the implementation of deep linking in their email communications. This strategic move aimed to seamlessly direct users to both their website and app, enhancing user engagement and accessibility.

Solutions and offering:

We offered a holistic set of solutions to address the multifaceted needs of the client, ensuring the creation of a seamless and user-friendly service marketplace accessible across web, Android, and iOS platforms.

Azure Migration and Hosting: Our team executed a seamless migration to Azure, ensuring a reliable hosting environment that aligns with industry standards. This transition aimed at enhancing the overall performance and scalability of the platform.

Web, Android, and iOS Application Development: Leveraging PHP for the website's backend, Java for the Android app's frontend, and Swift for the iOS app's frontend, our approach ensured a consistent and intuitive user experience across different platforms.

Multi-Account System: The implementation of a dual-account system tailored to both buyers and sellers was a key feature, providing a personalized and efficient user experience.

Diverse Selling Services: Our platform accommodates various selling services, ranging from cooking and cleaning to teaching and salon services. Users can easily select the date and time for their desired services.

User Interaction Features: Interactive elements were seamlessly integrated to empower users, allowing them to engage with service providers, add funds to their wallets, manage services in their profiles, request concessions, and execute payments.

Provider Workflow: Providers can efficiently manage their workflow within the platform, accepting, completing, and marking services as done. Payment transactions are seamlessly embedded in the system for a hassle-free experience.

Comprehensive Email Notifications: Utilizing the Microsoft Graph API for mailing, our platform sends notifications for various events, including service requests, payment receipts, cancellations, full refunds, partial refunds, and more, ensuring users stay informed.

Wallet Functionality: A secure and convenient payment option is provided through the inclusion of a wallet feature, enhancing the overall transaction experience for both users and service providers.

Integrated Technologies:

• Stripe Integration: Ensuring secure and efficient payment processing.

• Microsoft Azure Hosting: Guaranteeing a robust and scalable infrastructure for seamless platform operation.

• Firebase and One Signal: Managing real-time notifications, contributing to enhanced user engagement.

• CodeIgniter: Facilitating efficient backend development.

Project Management:

Efficient project management practices were employed, utilizing tools such as Excel and Azure DevOps. This approach streamlined coordination, collaboration, and task management, contributing to the overall success of the project.

In summary, our comprehensive solutions, powered by a diverse array of technologies, resulted in the delivery of a feature-rich, cross-platform service marketplace tailored to the specific needs of our client. The incorporation of Azure hosting, Azure migration, and Stripe integration played pivotal roles in ensuring the robustness, scalability, and efficiency of the platform.

Challenges Faced:

Throughout the development of the service marketplace application, the client encountered various challenges, each demanding strategic solutions to ensure a smooth and successful project execution.

• Integrating Location Search with Google Location API: The initial hurdle involved seamlessly integrating location search functionality with radius-based results. The implementation of the Google Location API demanded meticulous coding and testing to guarantee accurate and reliable results within the specified radius.

• Transitioning from Expired SMTP Mail Server to Microsoft Graph API: The transition from an expired SMTP mail server to utilizing the Microsoft Graph API on Azure presented its own set of challenges. This involved reconfiguring the email communication system, ensuring a seamless transition without disruptions to essential communication functionalities. Migrating to Microsoft Graph API required careful planning and execution to maintain reliable email services.

Value Added by Csharptek:

In addressing these challenges, our team at Csharptek implemented strategic solutions, leveraging our expertise in Mobile App Development, Payment Integration, and Custom Application Development Services. The successful resolution of these hurdles contributed to the overall success of the project, providing the client with a robust and functional service marketplace application.

We delivered invaluable solutions to address key challenges faced by the client during the development and deployment of their service marketplace application. We successfully integrated location search functionality using the Google Location API, ensuring precise and reliable results within the desired radius. Overcoming the obstacle of uploading the APK to the Play Store without the JKS file and password, the team explored alternative methods to secure and submit the APK, ensuring a seamless and secure deployment.

A major achievement was the smooth transition from an expired SMTP mail server to the Microsoft Graph API on Azure, ensuring uninterrupted email communication services. This complex migration required meticulous planning and execution, demonstrating the company's expertise in handling intricate technical transitions. The strategic solutions provided by Csharptek contributed significantly to the success of the project, ensuring a functional and efficient service marketplace application for the client.