Cabinetry Order Creation Web Application
We designed and built a single-page web application (SPA) that allows contractors and interior designers to create custom cabinetry orders online.
About Denver Dovetail Drawer
Denver Dovetail Drawer designs and manufactures custom, high-end drawers and cabinets in the Denver area. With over 30 years of experience building cabinets for both residential and commercial use, Denver Dovetail Drawer works with contractors to build and install custom, high-end dovetail and dowel construction drawers.
Today, they employ thoughtful wood processing and finishing for cabinetry projects, and they manufacture all of their products entirely in-house using automated, state-of-the-art equipment.
Services
Web application development
UX/UI Design
Data Management
Deliverables
Software strategy
Single-page web application
Website
The increasing demand for artisan drawers and cabinetry revealed workflow inefficiencies
As demand for Denver Dovetail Drawer’s work increased alongside the local housing market, they found that their existing system for orders and fulfillment wasn’t keeping up. To meet the growing demand for their work, Denver Dovetail Drawers needed an intuitive point-of-sale (POS) system that could help them generate quotes and process orders without interrupting the factory floor work.
Hands-on software strategy
To gain a better understanding of Denver Dovetail Drawer’s needs, we took advantage of proximity and kicked off this project with a site visit to observe the workflow in person. Because the cabinetry is constructed in a factory by expert craftsmen, we needed an intimate understanding of the physical and human limitations of what can and should be automated with software.
To go along with the site visit, we also performed stakeholder interviews and end-to-end operational audits to inform a tailored software strategy that befitted the custom drawer builder.
Efficient Single-Page Application
We developed a custom web application that consolidated the quote process. Orders placed by contractors and interior designers are now easy to organize, supporting a seamless workflow from the initial quote to the workshop floor. This software was built with Angular 2, Laravel, MySQL, and REST API.
Industry-focused UX and UI design
Armed with firsthand knowledge of the business, we designed an intuitive platform that adheres to industry standards, prevents order errors, and eliminates guesswork on the production side. Once registered, users select the type of drawer, materials, bottom, and glides to generate a cost estimate.
Once an order estimate is requested, it displays as orange on their dashboard. Denver Dovetail Drawers then verifies the order with the customer, and the order turns green once it is printed, allowing them to monitor their order pipeline easily.
Facilitating existing processes to support craftsmanship
Due to industry build specifications, we designed the software to automatically generate a complete cut list for workers at the shop. This cut list is designed for the physical layout of the shop and the people who work there and is carried to each cut board for every phase of manufacturing. The web application helps ensure accuracy and maintain work continuity while meaningfully interlocking the digital and tactile processes that take place in a 21st-century woodworking shop.
“Prior to working with By the Pixel, we were working 60-70 hour weeks having to do all of this work manually. The software they built for us is truly invaluable to our operations and business.”
Tim Russell
Owner
Managing costs and minimizing errors with built-in business logic
Denver Dovetail Drawer’s existing software left customers and workers open for errors, as it was not designed to account for the precise measurements required to build custom drawers. Working with their leadership, we built this niche industry knowledge into their new web application. The web application automates the complex quote process, factoring in variables and product preferences in order to calculate material needs and order prices. Denver Dovetail Drawers can now easily update prices and products in the backend. And their customers cannot place an order for something that doesn’t exist or can’t coexist with other selected features, which minimizes follow-up and saves precious time.
Simplified processes lead to significant business gains
Increased total orders and increased sales
Denver Dovetail Drawers’ updated estimating and ordering system is so easy to use that it attracts more customers and larger orders. During the first year post-launch, the total number of orders increased by about 5%. Denver Dovetail Drawers also surpassed their prior year’s sales well within the first nine months of launch, indicating an increase in both the number and size of sales.
Simplified order management
Wholesaler accounts can manage their quotes and monitor a job’s requirements within the same application. In an increasingly eCommerce-focused world, wholesalers appreciate the ability to manage their custom artisan orders digitally.
Improved customer confidence
The new UI increased customers’ confidence in Denver Dovetail Drawers, resulting in a substantial increase in business post-launch. The quoting option stands out in their industry, so customers enjoy using it, generating more business for Denver Dovetail Drawers.
