Delivering solutions: Shipping a bespoke plugin to navigate DHL’s global growth

This post was contributed by Shadi Manna, founder of Progressus, a member of Automattic’s Agency Partner program. Progressus is a digital agency focused on WooCommerce development and custom WooCommerce integrations.

In the dynamic world of logistics, DHL stands renowned for its efficient global delivery and transportation services.

However, even industry giants face intricate challenges. DHL encountered significant roadblocks: They were losing significant sales in parcel shipments from merchants in certain locales as there wasn’t a label service built into their fulfillment process; DHL’s merchants lacked the capability to automatically create parcel labels for Europe and Asia, a critical function for their expansive customer base.

Recognizing the urgency of this issue and the huge potential of the WooCommerce merchant base, DHL partnered with Progressus, a team of seasoned WooCommerce backend experts with a passionate focus on API integrations and extensive experience in plugin development. Progressus coded with WordPress development standards and put an emphasis on testing to ensure a high-quality, tailored solution was built that would not only address these shortfalls, but also enhance their operational efficiency.

Industry: Logistics

Use Case: The primary function of this integration was to allow merchants to create DHL shipping labels directly from their WooCommerce orders admin, catering to the needs of businesses of varying sizes and processing millions of orders.

Products Used: Custom WordPress plugin, WooCommerce

Key Results:

• Expansion of service availability in Germany, catering to a critical market demand.
• The custom plugin was rapidly adopted by over 6000 businesses.
• It facilitated the creation of more than 2.4 million labels per year.
• Client feedback highlighted the plugin’s impact, noting its robust functionality and contribution to streamlined operations.

DHL operates in a highly competitive and fast-paced industry where the efficient management of supply chains and delivery services is paramount. With a workforce exceeding 380,000 and a presence in over 220 countries, DHL manages the Herculean task of delivering over 1.5 billion parcels annually.

The ability to seamlessly integrate parcel labeling functionality into their ecommerce services wasn’t just a convenience but a necessity for maintaining their market-leading position and ensuring customer satisfaction.

DHL’s predicament was unique. Their extensive network of medium to large enterprise customers had a specific expectation from DHL: the seamless integration of parcel labeling within their WooCommerce-enabled ecommerce platforms, particularly for the European and Asian markets.

These merchants had often specifically chosen WooCommerce as their ecommerce solution precisely because of its incredible flexibility and customisability. They also consider an inbuilt seamless label printing solution as a necessity. As a result, merchants saw it as a missing part of DHL’s offered services that they didn’t yet provide.

This functionality gap posed a significant hurdle in DHL’s otherwise smooth operations. As Shadi Manna, the Founder of Progressus, articulated, “The absence of a comprehensive DHL solution for parcel labeling in key markets presented a unique challenge, one that required a bespoke and robust solution.”

Creating a bespoke plugin for the DHL client was a seamless experience, thanks in large part to WooCommerce’s extensibility and high customizability. WooCommerce’s architecture, built on a foundation of fully flexible functionality such as hooks and filters, allows for deep customization at every level. This flexibility was instrumental in tailoring the plugin to meet the specific needs of DHL’s operations.

Manna continued, “For example, this functionality enabled us to modify and extend the core functionalities with precision. Whether it was integrating international DHL services to streamline the label creation process or enhancing order management to accommodate DHL’s vast logistics network, WooCommerce’s adaptable framework made it possible.”

Every aspect of the WooCommerce store, from the frontend user experience to backend order processing, was meticulously tailored to align with DHL’s requirements. This level of customization ensured that the bespoke plugin not only integrated seamlessly with DHL’s existing systems but also enhanced their overall operational efficiency.

Creating a bespoke plugin for the DHL client was a seamless experience, thanks in large part to WooCommerce’s extensibility and high customizability. 

Progressus’ response to this challenge was comprehensive and meticulous. The team embarked on developing a custom WordPress plugin, tailored to integrate seamlessly with WooCommerce and cater to DHL’s specific needs.

This plugin was not just a stopgap but a full-fledged enhancement, enabling functionalities like insurance options, handling duties for international packaging, automatic issuance of tracking numbers, and much more.

Building on WooCommerce best practice, the plugin was built using an object-oriented data structure. This approach ensured scalability and flexibility for each of the included country integrations, thereby significantly optimizing DHL’s workflow efficiency.

The modular nature of WooCommerce allowed Progressus to develop a solution that could easily adapt to the varying requirements of different regions, ensuring that the plugin could grow and evolve alongside DHL’s expanding global operations.

This level of customization and adaptability is a testament to the power of WooCommerce’s extensible framework, which empowers developers to create highly tailored solutions that meet the specific needs of global, leading companies like DHL.

Since partnering with Progressus in 2017, the success of the collaboration with DHL is illustrated through impressive statistics and client feedback. A cornerstone of this success is the rapid adoption of the custom plugin, which has been integrated into the operations of over 6,000 businesses in Germany. This widespread adoption is a testament to the plugin’s effectiveness and the acute need it addressed in the market.

DHL was able to tap into the expansive WooCommerce network to grow their client base and increase parcel sales. The existence of a seamless label solution enabled them to offer a service that rival carriers could not — providing them the perfect sales tool to get WooCommerce merchants to swap carriers.

The plugin has facilitated the creation of more than 2.4 million labels per year, from zero, since it was released. This significant figure not only demonstrates WooCommerce and the plugin’s functionality and reliability but also highlights its role in streamlining the operational processes of numerous businesses.

As Shadi Manna explained, “The impact of this development is particularly notable in Germany, where DHL’s service capabilities have been substantially expanded, effectively meeting a critical demand in this key market.”

The client feedback further highlights the success of the project: “The releases were always on time, quick responses to needs, quick troubleshooting,very good exchange on ideas, feature optimizations, etc. They’re very focused, proactive, and smart.”

Businesses have acclaimed the plugin for its robust functionality built with WooCommerce, which has contributed to more streamlined operations and improved efficiency. This positive reception is a clear indicator of the durability and stability of WooCommerce as well as the plugin’s alignment with the users’ needs and its role in enhancing their overall experience with DHL’s services.

The partnership between DHL and Progressus is characterized by a commitment to ongoing innovation. The teams are actively working on incorporating new features like GoGreen Plus and have transitioned from SOAP API to a REST API for modernized and enhanced performance.

The bespoke plugin also had multiple global regions initially included, but separate plugins were created to accommodate these areas for increased efficiency and performance.

Regular strategy meetings ensure a continuous focus on development, prioritizing features that add substantial value to the merchants and rigorously testing them before deployment.

This case study exemplifies more than just a problem-solving endeavor; it highlights a synergistic partnership driven by innovation and a deep understanding of the logistics industry’s demands. The collaboration between DHL and Progressus is a testament to the power of strategic partnerships in overcoming technological hurdles and advancing operational capabilities with WooCommerce.

As DHL continues to navigate the complexities of global logistics, their alliance with Progressus stands as a beacon of continuous improvement and commitment to excellence in WooCommerce solutions.