Freecoffee – Partner management platform with PrestaShop

The Project

The Freecoffee Coffee Points management platform was designed to meet the specific needs of Freecoffee network partners. The main objective was to provide a centralized and easy-to-use solution for managing coffee machines, capsule inventory, and replenishments. By using PrestaShop, a robust and flexible e-commerce platform, we were able to create a tailor-made solution that perfectly met our client’s requirements.

Context and Objectives

Freecoffee is an innovative project conceived by our client, centered around a fun mobile application, available on Android and iOS, allowing users to be rewarded through surveys and daily challenges. The rewards are of two types: coffee beans that can be used in the Freecoffee store, and coffees that can be picked up at partner coffee points, located throughout France.

Key Features

1. Coffee Machine Management
   • Machine Inventory: The platform allows partners to maintain a complete inventory of their coffee machines. Each machine can be logged with specific details such as geographic location, last maintenance date, and operating status.
   • Usage Tracking: Partners can track the usage of their machine, including the number of capsules dispensed, hours of use, and any technical issues. The administrator can also access this information on their Laravel administration platform.
   • Maintenance and Repairs: The platform provides tools to schedule and track machine maintenance and repair operations. Partners must maintain their machines and ensure their cleanliness, to uphold the Freecoffee brand image. They receive notifications of scheduled interventions, and the machine is automatically removed from the network if the partner fails to maintain them.
2. Capsule Inventory Management
   • Stock Tracking: Partners can track capsule inventory levels for their machines in real time. The platform provides automatic alerts when stocks are low, allowing partners to plan replenishments in time.
   • Replenishment Management: The platform facilitates replenishment management by allowing partners to place capsule orders directly from the interface. Orders can be tracked in real time, and partners can receive delivery confirmations.
   • Order History: A complete history of capsule orders is available, allowing partners to track consumption trends and plan future replenishments more efficiently.
3. Distribution of Capsules to Users
   • Entering the Unique Code Provided by Users: The platform allows partners to enter a code, given to the Freecoffee user as a reward for completing surveys, and thus serve the user their coffee for free.
   • Reports and Commissions: The platform provides reporting and analysis tools to help partners understand capsule usage trends and optimize their distribution strategies. This also gives them visibility into accrued commissions, which are paid at the end of the month and reward the partner for serving Freecoffee coffees.
4. Real-time connection with the Freecoffee application and administration platform
   • API communications: The PrestaShop platform communicates in real time with the Freecoffee Laravel management site and its API to validate a code provided by a customer for the distribution of their coffee, but also so that the coffee point appears on the Google map of the Freecoffee mobile application.
   • Communications via the PrestaShop Webservice: Thanks to this practical feature, any third party can connect to a PrestaShop site and interact with its database, efficiently and securely. For this project, the PrestaShop web service allows the Laravel administration interface to control certain actions, including deactivating an account or a coffee point machine, among others.