Case study - Chronext
How Technology Can Help Give a Second Life to Your Rolex
How Technology Can Help Give a Second Life to Your Rolex
Time for a Change
A luxurious item like a Rolex deserves more than a casual farewell. It’s not just a watch - it’s a cherished possession that can find a new purpose or owner. Whether you're looking to pass it on or exchange it for a different model, technology makes the process smooth. Platforms like Chronext are tailored to such needs, connecting pre-owned luxury watches with eager buyers or providing opportunities to trade them for something new.
Chronext: Where Luxury Meets Convenience
Chronext specializes in new and pre-owned luxury watches, serving over 100,000 customers worldwide. By combining a seamless online experience with exclusive lounges, Chronext ensures secure, efficient, and satisfying transactions for both buyers and sellers.
Project Objective
Despite its success, Chronext faced significant challenges. Reliance on costly, complex external tools like Zendesk and Integromat led to inefficiencies and high operational costs. To address these issues, Chronext sought a bespoke solution to streamline operations, reduce expenses, and enhance the customer experience. This need drove their collaboration with Equiqo.
Equiqo’s Role
Equiqo partnered with Chronext to design advanced technological systems that redefined their operations. By leveraging expertise in process optimization and automation, teams collaborated to replace external tools like Zendesk and Integromat with an internal solution that was cost-effective, efficient, and scalable. The aim was to enhance existing processes, add new functionalities, and ensure smooth integration of various systems.
What Are Zendesk and Integromat?
Zendesk:
A service used to generate and track order statuses, such as deliveries, shipments, and cancellations. It supported the customer service team but required subscription fees. Schwarzkopf Case study 2 secure login systems, automated data management, and an intuitive user interface.
Integromat:
A tool for automating tasks like saving order details and generating data files. Its complexity made processes error-prone and labour-intensive. After rebranding as "Make" and increasing subscription costs tenfold, Chronext replaced it with more efficient and cost-effective in-house solutions, allowing greater flexibility and control.
- 1Website
- 2Operations Tool
- 3Messaging Service
- 4ERP Integration
- 1Website
- 2Operations Tool
- 3Messaging Service
- 4ERP Integration
- 1The initial point at which customers request to sell their watches.
- 2An internal system that replaced Integromat and Zendesk, enabling real-time order tracking and communication.
- 3An automated email system that dynamically generated templates using StoryBlok.
- 4A backend system managing logistics, including courier API integration for shipping.
- 1The initial point at which customers request to sell their watches.
- 2An internal system that replaced Integromat and Zendesk, enabling real-time order tracking and communication.
- 3An automated email system that dynamically generated templates using StoryBlok.
- 4A backend system managing logistics, including courier API integration for shipping.
Challenges and Strategy
The project required integrating complex systems with high standards of reliability and security. Together, Chronext and Equiqo assembled a team of 10 experts, including 3 main Python developers, a DevOps specialist, and project managers. Strategic planning and oversight from Chronext’s CTO, paired with Equiqo’s technical expertise, ensured a successful and efficient implementation.
Process
The process begins with a customer submitting their watch details via the website. Chronext evaluates the watch and communicates their offer.
If accepted, the system automates further steps, such as collecting banking details and scheduling product pickups via ERP integration. This streamlined process is secure, transparent, and efficient.
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Results
Results
[ Chronext encountered several challenges while implementing the message-driven microservice architecture, including: ]
- 1A fivefold increase in watch sales within the first month of the system’s launch.
- 2Cost savings from discontinuing external tools like Zendesk and Integromat.
- 3Simplified internal processes, allowing employees to track orders effortlessly across multiple systems.
- 1A fivefold increase in watch sales within the first month of the system’s launch.
- 2Cost savings from discontinuing external tools like Zendesk and Integromat.
- 3Simplified internal processes, allowing employees to track orders effortlessly across multiple systems.
Conclusion
Chronext and Equiqo’s collaboration showcases how technology can redefine the luxury market. By integrating advanced automation and user-friendly systems, the process of buying and selling pre-owned luxury watches has become simpler, more transparent, and highly efficient. This partnership has set a new standard for how luxury brands can leverage technology to thrive in the digital age.
