North Patrol is a consulting firm specialized in the design of digital services and information systems. We shape ideas into a vision and service concept, find the best architectural and technological solutions, design a functional user experience, and compete to find the ideal partner for implementation work. We do not sell implementation projects, nor do we sell licenses; we are genuinely on the side of the customer.
Ramirent had started a project aiming to enhance customer-centricity and digital customer experience. As part of this initiative, the need for renewing the ramirent.fi website became apparent. The old website had various conceptual and technical shortcomings, failing to serve Ramirent's customer base adequately. Additionally, the maintenance and ongoing development processes could use improvements. With these shortcomings, it was clear that actively improving the existing site was no longer viable. Instead, a solution truly serving the business and Ramirent's marketing communication was required.
North Patrol joined to support the site renewal project in late 2022. While Ramirent had already done some groundwork, progress took a new turn when we joined forces. Our focus was particularly on the following closely interlinked aspects:
- Clarifying the digital service offering
- Developing a customer-centric digital service concept
- Evaluating suitable technology solutions and facilitating the procurement process
Clarifying the digital service offering
Even though the website development was urgent, it was important to first examine Ramirent's digital presence as a whole. Ramirent offers several different digital services, such as the construction site portal RamiSmart and the customer loyalty program RamiKlubi, each catering to slightly different customer segments. Despite Ramirent's business primarily focusing on business-to-business transactions, it was necessary to also consider stakeholders such as consumers and job seekers. Additionally, physical rental stores play a significant role in the overall picture, so it was essential for the digital and physical worlds to support each other seamlessly.
We approached the overall picture by understanding the needs and motivations of the customer base, which helped clarify the roles of different channels, services, and systems. With a clearer understanding of the big picture, the role of the website also began to naturally align with the user paths.
Developing a customer-centric digital service concept
When developing the concept design, we conducted an extensive interview series with various business functions within Ramirent. From these sessions, we gathered valuable insights to be considered in the concept work. During workshops, we discussed the specific characteristics of different industries and supplemented previously identified buyer personas. Through these discussion, the customer-centric approach that served as the foundation for the work gradually began to materialize.
We designed a web service concept consisting of two very different main sections. For buyers, the need for equipment is urgent, so it is essential to enable them to quickly and smoothly rent equipment. For enablers, especially decision-makers and those who influence decisions, the needs are more informational. Ramirent should be presented to them as a reliable business partner.
The new digital service concept was also presented using a user interface prototype. This helped both Ramirent's staff to understand the upcoming changes more concretely and potential implementation partners, to whom a link to the prototype was provided as part of the request for proposal materials.
Evaluating suitable technology solutions and facilitating the procurement process
The technology choices for the new online service were made carefully. It was important to avoid the previous mistakes. As explained by Jouko Jylhä, the IT Development Manager at Ramirent Finland:
"The current web platform, its technology, and maintenance model had become a hindrance to the development of digital services. The technology choices for the renewal were intended to ensure that this would not happen with the new solution. There needed to be multiple suppliers available for the technology choice to avoid vendor lock-in."
We evaluated various approaches and technical solutions suitable for Ramirent's needs. Therefore, Ramirent had a good understanding of the pros and cons of different options even before the tendering process. However, the tender process was decided to be conducted in a so-called technology-agnostic manner, allowing all participants to propose the solution they believed was most suitable for Ramirent within the specified constraints. This resulted in the challenge that the proposed solutions varied significantly.
Some proposals were of a "headless" nature, some relied on commercially licensed solutions, and some were based on open-source software. After thorough comparison and evaluation, WordPress was chosen as the platform technology for the website redesign, with digital agency Evermade selected as the implementation partner.
The renewal project is currently underway with the aim of launching the new website in early summer 2024. However, we are already thinking further ahead. As Marika Salmi, the Marketing Development Manager at Ramirent Finland, points out:
"This isn't a one-time effort – the website development doesn't stop at launch. Results will be measured, and based on them, we'll continue to evolve. The work goes on."
Further reading about methods used in this project
