PCS, Pet Cremation Services has been a Realnet client for over a decade. Our journey with them, which started with a marketing website, has evolved to a stage where we have built and currently host two separate websites for PCS – a customer-facing B2C website offering a range of pet memorial and crematorium services, and a B2B Vet portal which offers a range of products and services to vets around the United Kingdom. Our team also offers PCS bespoke web system design and build as needed, technical support and hosting.
Challenge
PCS has an extensive database of vets around the United Kingdom that make use of PCS’s systems for anything from compliance documentation and waste disposal pre-authorisation paperwork to ordering supplies. To enable their vet clients to access this facility quickly, easily and securely, PCS wanted an online system that allows them to help their vet clients with the following activities:
- Placing orders for consumables
- Sharing useful documents such as waste management disposal guides
- Online Waste Pre-Acceptance system
- Online Waste Audit system for the Environment Agency
The system needed to be easy-to-use by vet staff and PCS admins to ensure timely fulfilment of consumables orders, allow vets to check the status of Waste Pre-Acceptances, and upload or download forms or information.
Solution
Realnet worked with PCS to create a detailed Technical Specification that covered the entire system, including system architecture maps and page wireframes. Once the new architecture had been mapped and signed off, Realnet’s team of website developers built the system using the Laravel PHP framework and a mySQL database. The development was based on the Technical Specification but followed a semi-agile process with individual modules or sections being built and tested in sequence. Thousands of vet branch and vet user records needed to be imported into the new system from separate sources, including an accounts package, so we developed a migration tool to assist with the import of data. It also allowed records to be checked, edited and lined up as ‘ready for import’. The web portal includes an extensive system for allowing different staff members at PCS to have different modules available so that they can focus on their requirements without interruption.
Results
PCS has seen a year-on-year increase in the number of people discovering their websites at the consumer end, and also in the professional sector too. There are more B2C enquiries as a result, and the number of vets registering and using the facilities has risen considerably, and with it the orders coming through the portal.
What does PCS say?
“I worked closely with the project manager and developers at Realnet to develop a crucial system used by thousands of our vet clients. Realnet made the process easy and understandable and always took note of my ideas and requirements, as well as the ongoing support and work. Realnet has always responded swiftly to any queries I have had and ensured anything that needs actioning is done as quickly and efficiently as possible. Highly recommended.” Luke Fisher – PCS, UK