Online ordering of waste services

Brief

The client wants to be able to offer members of the public the ability to order and pay for bin services via the internet (without applying for an account). The process must be very simple and understandable because no human interaction will take place prior to the order being placed. The system must ensure that; the correct pricing is used; the service address is located within a servicable area; the customer’s placement instructions are not overly complex; and that the payment has been received prior to accepting the booking.

The client would also like to offer Account Customers (“Members”) the ability to order and cancel services via the internet. Members can log in to view and update their outstanding service orders. The Member’s area will show all the current locations and the various services we provide at each one. Any complex enquiries will be handled through the call centre.

The solution must keep in line with the existing web site’s look and feel. The solution needs to integrate seamlessly with the existing (proprietory) business database system and its business rules.

Solution

A step-by-step wizard was created for the creditcard (public) ordering function. The steps are designed to flow logically from one to the next while obtaining the required information quickly so that each subsequent step is as concise at possible. The information funnel looks like this: Location > Product > Payment > Confirmation > Receipt.

A Member’s area was also created, using standard authentication techniques, that provides a multi-tiered drill down navigation system. The top level provides a listing of account details coupled with the (paginated) list of active sites. Clicking on any site will display more details such as any outstanding orders for bin services and any active contractual arrangements. Members can order new services using a wizard similar to the public one, except that the location and payment steps are not necessary. Members can also cancel any services that meet the cancellation requirements.

This solution uses:

• Microsoft SQL Server
• Ruby on Rails