ABOUT PROJECT
Nestled in the heart of the Emerald Isle, a digital revolution is quietly reshaping Ireland’s industrial landscape. This innovative B2B marketplace, developed by Roobykon, connects businesses across the country, enabling them to rent and sell equipment with unprecedented ease and efficiency. HireCompare has transformed the clunky, time-consuming process of equipment hire and sales into a sleek, efficient dance of supply and demand. Also, the marketplace empowers users to contribute to a more sustainable future.
As homegrown as a field of shamrocks, HireCompare wears its Irish heritage like a badge of honor. The equipment marketplace’s user-friendly interface and comprehensive listing system make it simple for businesses to find exactly what they need, when they need it. This efficiency translates to reduced downtime, improved project timelines, and ultimately, a more productive sector overall.
Key Challenges
One of the most distinctive aspects of the HireCompare project was the unprecedented level of customer involvement. Daily calls with not one, but three customers, became the heartbeat of the development process. This constant communication was both a blessing and a challenge. On one hand, it ensured that the project remained closely aligned with the customers’ vision. On the other, it required the Roobykon team to be exceptionally nimble, ready to pivot and adjust at a moment’s notice. The designs for HireCompare came directly from the customers, adding another layer of complexity to the project. Translating these designs into a functional, user-friendly equipment rental platform required a delicate balance of creativity and practicality. Roobykon had to navigate the fine line between honoring the customers’ vision and ensuring the technical feasibility and user experience of the final product.
Fortunately, the customers proved to be remarkably agile themselves. When discussions arose about simplifying features, they were open to suggestions and willing to adapt. This flexibility was crucial in streamlining the development process and ensuring that HireCompare would not only look good but function seamlessly. Perhaps the most exciting challenge came in the form of two key features: RFQ (Request for Quote) and Tenders. These functionalities were uncharted territory for Roobykon in the context of Sharetribe projects. The team had to dive deep into research, brainstorming sessions, and innovative coding to bring these features to life within the Sharetribe framework.
TECHNOLOGY STACK
Solution Highlights
For payment processing and marketplace functionality, Roobykon integrated Stripe Connect, allowing vendors to receive payments directly and securely. Subscription management was efficiently handled through Stripe Billing, enabling users to easily manage their rental subscriptions. To ensure reliable and scalable file storage, AWS S3 was employed, allowing for secure and high-performance storage of documents and media. For hosting, Google Cloud Platform provided the necessary infrastructure, ensuring the platform’s performance and scalability to meet the demands of both renters and vendors.
In addition to these core tools, the platform incorporated Google Maps API to enable users to search for available equipment by location and view it on an interactive map. To enhance security and verification processes, Twilio was utilized for phone number verification, ensuring that only legitimate users could engage with the platform.
The process
01
Design conceptualization: HireCompare’s team developed the initial designs for the platform, visualizing the user interface and overall aesthetic. This phase set the foundation for the marketplace’s look and feel.
02
Requirement gathering and analysis: Based on the designs, Roobykon conducted a swift but thorough requirement-gathering process. We analyzed the marketplace’s needs, user expectations, and technical requirements, culminating in a comprehensive Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) document with initial time and resource estimations.
03
MVP feature selection: As a third step, we identified and prioritized the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) features from the WBS document. This crucial step ensured focus on core functionalities that would deliver immediate value to users.
04
Sprint planning: Together, the Roobykon and HireCompare teams organized the development process into several sprints, each targeting specific features and milestones. We mapped out the sprint schedule, assigned tasks, and set clear goals for each development phase.
05
Development sprints: The development process kicked off on October 1, 2023, marking the beginning of an exhilarating 45-day journey. We embarked on a series of intense coding sprints. Each sprint focused on building and integrating key MVP features, with regular check-ins and adjustments to ensure alignment with the project goals.
06
Quality assurance and testing: Concurrent with the final development sprint, our QA team rigorously tested each feature, identifying and addressing bugs, and ensuring smooth functionality across the platform.
07
Pre-release and limited user testing: On November 15, 2023, Roobykon unveiled a pre-release version of HireCompare to a select group of users. This phase allowed for real-world testing and gathering crucial user feedback for final adjustments.
08
Final refinements and full release: Based on user feedback, the team made final tweaks and optimizations to HireCompare. On November 30, 2023, the platform was officially launched and made available to the public.
09
Post-Release Sprint: Following the launch, Roobykon conducted a post-release sprint, addressing any immediate issues, implementing minor enhancements based on initial user feedback, and ensuring the stability of the platform in its live environment.
