Avvale | Case Study | The Future of Interaction with Service Stations

The Challenge

Our client has always been dedicated to providing its customers with the most advanced and intuitive user experiences. For this reason, in 2014, the company embarked on an innovation journey with the Avvale team, culminating in the development of a groundbreaking mobile application for fuel payments. Over time, both customers and their needs have evolved, prompting the company to transition from merely introducing a new purchasing method to the ambition of digitizing the entire customer experience. The goal was to centralize the entire range of services offered by its fuel stations into a single app. This standardization would be implemented consistently across the entire country and, looking ahead, throughout the European territory.

The development of the application presented two main challenges. On one hand, there was the technical complexity of a heterogeneous solution composed of processes distributed across multiple components that needed integration and governance. On the other hand, as a platform intended for end customers, it required a high level of reliability and prompt proactivity in resolving any issues.

The Approach

Recognizing the potential for significant innovation, the Avvale team developed a cutting-edge mobile application using AWS cloud services to ensure an exceptional user experience at fuel stations. The app features an intuitive interface that simplifies access to connected digital services.

Payments are now easier and more flexible, with options including credit cards, fuel cards, and other integrated external payment methods. The app also automates the process of sending electronic invoices for VAT-registered users. Moreover, it allows users to join digital loyalty programs, eliminating the need for traditional plastic cards and making it easier to earn rewards. The system also incorporates gamification, providing customers with vouchers from both the company and external partners.

Avvale utilized AWS CloudOps best practices to propose a centrally managed multi-account environment via AWS Organization. This setup allows for the isolation and segmentation of resources based on use cases (e.g., development, testing, production).

The architecture is deployed in multiple availability zones (multi-AZ) to ensure scalability and resilience, using AWS VPC. Security was a top priority, so resources are deployed in different subnets (public and private), with security groups configured for each virtual machine and macro application object (frontend, backend, etc.), and an AWS WAF (Web Application Firewall) for external connections.

Using AWS IAM, access and permissions are managed in a granular manner, adhering to the principle of least privilege. Additionally, a robust monitoring system was implemented using AWS CloudWatch for logging and AWS CloudTrail to track and report user activities.

At the same time, Avvale incorporated a FinOps approach to cloud cost management, in particular we applied:

tagging policies for resources allocation;
activation of AWS Trust Advisor to identify unused resources and opportunities to lower your costs.

Thanks to AWS Optimization HUB we received recommendations on cost optimization such as the activation of saving plans.

The Impact

This app serves as a vital strategic tool for our client, significantly enhancing customer acquisition and fostering loyalty among existing customers. The seamless digital experience it offers greatly improves user interaction, shortens processing times, and simplifies operations across various services.

With an intuitive and user-friendly interface, the platform has revolutionized the refueling process by replacing traditional forecourt terminals for payment and dispenser selection. Customers benefit from real-time monitoring of operations, gaining greater control over their loyalty profiles and transaction visibility, which promotes transparency and trust.

Furthermore, the app has introduced an advanced reward system by integrating closely with the company's business partners, offering customers a wide range of rewards within an engaging, gamified experience.

Thanks to the use of advanced AWS tools for cost control, it was possible to identify optimization opportunities, significantly reducing costs, without impacting application performance.

In conclusion, our customers benefit from a 35% reduction in infrastructure management time, as well as streamlined operations through the centralization of previously separate procedures.