Expedreview

Laravel
Elasticsearch
PostgreSQL
Next.js
REST API
React JS

Expedreview is a booking service for expeditions and guided hikes in the mountains.

Business challenges

Migrate functionality from existing solutions (symphony based) that had a lot of obsolete code. Enrich new solution with more possibilities
Allow partial payments or prepayments for expedition at the Guide's request.
Increase customers’ engagement and speed up booking by introducing chat between a customer and a Guide.
Make a separate "Guide" role and turn the current site into a full-fledged marketplace.
Rethink and implement new site UX/UI.
We had evaluated two options: improving the existing site or developing it all from scratch. It turned out to be more cost efficient to rewrite.

Key results

Migration from the old database to the new one with the preservation of all relevant data about products, users, expeditions, prices, and reviews;
Implemented new UX/UI to meet modern needs and planned growth;
We developed a booking system with partial payments and integrated with Stripe payment service
A separate personal account was built for Guides allowing them to manage their companies, expeditions as well as bookings;
We implemented a chat between clients and guides;
The whole interface was adapted for mobile devices.

Our solution

Gitlab - based CI/CD pipeline / deployment infrastructure
Ansible - software that provides tools for configuration management, orchestration, centralized application installation, and parallel execution of typical tasks on a group of systems
REST API for communication with services
Docker containerization for services
tsvector and tsquery to provide more relevant search functionality
TalkJs - Chat API with prebuilt UI and notifications enabled, with a well documented REST API, this solution allowed us to increase the speed of chat development through the use of ready infrastructure solutions.

Our achievements

Updated Web service for users based on Laravel + React.js/Next.js
Admin panel, which is based on ready-made solutions and adapted to the new conditions of filling and administration of the project.
The UX team has developed new flows for users that allow them to order a trip to Everest and accompany all organizational issues through the site, as well as financing issues directly from the service chat, including invoices and payment (Stripe).

Tech stack

Laravel
React.js / Next.js
PostgreSQL
Elasticsearch
REST API

Team

2 Backend devs
2 Frontend devs
1 QA
1 PM
1 BA
1 Devops
1 UI

Client’s location

Project Duration

10 months

Customer feedback

"Oh look, that company changed their logo to yellow and blue! Wow, they must really support Ukraine!"

As the war broke out in Ukraine, we at Expedreview had a decision to make.

In January, after a few months of interviews and consideration, we decided ARTJOKER - one of the best development houses in Ukraine - would be our development partners going forward. We had a huge project before us, a complete rebuild of our entire platform from the ground up with loads of new features and complexity.

Days before signing contracts, Russia invaded Ukraine. The primary concern obviously was the safety of our new friends, who were mostly based out of Kharkiv. We reached out but had radio silence. Concern grew. Finally, after 10 days underground and offline, they made contact. Relief washed over us! They explained they were safe, back online and hungrier than ever to get working. Many of their national clients had obviously gone offline, so now more than ever, a steady income was important for them to keep their families going.

I will be candid here. The moral choice was simple. But from the helm of a young start-up running on investor funding; the decision required more consideration.

The right choice prevailed.

The best way we could 'support Ukraine' was continue with ARTJOKER . We believed in their skills and their strength, and we were not wrong!

Over the past 9 months we have been working daily with an amazing team who have produced exceptional work in exceptionally difficult circumstances. Despite daily challenges and weekly setbacks, they consistently deliver amazing work, and we are proud to call them partners and look forward to working with them in the future.

https://www.artjoker.net

Is this a PR stunt? Yes! for ARTJOKER

Blake Penson

EXPEDREVIEW founder