The concept for the project with AutoScout24 included the development of a platform for new and used cars, which was implemented in cooperation with an offshore developer and a UX team.
The idea was to develop an innovative Progressive Web Application (PWA) that would drive the digitalization of the customer-dealer funnel in partnership with BMW. The goal was to improve engagement, retention and conversion through real-time communication between dealers and customers.
The project also included the redevelopment of an M&A e-commerce site and app for Gebrauchtwagen.at, which was integrated into the AutoScout24 front-end.
As Head of Innovation, I faced several challenges in product conception and development of an e-commerce platform and a progressive web application (PWA) in collaboration with an offshore team in China. Managing these two teams required effective coordination and communication across time zones. In addition, rapid iterative product growth testing was required to ensure that the solutions met user requirements and expectations. Another challenge was to seamlessly integrate the new developments with the existing e-commerce and application teams to ensure a consistent and efficient way of working.
Despite the challenges, the solution was extremely successful. In just one year, we were able to successfully build the platform thanks to efficient project and product management skills.
Working with an offshore development team under my responsibility enabled an efficient product project that was not only cost effective, but also faster.
We paid special attention to a successful user experience on both sides of the platform. Due to the high demands on development and UX design caused by the online marketplace principle and the sophisticated search functions, we were able to ensure an outstanding user experience.
The approach for the project included harmonizing the product team with a new offshore development team of 10 developers. As the Head of Innovation, I reported directly to the VP. In the development of the app, I took on the role of a servant leader, focusing on budget, time management, stakeholder management, and ensuring fast and reliable sprints focused on concrete deliverables.
Aligning the product teams involved working not only with developers, but also with UX/UI experts, research teams, analysts, and product managers at BMW. In parallel, a Progressive Web Application (PWA) was built within 3 months, with weekly testing of new features driven by analytics. This was then handed over to the AutoScout24 core app team for operation.
After 8 months, the new development and launch of the Gebrauchtwagen.at site was successfully completed.
