Colruyt Centralizes Digital Customer Services In Xtra App
Colruyt Group's four-year journey to create the successful Xtra app was powered by Azure in a close collaboration with Codit—turning their vision of a smart shopping assistant into reality.
Colruyt Group spent four years developing their Xtra app. The ambition was to create a personal assistant that supports customers and makes shopping easier. The app became a success, thanks to the efforts of a strong team and a collaboration with Codit. "Together we wrote a strong story. We are now fully ready for the future," says Hein Coulier, lead digital factory at Colruyt Group.
Several years ago, Colruyt Group came up with the idea to develop an application that would make shopping easier. After a period of intensive development, the group launched the first version of its Xtra app. “It was a radical change, because previously our customers had to use three separate apps, which was quite cumbersome for them and also inefficient for us,” says Colruyt Group’s Hein Coulier.
The vision behind Xtra is based on three pillars: simplicity, empowerment and connection. “We don’t just focus on improving the shopping experience – we also want to help customers make more informed choices and get to know our other brands better.”
The possibilities of the revamped Xtra app seem endless. “Whether it’s mobile payments, making lists, collecting loyalty points or refueling, the app has become an indispensable tool in our customers’ daily lives,” Hein states enthusiastically. And the numbers don’t lie: with a review score of 4.4 in the app stores, Xtra’s success is undeniable. “Nevertheless, this was not an easy project. It became clear early on that we didn’t have the internal expertise needed to develop an app of this complexity.”
Azure: the engine behind the improved Xtra app
Colruyt Group succeeded in its mission by choosing the right partners. “We issued a tender for the development of the app. A consortium of Codit and two other companies emerged as the best party,” Hein says. Codit built the underlying architecture: a landing zone on the Microsoft Azure platform. “Azure turned out to be the perfect technology for us. Its scalability, reliability and flexibility ensured the creation of an ecosystem in which we could integrate all our products – including, for example, those of our sister company NewPharma.”
Because the app includes a wide range of functionalities, Codit chose AKS, a managed Kubernetes solution that simplifies application management and scalability. This technology ensures that information flows dynamically to the app, allowing users to perform actions smoothly. It definitely helps that AKS is compatible with other Azure services, such as Azure DevOps. This integration allows teams to collaborate remotely on new features, allowing for updates to be rolled out even faster.
Security and reliability as keystone
Azure also offers a reliable solution in terms of security. For example, it uses the cloud-based identity platform Azure AD B2C that stores data in a GDPR-compliant manner and shields it from the outside world. “For Microsoft, security is paramount. Having said that, the great strength of the platform lies in its flexibility. After all, you use only what you need and can easily scale up or down, keeping costs under control.” The vendor also offers continuity guarantees. “This means that you will always have access to the application, which is crucial for an app like Xtra that is used and updated daily.”
The app has also remained stable to this day, thanks to strict monitoring and the efforts of a fairly large team. “Last year, we decided to take the coordination and further development of the app into our own hands. This allows us to be even more responsive,” Hein continues. The transition was performed gradually on purpose, to give each developer time to settle in. “That approach also fits seamlessly with our corporate culture. We are very pleased with the results: although there was some skepticism at the launch, this has completely disappeared.”
A partner who keeps thinking along
Colruyt Group and Codit can look back on a successful collaboration. The IT service provider will remain an important partner for the future. “They are our sounding board and their expertise brings tremendous value to our teams. They have proven that on multiple occasions during the handover. Even now, they continue to think along with us – especially when it comes to developing new features,” Hein emphasizes.
Microsoft Azure remains the ideal starting point for further development. For example, the platform offers advanced tools for AI chatbots to support customers with frequently asked questions. Applications such as Azure AI Search, which makes users find the right information better, can also take the user experience to the next level. Codit will continue to innovate to make the app smarter, more intuitive and more user-friendly.
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