For nearly a century, DEKRA has been a global leader in safety services. With over 48,000 employees in 60 countries, DEKRA offers expert and independent services that enhance safety in various areas. These include road, workplace, and home safety. Their services range from vehicle inspection and expert appraisals to claims services, industrial and building inspections, safety consultancy, product and system testing, training courses, and temporary work. To learn more, visit DEKRA Official Site.
Our cooperation here was done with DEKRA Automotive, bringing innovative digital solutions to help streamline their processes.
Transforming Efficiency with Digital Solutions
Our team developed a portal for insurance companies to register and request assessments of damaged assets. We also created internal apps that integrate with existing Power Apps and legacy systems on Microsoft Dynamics 365. We scripted data migration and added features like photo uploads and extra applications within Microsoft Dynamics 365. Our goal was to improve DEKRA Automotive’s services’ efficiency and effectiveness, providing user-friendly tools for their clients.
To further streamline operations, we implemented a synchronization process for DEKRA Automotive’s data with partners like Groupama. This involved setting up API endpoints for delta sync, allowing Groupama to pull changes in appraisals or property assessments since the last sync. They could then send a confirmation call to complete the sync. This method simplified data sharing between DEKRA Automotive and their partners, avoiding complex internal procedures.
The synchronization process works as follows: DEKRA Automotive triggers a status update to “ready to sync” when changes occur in the CRM. Our system tracks the last sync time, confirms the sync status, and ensures data consistency by requiring a two-step sync to avoid discrepancies due to ongoing data changes during the sync process.
A User-Friendly Frontend Application
We designed a clean and intuitive frontend app for insurance company representatives. This app allows users to view, upload, download, and delete images effortlessly. A standout feature is the report generator, which enables users to create detailed reports that include vehicle information, damage lists, and cost estimates for replacements or repairs. These reports can be exported in PDF or HTML format, providing flexibility and ease of use.
To enhance user experience, we optimized processes within the app. For instance, users can drag and drop images between categories for better organization, streamlining their workflow and improving efficiency.
Seamless Integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM
Our team built additional pages for the existing Power Apps CRM that DEKRA Automotive was using. These mini apps interact with our API, enabling functions like basic image uploads, image displays, and damage-specific image management. This integration allows DEKRA Automotive to use their existing CRM efficiently for managing estimates and related information.
We also expanded our API to facilitate direct communication with external services. Previously, data had to be manually copied between devices. Now, our solution allows direct data transfer from external tablets to DEKRA Automotive’s systems and vice versa. This enhancement improves data accuracy and reduces manual workload significantly.
Robust Backend and Microservices Architecture
Our backend infrastructure uses a microservices architecture, including 5-6 smaller services. We maintain separate backend services for the portal, CRM applications, external APIs, and a dedicated service for report generation. This approach ensures scalability and cost reduction. For instance, the report generator service can be easily scaled to meet high demand, ensuring timely report generation even during peak times.
To enhance reliability, we implemented extra error handling mechanisms and used SOAP APIs for writing data while accessing the CRM’s SQL database for read operations. Although our current error handling is functional, we will continue to improve it as part of our ongoing efforts to enhance system reliability.
Conclusion
Our collaboration with DEKRA Automotive has led to significant advancements in their safety services. By developing a user-friendly portal, integrating with Microsoft Dynamics 365, and implementing a robust backend infrastructure, we have improved DEKRA Automotive’s operational efficiency and service delivery. Our digital solutions have empowered DEKRA Automotive to continue their mission of promoting safety worldwide, driving substantial improvements in their industry.