Apeldoorn, 5 July 2022 - Since 2001, GML (Gesellschaft für mobile Lösungen) has been offering software for smartphones, tablets and laptops, which enables companies to make their processes and workflows in sales and service considerably more efficient, thereby achieving a decisive competitive advantages. For the modernization and further development of their complete IT solution 'Metis', the software experts use the powerful low-code development platform of the Dutch provider Thinkwise. The 'Upcycler' function, developed specifically for this purpose, greatly accelerates and simplifies this process.
Seperate technology and functionality
With the provider's core products - the sales solution 2Bmobil*Sales, the service solution 2Bmobil*Service and the complete IT solution 'Metis' - companies can significantly increase both the transparency of their office staff and the acceptance of their field staff. "The elimination of paper-based processes saves an enormous amount of time, because it avoids tedious coordination and paperwork and provides our customers with considerable digital added value," explains GML Managing Director Udo Braam.
In order to maintain and increase this digital added value for users, the specialists for mobile software applications are continuously developing their products. GML wants to focus even more than before on the optimal implementation of its customers' individual business logic instead of manually writing program code. To achieve this the company has recently started using the development platform of the Dutch provider Thinkwise.
The main advantage of this powerful low-code development solution is that it separates the technology of an IT application from its functionality. In this way, users can concentrate entirely on the functional development of an IT solution, while the technological development aspect is effectively outsourced.
Jumpstart for the new project
GML will gradually modernize its outdated complete IT solution 'Metis', which is tailored to the requirements of point-of-sales service providers and sales representatives. It consists of an ERP system with CRM components for internal sales and a mobile sales app for field sales, built with the help of the Thinkwise platform.
Particularly helpful for the modernization of outdated IT solutions is the Upcycler function of the Thinkwise development platform, which was developed especially for this purpose. This allows metadata such as tables, references, screen structures, translations and notifications to be extracted from an existing application and imported into the new IT solution. The development platform then uses this metadata to create the foundation for the new solution. This means that developers do not have to start again from scratch and get a "jump start" for the new IT project.
This also allowed the GML development team to (re)use essential functions from the existing 'Metis' solution directly in the new system with very little effort. After the successful upcycling process, only a few minor cosmetic adjustments had to be made to the Metis user interface.
Interview with Udo Braam (GML - Gesellschaft für mobile Lösungen mbH)
"We prefer to invest time in business logic and less in coding."
Mr Braam, why do you want to develop your software product(s) with the Thinkwise platform in the future?
Udo Braam: "Because the technological environment of one of our products is no longer supported, we initially had a concrete reason for new development. There is a lot of industry and process knowledge in this product. This did not make a change easy for us. We would rather invest our time in business logic and the implementation of our industry know-how and spend less time on coding and the subsequent optimization and bug fixing of programs. Together with Thinkwise, we created a rather elaborate Proof of Value in which we examined the possible technical hurdles in the run-up to the actual project. During this process, we quickly identified the principles and, with the help of Thinkwise, found ways to map very complex algorithms. From a commercial point of view, this enabled me to draw up a cost/benefit calculation, taking into account time and project risks."
What role does the low-code principle itself play for you, on which the Thinkwise development platform is based?
Udo Braam: "We want to accelerate the development cycles and be able to keep several products technologically up-to-date. An important principle here is data integrity and the ability to create an intuitive user interface from existing functions."
What requirements were central for you when choosing a low-code technology provider and for what reasons did you decide on the IT platform of the Dutch software company Thinkwise?
Udo Braam: "The focus for us was on three aspects or criteria:
1. Flexibility to be able to connect to Thinkwise at defined interfaces with routines for complex logics.
2. Support from Thinkwise and a developer community.
3. Future-proofing of the Thinkwise provider."
To what extent has this low-code platform increased, improved or accelerated the productivity of your development work?
Udo Braam: "I can't name any one factor yet. We invested a lot of time in the run-up to the actual project, also in selecting the provider. But since we really got going, it has been a very clear accelerator. Especially because the input, processing and even the output of the data are consistent. If I change something in one place in the development process, it doesn't blow up in my face in another place. This is very reassuring for me, especially when developing complex software, and it saves a lot of time in error analysis."
How satisfied are you so far with the use of the Thinkwise platform in the development of your software - did the technology and the service from Thinkwise meet your expectations overall?
Udo Braam: "Unreservedly yes. This is also helped by the fact that we have contacts at Thinkwise on the technical level who understand our task and work with us to find solutions for implementation. Even developers who by nature prefer to write every line of code themselves have now become fans of Thinkwise. Nothing better could happen to me."
Udo Braam: "We are now also thinking about using the platform in other areas. As experts in mobile field service processes with more than 20 years of experience, I see that we create added value for our customers by programming complex processes in the most user-friendly way possible. At the same time, the effort to keep the "basic technology" up-to-date and modern has increased enormously. Thanks to Thinkwise, we can concentrate on the essentials and guarantee our customers future security. "