1000hands AG Delivers Efficient E-Commerce Workflows in Real Estate

1000hands AG is a leading German surveying company with more than 25 years of industry expertise. Specializing in precise, large-scale floor plans, the company harnesses cutting-edge technologies like 3D scanning to deliver unmatched accuracy.

As the real estate sector continues to be reshaped by legislation and increasing pressure from investors and banks, detailed floor plans and living space calculations are progressively required for rental, sale or financing of residential properties in Germany.

1000hands was looking for a robust software development platform that would enable the company to expand its offering to include affordable online floor plan creation services tailored to smaller real estate projects.

In January 2022, they embraced the Mendix development platform to create a modern e-commerce platform for selling real estate services such as floor plans, area calculations, surveying services, and energy certificates.

Building a Successful Foundation

Drawing from his experience in SAP mobilization solutions, Huthmacher wanted a software platform that was flexible, agile, scalable, and composable.

While 1000hands’ original website – self-built on mainly php, Java Script and CSS – had served them well for several years, it was no longer adequate for:

Managing their complex internal processes
Leveraging reusable components and templates
Ensuring long-term business sustainability

As an engineering-focused organization, 1000hands also faced significant challenges in attracting and retaining skilled programmers. The remote development team that had created their original floor plan platform in 2008 had since dissolved, leaving a gap in their capabilities.

“We’re not a software company,” Huthmacher said. “If we hired another programming team to deliver a new proprietary solution, we wouldn’t be able to maintain it if they also became unavailable.”

In 2021, 1000hands experimented with Mendix on an energy certificate-related project. Despite the complexities of Germany’s regulatory landscape, the results had shown great promise.

Leveraging his network and connections at TimeSeries, a Mendix systems integrator, Huthmacher made the strategic decision to formally adopt Mendix in 2022. They ultimately chose Mendix due to its scalability, security, and reputation.

With the 1000hands team focused on revamping their existing website to enhance customer experience and streamline internal processes, development began in 2022.

A New Service on the Block

The concept behind the original floor plan website 1000hands developed was simple yet effective.

“Offering floor plans online became non-negotiable – but came at a high price for the company since we were starting a whole new service,” said Huthmacher. “We wanted to be able to offer everything real estate owners and real estate agents in the market could require.”

1000hands expanded its offerings, introducing affordable, online floor plan drafting services tailored for smaller real estate projects – no site visit required.

Users create an account, choose from a selection of floor plan styles and provide as much information as they could. They could also upload old floor plan drafts or even sketches they made themselves onto the system before putting in the order.

On the backend, the platform would assign the job to a draftsperson on staff, who would use those details to create a professional floor plan with measurements and furniture placements.

To provide an optimal customer experience, 1000hands’ new online floor plan service needed to offer:

Diverse Floor Plan Templates: Customers could choose from a variety of layout styles.
Customization Options: Users can add elements such as furniture, dimensioning or a north arrow to their plans.
Real-Time Price Calculations: Pricing would adjust dynamically based on selected options.
Total Area Calculations: Accurate area measurements would be provided.
File Upload Capabilities: Customers could upload their own drafts, sketches, and measurements.

These features aimed to transform the website into a configurator, allowing custom floor plans to be generated based on customer selections. Additionally, 1000hands identified other needs for the website, including:

A registration platform
A billing platform (to interface with credit cards and PayPal)
An invoicing module
Internal workflow and order management
Communication system back and forth with the client

Making Moves with Customer Experience

1000hands introduced the new service gradually over four weeks to ensure a smooth implementation, running new orders through the updated system but completing existing jobs on the old platform.

The new website simplifies the ordering process, enabling customers to place floor plan orders in just four easy steps:

Select a floor plan layout from several predesigned templates.
Select any options and needed services such as an area calculation.
Upload sketches or old floor plans into the project.
Make any last edits to the project, provide payment information, and place the order.

At every step of the process, a real-time price calculation is displayed on-screen for greater transparency. Once all required details were entered and the project finalized, the order is placed.

As an AutoCAD (computer-aided design) based company, 1000hands also streamlined its backend to manage a split workflow effectively.

“Once a project is received, our drafts people start AutoCAD,” Huthmacher said. “Using the new larger library of templates and components, they either quickly mockup a draft or request more information, before moving on to the next order.”

If a draftsperson needs more details to complete a request, the Mendix application features an email-based chatbot feedback routine that allows for easy communication with customers. Once the necessary information is obtained, any additional service fees are automatically handled within the platform, ensuring a seamless invoicing and payment experience.

Thanks to Mendix’s automated workflow system, which efficiently manages tedious and repetitive tasks, draftspeople can focus on the more nuanced and complex aspects of their work. As a result, the team is now capable of processing up to an impressive 300 orders every day with the new website.

“Our team works very fast,” Huthmacher said. “Each employee can get through up to 20 orders a day – which helps us remain cost-effective.”

Unlocking Potential with Change Management

1000hands launched a comprehensive change management strategy, providing extensive training to ensure both customers and employees could adapt comfortably to using the new online platform.

“Some of the users were a bit hesitant at first,” Huthmacher explained. “The old solution had been around since 2008, so we anticipated some resistance when we introduced them to a seemingly complex new piece of software.”

To effectively manage and maintain the new system, 1000hands employs a blend of internal and external support.

Internally, a dedicated manager was assigned to the Mendix project, an employee with both a technical background and customer service experience. Today, this team member oversees the entire development routine, leads daily stand-ups, and manages 1000hands’ agile sprints and user story creation.

Externally, 1000hands collaborates with BlueBerk, one of Germany’s largest Mendix integrators. BlueBerk’s experienced developers assist 1000hands in addressing implementation and maintenance challenges, ensuring the system runs efficiently.

For Huthmacher, the six BlueBerk developers who have worked with 1000hands for the past two years have been invaluable assets to the team.

Breaking New Ground with Low-Code

1000hands’ journey showcases the transformative power of low-code development, with Mendix enabling team expansion and enhancing service quality in a fast-paced industry.

“With essentially a 24-hour service, we can process up to 300 floor plan requests in a single day,” Huthmacher said.

Huthmacher estimates 1000hands’ customer retention rate for professional clients exceeds 90%. Early feedback following the implementation of their Mendix application was overwhelmingly positive, with many customers praising the enhanced functionalities, a broader range of template options and a better communication system available.

To further streamline its complex operations, 1000hands plans to leverage the full capabilities of the Mendix toolset in their applications.