The successful transformation of BDL.cz: As close to the customer as possible
This case study presents the modernization of the BDL.cz e-shop, a Czech supplier of laboratory equipment. We will show how we helped BDL increase the number of online orders by 60% in two years through automation, connection to current data, and significant improvement of the user environment.
BDL Czech Republic is a supplier of laboratory equipment and a
long-standing partner of
LLG. We have been working with BDL since 2017, when the first version of an extensive e-shop with laboratory
equipment began to take shape. Product information, including product descriptions, was downloaded from LLG
in English on a one-off basis and could be translated into Czech at the user's request using Google
Translate. There was no live link to current information from LLG.
The solution gradually became unsustainable for BDL. Product information was outdated, and the
website offered users no advantages over competing catalogs. BDL sought ways to differentiate itself from
the competition in the online environment and decided to focus on making the website as user-friendly as
possible. We naturally liked this approach.
Laboratory man
BDL customers are mainly recruited from universities and laboratories. In some respects, this environment is specific, and we wanted to accommodate it as much as possible. We have proven many times that it is not enough to make decisions from behind a desk, and often even a conversation with a client is not enough, so this time we went into the field to conduct in-depth interviews with several BDL clients.
Need
Solution
An order is often preceded by a request. In many cases, this is created by a laboratory worker, but it is approved and sent to the supplier by a manager or purchaser.
The lengthy request process needed to be simplified and partially automated.
Customers want up-to-date information and an overview of what is happening. They want to know when their goods will be delivered and, if there is a change, they want to be kept informed.
No vagueness or uncertainty in ongoing orders.
It is important for customers to be able to quickly find the product they want on the website.
Provide customers with the easiest possible navigation of the catalog and ensure reliable internal search.
Price is an important factor in decision-making. Discounts can be a significant motivating factor for customers.
Design a system for working with discounts in a targeted and flexible manner.
Automated e-shop for laboratories and universities
In 2022, we began building a user-focused website that will contain a relatively large number of features specific to this field, and we launched it at the end of 2023.
After years of operation, we had to abandon the original web solution, which had become unsustainable in the long term due to outdated technology and the inability to perform effective updates, especially with tens of thousands of constantly changing products. One of the key requirements for the new website was the introduction of a smart search engine that could handle typos and differences between singular and plural forms, which the original version was unable to do. In addition, the new platform provides automatic updates directly from the supplier's data and ensures that customers have complete and up-to-date information from the moment they place their order to the current status of their order.
Tomáš Birčák Director of BDL Czech Republic, s.r.o.
Real-time data download from LLG partner
As in the previous case, we obtain all product information from our partner LLG.de. In the old system, data was imported once from csv or xls files, and information about current stock levels was not available. In the new solution, we obtain all data via the LLG API platform, which allows us to have up-to-date information on the website directly from the LLG database in near real time – including stock status and current prices.
Product descriptions, product availability, stock levels, and current prices are automatically downloaded from the LLG website, and we are able to show the approximate date when the goods will be delivered to the customer.
Solution for automatic translations
All information from LLG is available in English only. The BDL.cz website offers tens of thousands of products, and translating them would be a superhuman task. This situation is solved by integration with the DeepL AI translation tool. We translate all texts that we pull from LLG into the Czech version of the website. The translations are relatively high quality, with the main weak point being the names of some products, which need to be gradually corrected manually.
Efficient requests that save time
We have designed an inquiry module that allows users to generate their own inquiries and download them in PDF or XLS format, or send them by email or directly to BDL. This system saves BDL and its clients a lot of time that would otherwise be spent on emails and phone calls. Inquiries in Excel make it easier to transfer data to the organization's internal system.
Automatic translation solutions
All information from LLG is available in English only. The BDL.cz website offers tens of thousands of products, and translating them would be a superhuman task. This situation is solved by integration with the DeepL AI translation tool. We translate all texts that we download from LLG into the Czech version of the website. The translations are relatively high quality, with the main weak point being the names of some products, which need to be gradually corrected manually.
Order status notifications
To keep the client informed about the status of their order, we download order information from LLG every day, and the client automatically receives a notification email when there is a change. The system allows the notification to be sent not only to the buyer, but also to the specific employee who selected the goods, provided that the buyer enters their email address. This feature also saves BDL employees a considerable amount of time.
Efficient search
Navigating such an extensive catalog is not easy, and users most often use internal search to find what they are looking for. We were looking for a way to offer this feature as effectively as possible. One that would understand the context of the query, handle product codes, and even help with typos, for example. We decided to implement www.algolia.com (an AI tool for internal search), which proved to be a very powerful tool that delivers the most relevant answers to users.
Smart discounts
In this field, it is common to motivate clients with discounts, but at the same time, it is necessary to handle them with care. BDL can set a discount for any user in the CMS, display volume prices according to LLG, and set one-time discounts. Everything is covered by the minimum possible price, which sets the lower limit when combining multiple discounts.
BDL is not just LLG
BDL also sells products outside the LLG ecosystem. For these cases, we have made it possible to import products in bulk via an xls file.
We are not done with improvements
BDL is gradually expanding its functionality with additional specific options to make the e-shop as helpful as possible for laboratory and university staff, saving time for both them and BDL.
Other features include, for example:
cross-selling bannery
tailored offers
flexible work minimum order value based on company ID number
and more
Online marketing
At BDL.cz, in addition to technical solutions, we are also responsible for online marketing. At the beginning of the project, we prepared an initial analysis in which we defined the basic strategy for working with the project after its launch.
For BDL, we are responsible for ongoing PPC campaigns, SEO and occasionally consult on newsletters. We regularly monitor and evaluate everything using Google Analytics and MS Clarity. We provide data to the client through Looker Studio, where we monitor both defined goals and try to view the purchasing cycle through KPIs from the See'Think'Do'Care framework.
Do we have measurable results? Yes, we do.
+60%
Higher number of orders
The number of orders increased by 60% over two years.
+20%
Revenue growth
At the same time, our annual turnover is growing steadily by approximately 20%.
3
Growth in demand
In the previous version of the E-shop, it was not possible to create requests, but currently, there are 3 requests per order.
New clients
The new website is attracting a new type of clientele to a greater extent – industrial companies as well as individuals are now appearing among our clients.
Thanks to the new web solution, our overall performance and business results have improved significantly. Modern features such as automatic offers, smarter product data management, and the ability to target advertising campaigns more effectively have contributed to a 60% increase in orders over two years. At the same time, our annual turnover is growing steadily by approximately 20%, confirming that the investment in platform modernization has brought long-term and measurable benefits. Increased customer interest has also led to the need to expand the team with additional sales representatives in order to effectively serve the growing demand.
Tomáš Birčák Director of BDL Czech Republic, s.r.o.
