Elevating SaaS Marketing Platform with Next-Gen Cloud Solutions

Our client, a dynamic force in SaaS Marketing Sourcing and Procurement, harnesses the power of InterSystems to revolutionize technologies in their industry. Their platform empowers and allows businesses to reinvent their marketing and procurement strategies, propelling them to new heights.

Seeking a partner who could match their vision and amplify their impact, they turned to us for white-label software solutions. Our task was to provide the cloud transformation and scalability necessary to enable their further success.

The Client

Our client is a pioneer in data technology solutions, catering to diverse business domains. Their cloud-centric data platforms adeptly address scalability, interoperability, and speed challenges for global enterprises. With a presence in over 80 countries, they provide dedicated support to customers and partners and achieve an impressive annual revenue of $976 million in FY2022.

The client’s SaaS Marketing Sourcing and Procurement platform is not merely a solution. Spanning a comprehensive spectrum of functionalities, the platform empowers businesses to seamlessly orchestrate the entire marketing sourcing and procurement process, from the initial spark of creativity in designing marketing materials to the meticulous management of client contracts and supplier relationships.

Additionally, it includes strategic planning, rapid implementation, and the provision of customized training and support to ease the transition.

They build highly visual and user-friendly reports and dashboards that effectively present operational data. 

The Challenge

Our client stores sensitive data in a private cloud. In light of their budget, the client sought to choose an enterprise-level cloud provider to optimize costs and address the need for additional resources, without incurring excess charges. The challenges they faced:

• Deployment required more time due to the need for individual system creation and configuration tailored to the company’s unique internal data storage standards. 
• A lot of adjustments to consider when preparing the migration to the cloud. First Line Software was needed to validate and adjust hundreds of outdated settings in the current client’s functionality (more than 700).
• Scaling was limited to the dedicated cloud, necessitating the purchase and self-configuration of additional capacity and services.

First Line Software’s engagement encompassed two major parts.

1. Assist the Client in comparing cloud provider function and cost. The research was based on our agnostic, independent expertise. The objective was to identify a platform that offers a comprehensive solution and enhances execution efficiency.
2. Set up infrastructure and migrate from a private to a public cloud solution while providing the UAT environment with protected production data under tight deadlines – to ensure high-quality end-user testing. 

There was uncertainty about how the solution would perform on the new operational system (OS). One of our primary objectives was to guarantee a seamless transition to the updated OS.

Our Solution

At the outset of our engagement with the client, we prioritized providing essential operational support. We deployed a team of highly qualified architects who explored the intricacies of the client’s internal platform structure, and private existing cloud solution. Our primary goal was to deliver tangible and valuable functional enhancements to boost the overall user experience. 

At the start of the project, First Line Software had deep expertise in cloud providers, with a particular focus on designing and implementing customized solutions: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, etc. To establish a new environment, we had to deploy a copy of the production solution and customize it for testing. This involved ensuring that all settings were adjusted, with particular attention to preventing any outgoing emails or API calls to the actual production environment. First Line Software conducted a thorough comparison of cloud providers, and the client ultimately settled on the Google Cloud Platform.

We swiftly established a User Acceptance Testing (UAT) instance hosted on the Google Cloud Platform, replicating the production environment with real data. This allowed for comprehensive testing and validation of the solutions in a controlled and risk-free setting.

During the transition, our expert insight revealed optimized solutions, and implementation resulted in a 15% lower workload.

We introduced and integrated out-of-the-box cloud solutions, enhancing the client’s ability to keep a watchful eye on system performance and health. This proactive approach ensured the swift identification of any potential issues. 

We initiated a thorough exploration of alternative operating systems, considering potential cost savings without compromising quality. This diligent examination resulted in the opportunity to optimize the client’s licensing expenditure by up to 30% of the total hosting costs.

The success of this phase solidified our strategic partnership, laying the groundwork for an exciting and pivotal next step: the exploration of cloud hosting opportunities.

The Outcome

• Validated and changed approximately 700 production settings to make sure the instance was adjusted to serve as UAT.
• A tailored and comprehensive cloud provider comparison, ultimately resulting in the selection of the Google Cloud Platform.
• The successful development and deployment of a User Acceptance Testing (UAT) instance on the Google Cloud Platform in close collaboration with the client. 
• This milestone was achieved two weeks ahead of schedule, facilitating optimal project-related expense management.
• Implementing a robust monitoring framework and access to cutting-edge monitoring tools, significantly enhance the functionality and efficiency of solution support.
• Ensured a seamless transition to an updated operating system, executed with precision to reduce the test environment’s workload by 15%. 
• The creation of an extensive documentation library (around 70 pages), revolutionizing the client’s similar activities and enhancing efficiency tenfold.
• Moreover, a strategic shift from licensed software to open-source alternatives, maintaining the same functional integrity while significantly optimizing costs for the client by up to 30%.
• Combining deep First Line Software technology expertise with the client’s own solution knowledge allowed us to multiply monthly development team productivity by a factor of two times.

This strategic partnership established our role as a catalyst for success. Our expertise guided the client, enabling them to reach their operational goals with unparalleled efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Learn more about Cloud Transformation with First Line Software