Introduction: Ever had a client ask for something that made you think, “Okay, this is going to be fun... and also a bit wild”? That’s exactly what happened when Hometown (a major home furnishings retailer) approached us at Soluner Tech Solutions. They were struggling with leads and customer data scattered across disjointed tools that didn’t sync with each other. Their core business logic, product catalog, and pricing lived in a legacy SAP ERP system, but their customer-facing workflows needed the speed and flexibility of modern web apps. It’s a common scenario – a shocking 90% of businesses still run critical operations on outdated applications [cyberdb.co], and many find it difficult to integrate these legacy systems with newer tools (in fact, 58% of organizations can’t easily connect legacy systems to modern services [cyberdb.co]). Hometown’s challenge was clear: bridge the gap between an enterprise SAP backbone and a nimble, user-friendly CRM front-end.
The Challenge – Hometown’s “Hybrid” Ask 🎯
Hometown didn’t want to rip and replace their existing infrastructure; they wanted the best of both worlds. Our task was to create a hybrid solution that could merge the reliability of their SAP system with the agility of a custom-built CRM. Specifically, the project requirements included:
- Custom CRM Platform: A tailor-made CRM to handle leads, customer data, and interactions in one place (built exactly to Hometown’s workflow).
- Live SAP Data Sync: Real-time integration with SAP for material master data and pricing, ensuring the sales team always has up-to-date product info.
- Intuitive, Fast UI: A modern web interface that Hometown’s sales team could adopt instantly without a steep learning curve – as easy to use as a consumer app.
- Real-Time Visibility: Dashboards and tracking for instant insight into product availability, customer activity, and sales pipeline status, all updated in real time.
In short, Hometown asked us to build a CRM that could think like a startup (fast and user-friendly) while acting like an enterprise system (robust and integrated) – not an off-the-shelf challenge!
The Solution – A Custom MERN CRM Integrated with SAP 🔧
Enter Soluner Tech: We knew from the start this wouldn’t be a “pick one stack and ship it” kind of project. It called for a hybrid approach, blending modern web development with legacy enterprise power. Our team engineered a scalable custom CRM platform using the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) on the front and middleware, and we hooked it into Hometown’s SAP environment on the back end. This was more than a simple API hookup – we built a robust integration layer that created a tight two-way data loop between the new CRM and the SAP system.
Key features of the solution included:
- Real-time SAP data sync: The CRM can pull material master data (product details, inventory) and pricing from SAP on-the-fly. Whenever a salesperson looks up a product or creates a quote, they get instant, accurate data from SAP reflected in the CRM.
- Intelligent lead tracking: We implemented smart lead management with custom filters, sales stage tracking, and engagement logs. The CRM logs every interaction and helps agents nurture leads from initial inquiry all the way to close – no leads falling through the cracks.
- Unified collaboration hub: The platform serves as a central workspace where customer service, sales, and product teams collaborate. Everyone sees the same customer info and product data, breaking down silos between departments. For example, if customer service updates a customer’s request, sales can see it immediately.
- Smooth, modern UX: We built the front-end in React to feel as smooth and responsive as a modern SaaS app. From instant search suggestions to single-page application snappiness, using the CRM feels like using a high-end consumer web app rather than a clunky old enterprise software.
By using Node.js and Express on the server, we achieved a real-time connection to SAP through secure APIs and connectors, ensuring data consistency across both systems. We essentially made SAP look and feel like a contemporary cloud application from the user’s perspective (well, close enough!). The hybrid architecture means Hometown’s critical data stays in SAP where it belongs, while the CRM provides a lightweight layer of interaction on top of it.
Why It Mattered – Results & Impact 🚀
The impact of this hybrid CRM was immediate and significant. Hometown’s teams did not have to abandon their tried-and-true SAP system or undergo a painful migration – yet they gained all the benefits of a modern CRM experience. With the new solution in place, Hometown can now:
- Access real-time product info: Sales reps have live pricing and stock information at their fingertips when talking to customers, thanks to the direct SAP integration. No more calling the back office or guessing – they can give answers to customers on the spot.
- Track the full customer journey in one place: From the moment a lead comes in (via web inquiry or phone call) to the point of sale and after-sales service, every step is tracked in the CRM. This unified flow replaced the previous jumble of spreadsheets and disparate tools.
- Eliminate duplicate data entry & spreadsheets: The sales and support teams left behind the nightmare of updating multiple Excel sheets and software. The CRM dashboards provide all necessary KPIs, and data only needs to be entered once and it propagates everywhere it should.
In essence, Hometown is now running on a CRM that thinks like a startup and acts like an enterprise. The solution preserved their robust SAP foundation while adding flexibility and speed on top. The best part? It’s built to grow with them. The architecture is flexible enough to evolve with new requirements (add more features or integrate additional systems) and strong enough to scale as their business and data volume grow. Hometown has future-proofed their customer management by bridging two worlds – legacy and modern – into one seamless system.
Project Snapshot 🔗
- Client: Hometown
- Website: www.hometown.in
- Tech Stack: Node.js, React, MongoDB (MERN stack) + SAP (ERP)
- Solution Delivered: Custom CRM Application with Hybrid SAP Integration
- Delivered By: Soluner Tech Solutions (Custom Software & Integration Experts)
Let’s build something together. If you’re thinking about modernizing your systems, integrating a legacy platform with new capabilities, or just escaping the spreadsheet maze in your organization, our team is here to help make it happen. Reach out to us at Soluner Tech – we love turning “fun and wild” ideas into successful realities for forward-looking businesses!
Tags: #CRMDevelopment #SAPIntegration #DigitalTransformation #CustomSoftware #HybridCRM #SystemIntegration #ModernizingLegacySystems #SolunerTech #Innovation #SuccessStory