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For a direct marketing services provider, SurroundApps, Inc.
created a tool for their Contacts Management in a central
repository. Through a browser-based plugin, end-users can
upload their contact info from various tool.
Through a browser-based plugin, end-users have been provided
the capability to upload their addressbook information into
the server. This allows users to use the contacts for different
functionality provided in the Direct Marketing site. This includes
sending direct mail, email or other forms of customizable communications.
Architecture:
An ActiveX-based approach was utilized in this case. Alternate
approaches considered were .NET or a standalone client. .NET
was not adopted because of the heavy download requirement.
A browser-based solution was preferred so that it integrated
seamlessly into the customer's Web Workflow.
XML was used to communicate with the server. To handle different
local file formats, such as Palm Addressbook, Excel, ACT, etc.
an XML-based unified format was adopted.
Challenges:
This required tight integration with the Customer's code on
their server. SurroundApps US-based resources worked closely
with a dedicated resources from the client's side, to work
through hand-shake issues.
To make sure the high-quality expectations of the client were
met, testing was done both off-shore and on-shore.
Foundations for Success:
After the rapport was built between the customer and the onshore/offshore
team of SurroundApps, a 24-hour cycle was established. Customers
would test builds, or go through the beta-testing during
US day time, and then SurroundApps would put maximum efforts
in solving most of the problems during the US nighttime.
This way rapid productivity gains were achieved.
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