Cargowatch: from vendor lock-in to a scalable shipping platform in five months
Cargowatch helps businesses send shipments around the world smoothly, efficiently and affordably. With its multi-carrier platform, customers can compare more than 200 carriers in real time, monitor their goods flows and benefit from competitive rates.
But when its existing software supplier unexpectedly terminated the contract, its service was suddenly at risk.
Building a new platform was no longer a choice. It was a necessity.
Challenges
- Vendor lock-in with limited scope for expansion.
- An immediate threat to business continuity following the termination of the contract.
- Low confidence in IT after an earlier partnership failed.
Approach
- A lean MVP with clear priorities.
- Dutch project leadership, architecture and core development, complemented by nearshore development.
- InfraKit to get off to a flying start.
Results
- Live within 5 months without losing a single customer.
- Improved UX, performance and scalability.
- Restored confidence and a positive, effective working relationship.
“The collaboration went really well. In a short time, something truly fantastic was built, and the team delivered beyond our expectations. Everything promised was delivered and more besides.”
Growth ambitions meet a roadblock
The relationship with the previous supplier broke down: the platform offered too little flexibility, expansion into new modes of transport was impossible and innovation had stalled. The partner also refused to develop new features. Vendor lock-in not only held back growth; it even threatened Cargowatch’s survival when the contract was unexpectedly terminated.
“We were completely stuck in vendor lock-in and wanted to expand. But the platform wasn’t adapting with us,” recalls director and owner Bas van Straaten. The time pressure was unprecedented. A new, independent platform had to go live within five months. Previous attempts to work with other development partners had failed. Cargowatch needed a partner that could combine technical expertise with strategic thinking and move quickly.
Moving quickly with a clear focus
Following an RFP process involving 11 parties, Cargowatch chose GlobalOrange. The deciding factors were its experience in complex platform development, confidence in the proposed tech stack, the GOdna approach and the combination of Dutch project leadership and nearshore development. InfraKit, GlobalOrange’s infrastructure tool, enabled the team to get started as soon as the contract was signed.
The team chose a lean MVP approach: only features that added immediate value were included in the first release. This covered shipments with the largest carriers, which accounted for 85% of revenue. By continually prioritising and keeping a clear focus on what was and wasn’t needed, the team kept the scope manageable and the pace high.
“We asked: can we speed things up straight away? And the answer was: we’ve already started a proof of concept. That immediately gave us confidence,” says Bas.
The collaboration was characterised by close working relationships, mutual trust and direct communication. Cargowatch was actively involved in the development process, from refinement to technical decisions. The GlobalOrange team proved flexible, committed and decisive: “You delivered everything you promised, and more besides.” Working with a nearshore team was also a success. “The developers in Poland responded quickly, were properly onboarded and built up domain knowledge. They actively contribute ideas and speak our language,” says Bas van Straaten.
Stability, control and room to grow
The platform went live within 5 months. All key customers could continue shipping without interruption. The two customers who were still missing specific functionality could be fully served within two weeks. Not a single customer left. The platform has been stable and scalable from day one.
Cargowatch now has an environment in which functionality can be developed further with ease. New features, such as advanced customs clearance and support for dangerous goods, are already live. Its own rate engine is also in development, entirely in-house and without dependencies.
“The platform has been stable from the very start. No downtime. And we’re now ready for the future.”
Users are enthusiastic. “Customers enjoy working in the new system. It’s faster, clearer and more intuitive. We receive compliments on the design and workflows.”
Internally, the platform means greater control and better scalability. Cargowatch can respond more quickly to customer needs and is ready to expand its services further internationally. Security has also been addressed: thanks to Auth0 and best practices, the platform meets high security standards.
A foundation for growth
The new platform provides the basis for further digitalisation and integration. Cargowatch is now working on phases 2 and 3, including a rate engine and an integrated BI platform. What defines this collaboration is shared ownership of both the problem and the solution. In GlobalOrange, Cargowatch found a technical partner and a team that contributes ideas, thinks ahead and delivers on its promises. “You really treated our problem as your own. That makes the difference.”
And that gives confidence, now and for the future.
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