You may not recognize Rapiscan Systems®, but it’s more than certain that they’ve kept you safe more times than you know. Each day countless airports, government buildings, major events, and prison systems across the globe rely upon Rapiscan Systems cutting edge and technologically advanced checkpoint security equipment.

Rapiscan's dedication makes them the leader in the checkpoint security marketplace, by keeping their spaces safe with vital security products that can sense out thousands of trace contaminants, explosives and illegal substances.

Fast and easy multinational B2B e-commerce

Rapiscan leaders came to BlueSwitch with a single need: to provide their global B2B customers a fast and easy method to purchase the consumable items, replacement parts, and accessories critical to keeping their customer’s security efforts running efficiently.

Due to the highly complex processes already at play within the company, the special needs of this B2B organization required a robust yet carefully planned and high functioning new eCommerce site that utilized an out of the box software solution with customizations specific to their business needs.

Advanced features and functionality powered by Shopify Plus

Being global meant 24/7/365 service. The result was a global B2B eCommerce site dedicated to:

Serving 170+ countries, representing some of the most important names in security
Provide 250+ trace consumables, replacements parts and accessories online
Utilizing over a dozen third party apps, all carefully choreographed to work in harmony
Offering transactions in multiple currencies to locally support customers around the globe
Offering an advanced suite of options for payment and shipping

Rapiscan Systems came to BlueSwitch with a tall order: build a new global B2B e-Commerce solution under an aggressive timeline, with advanced features and functionality, supported by a SaaS out-of-the-box-ready-to-use product.

The new product had to be customizable when necessary, expandable when we were ready, and put forth an easy to use branded customer interface and easy site administrator’s backend that greatly reduces the dependency on IT for updates. So the project was not just a highly advanced new site on an aggressive timeline, but one that would allow their customers to access the vital items they need to keep their security operations functioning in perfect order.

A new global sales channel

Prior to re-platforming, their old eCommerce site ran on a highly fragmented and antiquated system that failed customer needs, lacked services, didn't support a global solution and required heavy dependence on an IT team for daily management. The Rapiscan eCommerce site would deliver an entirely new channel of business functionality to their global customer base who were demanding it and allow them an online advantage over their competitors.

To reach this goal, BlueSwitch solutioned with a a myriad of targeted custom features enabling the wow factor and ease-in-use customer experience Rapiscan Systems requested for it’s customers.

Careful integrations on a tight timeline

BlueSwitch maneuvered quickly by implementing a SaaS product with recommendations for customizations, because, if developed from the ground up, it would have had a profound negative impact on the timeline that Rapiscan Systems needed. Moreover, Rapiscan Systems legacy systems required careful integration to ensure proper interoperability.

By maximizing the usage of existing solutions, BlueSwitch was able to develop a brand-new site in a manner that was conscious of both time and budget — all while delivering Rapiscan Systems customers the best experience possible.

Leveraging Multify to manage multiple databases and legacy systems

The BlueSwitch team leveraged their powerful Multify platform to allow the new site to properly communicate with their existing databases as well as layer in additional functionalities that would have otherwise been little more than a dream.

In the end, a highly advanced suite of features was sought out to bring their customers an eCommerce experience with both increased security as well as dramatically improved functionalities for ease-of-use.

By building out a rich feature set not often found on B2B web stores, Rapiscan Systems needed to offer their demanding global clientele an experience that married the ease of rich features normally found on consumer-focused sites, with the power of a wholesale backend.

The BlueSwitch team worked together with Rapiscan Systems by listening to their direction and then identifying a medley of existing off-the-shelf solutions which could be integrated with our in-house development tools and expertise.

The results speak for themselves: Replication, Recognition and Revenues.

Replication.

Ultimately, the pilot site — focusing on the EMEA region — was a massive success and is being rapidly replicated to serve other global regions after the high demand from other Rapiscan Systems’ global customers.

Recognition.

The Rapiscan eCommerce site has garnered recognition from across the industry for the remarkably customer-friendly ease-of-use that it provides for a B2B eCommerce site. Rapiscan and BlueSwitch were honored in the 2019 Ecommerce awards for

Best B2B eCommerce site
Best Innovation in eCommerce Payment
Rolling out 200+ countries in a single year

Revenue.

Customers who never purchased online before are repeat purchasing on the eCommerce site, driving Rapiscan Systems sales and revenue to new heights.

“Working with BlueSwitch has been a partnership of significance to our organization in that they listen to our goals and needs, and consider the best possible solutions. On many occasions we have had to bend and test the system functionality to accommodate our business needs and they have delivered.

A great example of this is the innovative payment solution which resulted in our being selected as Finalists in the 2019 eCommerce Awards. They are partners because they become an extension of your team. Their offices offer a well-rounded scope of services and talented team from leadership on down to the everyday partner. They are small enough to always be accessible and large enough to be worldly.”

Christina Young | Senior eCommerce Manager @ Rapiscan Systems

Case Study: Going Global with Rapiscan B2B