Main Features
Customized listing wizard
The listing wizard’s first improvement involved rearranging the interface to enhance usability. The listing name and description fields are now prominently positioned at the top of the form, above the master category selection. Another significant feature is the flexible attribute specification system. Users can now customize attributes according to their preferences. By default, an “Add attribute” button is conveniently located below the sub-category section, inviting users to personalize their listings further. Upon pressing this button, a dropdown menu displaying all existing categories appears, allowing users to select the relevant attribute. Once an attribute is chosen, an input field emerges on the right for users to enter specific values. This dynamic system also supports the addition of multiple attributes and the removal of any previously added ones.
Tenders functionality
This feature includes an intuitive interface that guides users through the steps of creating a tender. They can input detailed information about their requirements and receive bids from potential suppliers. The system has been designed to ensure that all essential information is captured effectively, making it easier for users to compare offers and choose the best option for their needs. The platform addresses some critical aspects of tender management, such as displaying entered data correctly and maintaining formatting for equipment requirements.
Stripe subscription
At its core, the marketplace integrates with Stripe for subscription management, offering users a seamless experience for managing their plans. If a user’s subscription plan is absent or set to “None,” the interface clearly communicates this status by displaying a prominent “No subscription” message in the top bar. In terms of mobile optimization, Roobykon has prioritized usability by increasing the size of subscription plan logos within the plan cards. This enhancement ensures consistency in visual presentation across different devices, promoting a cohesive and user-friendly experience.
RFQ feature
When customers explore a listing, they can view all details except for pricing and then submit an RFQ directly through the platform. All users are verified through ID or business credentials, ensuring secure and credible interactions. Upon receiving an RFQ, the equipment provider is notified via the platform and email, with a direct line of communication available for further queries. Providers can then review the request, update the quote with equipment details and pricing, and send the quote to the customer.
Bulk import/export feature
This part facilitates the import and export of item listings in bulk, allowing users to handle extensive datasets with ease. Key capabilities include the ability to import listings with details such as attachments, pricing, and photos, and to export data for analysis or archiving.
Premium partner storefronts
Each storefront provides a professional “About Us” tab where partners can present their brand identity with customizable logos, text, and video content, though recent feedback highlights the need for adjustments in markup and mobile view responsiveness. The “Our Listings” tab showcases a refined tender (listing) management system where the visibility of tenders can be controlled and advanced filters for price and category help users efficiently navigate through listings, although issues like filter visibility and price constraints have been addressed. Additionally, the “Contact Us” tab facilitates direct communication with users, featuring an interactive map and a mobile-friendly design to ensure accessibility across devices.
RESULTS
HireCompare emerged from the collaboration with Roobykon as a robust, feature-rich subscription-base marketplace that seamlessly blends cutting-edge technology with user-centric design. The platform’s success is evident in its rapid adoption by businesses across Ireland. Since its launch on November 30, 2023, HireCompare has seen a steady increase in user registrations, active listings, and completed transactions. The marketplace has quickly become a go-to resource for construction firms, industrial operations, and even small-scale contractors looking to optimize their equipment procurement and utilization.
From a technical standpoint, the collaboration has resulted in a highly scalable and reliable platform. Hosted on Google Cloud, HireCompare has demonstrated impressive uptime and performance metrics, even as user numbers and transaction volumes continue to grow. This robust infrastructure ensures that the platform can expand and evolve to meet the changing needs of Ireland’s equipment hire and sales market. Perhaps most importantly, the collaboration has laid the groundwork for ongoing innovation. The strong relationship forged between Roobykon and the HireCompare team during the development process continues to drive improvements and new feature rollouts. This ensures that HireCompare will remain at the cutting edge of marketplace technology, continually evolving to meet the needs of its users and the broader industry.
Lessons from HireCompare
Implementing real-time notifications for RFQs and Tenders taught us valuable lessons about managing high-volume, time-sensitive data. We had to optimize our database queries and implement efficient caching strategies to ensure the timely delivery of critical information. This has significantly improved our ability to build responsive, real-time systems. Developing a robust search functionality for equipment listings proved more challenging than anticipated. We learned to implement advanced filtering and sorting options while maintaining fast search speeds. This experience has elevated our expertise in creating efficient search algorithms for large, diverse datasets.
Developing a mobile-responsive design for complex features like the Tenders system challenged our front-end development skills. We learned to create intuitive mobile interfaces for traditionally desktop-oriented tasks, improving our mobile-first design approach. These challenges and the lessons we learned from them have transformed Roobykon. We’re now more adaptable, innovative, and skilled in managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects.
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