Executive Summary
This project was centered around developing a powerful Salesforce Experience Cloud solution to enable a vibrant Contractor Marketplace. This platform was designed to connect contractors with operators, allowing them to promote services, initiate conversations, exchange recommendations, and analyze performance metrics, all within a seamless digital environment.
Through custom Lightning Web Components (LWC), robust Salesforce automation, API integrations, and a dynamic community experience, the project delivered a significant boost to customer engagement and operational efficiency.
Project Overview
Create an intuitive, scalable Contractor Marketplace to foster contractor-operator connections and increase client Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), customer loyalty, and renewal rates.
- Design and build Salesforce Experience Cloud community.
- Develop advanced search and engagement functionality for contractors.
- Implement analytics dashboards, conversation tools, and weekly communication digests.
- Support dynamic onboarding experience for new users.
Scope:
Key Highlights
A. Contractor Marketplace Portal (Dashboard Page)
- A central community page integrating multiple LWCs like:
- Favorites
- Find Contractors
- Conversations
- Engagements
- Analytics
- Unified navigation structure for seamless user experience
B. Weekly Digest and New Conversation Notification over Email as the Newsletter
- Weekly Digest:
- Email summaries of all new messages received during the week.
- New Message Alerts:
- Instant notifications sent to contractors upon receiving a new message.
C. New Customer Onboarding streamlined Journey
- Multi-Step Guided Onboarding Flow for New Users:
- Welcome Modal
- Experience Preferences
- Company Information
- Company Preferences
- Service Selection
- Service Area Mapping
- User Preferences
- Thank You Modal
- Favorites
Business Challenges and Solutions
- Challenge 1: Immediate need to differentiate and add customer value through a marketplace.
Solution: Built a comprehensive contractor portal promoting direct operator-contractor connections. - Challenge 2: Handling frequent scope changes during the project.
Solution: Agile project management and rapid iteration using modular LWC designs. - Challenge 3: Capturing real-time analytics and user engagement data.
Solution: Integrated ChartJS visualizations and Salesforce Reports for real-time insights. - Challenge 4: Google Analytics Integration Complexity.
Solution: Set up custom tracking and reporting through Salesforce-native analytics combined with external API data. - Challenge 5: Tight delivery timelines ("Time Crunch").
Solution: Prioritized feature delivery, leveraged DevOps best practices to enable continuous deployments.
Results & Business Impact
| Metric | Before Implementation | After Implementation | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor-Operator Connections | Limited Manual Outreach | Centralized digital engagement | ⬆ Significant Growth |
| ARR Growth Potential | Low Differentiation | New Marketplace Revenue Stream | ✅ Improved |
| User Onboarding Time | Manual, disjointed | Automated Guided Flow | ⬇ Reduced |
| Engagement Visibility | Limited | Real-time Analytics & Dashboards | ✅ Real-Time Tracking |
Additional Benefits:
- Faster page loads through optimized LWC design.
- 20%+ improvement in system processing time.
- Increased user retention via a personalized onboarding experience.
- Enhanced contractor visibility with automated news and achievements feed.
Conclusion and Next Steps
This project successfully empowered the client to create a modern, connected marketplace, differentiating their offering and unlocking new revenue streams. By combining Salesforce innovation with user-centric design, the project laid a scalable foundation for future ecosystem growth.
Next Steps:
- Integrate AI-driven contractor recommendations.
- Extend marketplace visibility to mobile applications.
- Implement advanced engagement scoring models.