INTRODUCTION
ABOUT
Shiftr is a leading international logistics services provider that offers comprehensive supply chain solutions for businesses around the world. Specializing in freight forwarding, customs clearance, warehousing, and last-mile delivery, Shiftr’s platform enables seamless coordination between clients, vendors, and service providers. As Shiftr expanded its global reach, it faced challenges related to backend performance, data handling, and system scalability. To address these issues, Shiftr partnered with SwitchHigh to enhance its backend infrastructure and optimize platform performance for international logistics operations.
CHALLENGES
Before collaborating with SwitchHigh, Shiftr encountered several backend-related issues that hindered the platform’s growth and efficiency:
- Scalability Challenges: As Shiftr expanded into new regions, the platform’s backend struggled to manage increasing volumes of transactions and data from international clients and suppliers.
- Slow Data Processing: Handling complex logistics data, including shipment tracking, route optimization, and inventory management, became sluggish, affecting response times.
- System Downtime: Frequent system downtimes and delays in updates disrupted logistics operations and affected service reliability.
- Integration Difficulties: Shiftr struggled with integrating third-party services like shipment tracking tools, payment gateways, and real-time carrier data, limiting its ability to offer real-time logistics solutions to clients.
GOALS
SwitchHigh worked with Shiftr to achieve the following objectives:
- Enhance Platform Scalability: Develop a robust backend infrastructure capable of scaling to meet the growing demands of international logistics and client transactions.
- Optimize Data Processing: Implement solutions to improve the speed of data processing, especially for critical logistics data like shipment tracking and inventory management.
- Increase System Reliability: Reduce system downtimes and ensure high availability for users accessing the platform globally.
- Enable Seamless Integration: Integrate Shiftr's platform with third-party logistics tools, shipment tracking services, and payment systems for real-time data exchange and smoother operations.
RESULTS
BEFORE
Low
Data Handling Speed
Low
System Uptime
Poor
User Experience
AFTER
+40%
Data Handling Speed
99.9%
System Uptime
Improved
User Experience
SWITCHHIGH'S STRATEGY
- 1. Backend Infrastructure Overhaul
SwitchHigh enhanced Shiftr's backend architecture to improve scalability and performance:
● Cloud-Based Infrastructure: Migrated the platform to a cloud-based infrastructure using services like AWS or Azure, enabling elastic scalability and flexibility to accommodate fluctuating data and traffic volumes.
● Microservices Architecture: Implemented a microservices architecture, breaking down the platform into smaller, independent services that could scale individually, ensuring greater efficiency and flexibility.
● Database Optimization: Optimized database queries and structure to speed up data processing and enhance real-time performance for large volumes of logistics data. - 2. Improved Data Processing Efficiency
SwitchHigh focused on improving the speed and efficiency of Shiftr’s data processing systems:
● Data Caching: Introduced caching mechanisms to improve response times for frequently accessed logistics data such as shipment statuses and inventory levels.
● Asynchronous Processing: Leveraged asynchronous processing for non-critical tasks, like reporting and data syncing, to ensure that real-time logistics data remained unaffected by background tasks.
● Optimized APIs: Streamlined API communication for faster data exchange between Shiftr’s platform and third-party logistics systems, reducing latency and ensuring seamless updates. - 3. System Reliability and Uptime
To increase system reliability and reduce downtime, SwitchHigh implemented:
● Load Balancing: Implemented load balancing to distribute incoming traffic evenly across multiple servers, reducing the likelihood of performance bottlenecks during peak usage times.
● Failover Systems: Introduced failover systems and redundancy strategies to ensure uninterrupted service in case of server failures, providing continuous support to Shiftr’s global operations.
● Monitoring Tools: Installed real-time monitoring tools to track system performance, detect issues early, and ensure that potential problems were addressed proactively. - 4. Third-Party Service Integrations
SwitchHigh integrated Shiftr’s platform with key third-party services to enhance functionality and provide real-time logistics solutions:
● Shipment Tracking Integrations: Integrated Shiftr with major shipment tracking providers, allowing clients to view real-time updates on the status and location of their goods.
● Payment Gateway Integration: Integrated secure and reliable payment gateways to facilitate smooth transactions and payment processing for clients using the platform.
● Carrier Data Integration: Integrated with various carriers to ensure up-to-date routing, delivery, and transport data was accessible directly from the platform.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Shiftr case study highlights how a robust backend infrastructure can drive scalability, improve data processing, and enhance system reliability for international logistics services. By optimizing the backend, SwitchHigh helped Shiftr deliver a faster, more seamless platform to its global client base.
SERVICES OFFERED
