SMK looks at the ifindorderfast iPhone App allowing the foodservice customers of Bidvest Australia to place their orders on the move.

Description

For several years, foodservice industry supplier Bidvest has offered their Australian clients the facility to browse warehouses and place orders online through the FindFoodFast web platform. Last year they took their offering mobile with the ifindorderfast iPhone App. The App allows registered findfoodfast users with an iPhone the ability to place orders as they browse their own storage areas. 

“The ifindorderfast App is very much a cut down version of findfoodfast,” says Bidvest e-commerce Manager, Tamzin Brundrett. “Customers can use their same login and password to access the warehouse that supplies them. They can view order templates previously created in findfoodfast, instant order forms based on past history, and search their warehouse for any product.”

Reflexive Development

The Bidvest App is the result of a user-feedback-driven approach that allowed the company to provide the functionality their customers wanted.

Though released in beta form back in September 2010, the first fully-fledged offering emerged in February last year, with significant feedback based updates arriving at the end of 2011. 

There are also significant upgrades scheduled for later this year. Upgrades will incorporate multi-warehouse search-ability for Bidvest clients that have multiple accounts across the company’s foodservice, hospitality and fresh divisions.  

Perhaps most importantly, there’s a new Android version to follow.

“At the time of the original development, Android was hardly a blip on the scene,” says Brundrett. “I’m pushing to get Android happening as fast as possible, because it has pretty much overtaken the iPhone, depending on what you want to read”.

Key Resources

For design and construction, Bidvest Australia outsourced the work to New Zealand firm Yoobee.

“At the time we were still using a third party e-comms service provider for all of our e-commerce. And they, as part of their business, had some iPhone developers,” says Brundrett. 

During the App’s construction, Brundrett co-ordinated the project and oversaw dealings with Yoobee in conjunction with her counterpart at Bidvest New Zealand. 

Bidvest Australia has since moved on from their relationship with Yoobee, and now has its own e-commerce development team.

“Because of the size of our e-commerce business and the growth that we’ve had with it, we either had to continue with the third party arrangement or we needed to bring it in house… the decision was made to bring it in house”.

Demographics

The ifindorderfast App was specifically designed for the wide array of clients already using the findfoodfast online ordering facilities.

“Our customer base is extremely diverse,” says Brundrett. “It could be a five-star hotel, aged care facility, pub or club, right through to the defence forces, a restaurant, cafe or deli—you name it”.

Promotional Channels

Such is their existing client base, Bidvest found it unnecessary to promote ifindorderfast through any channels outside of their own publications and marketing material.

“This is the bit that people don’t quite believe,” says Brundrett, laughing. “It was very much through the findfoodfast website that we let customers know that there was an App now available. We put up the logo, advertised it to customers through our various marketing material and created a YouTube video. It was very much word of mouth and then just basic marketing that has done it.”

Outcomes

The uptake of the Bidvest App has been enormous. In less than twelve months ifindorderfast has gone from zero to over a million dollars in weekly sales.

Only time will tell how big it gets when the Android version hits the market later this year.