Mafesa’s Mafi Portal: improving the customer experience

Its activity is divided into four main business lines: the distribution of iron and steel; the manufacture of rebar for construction; laser cutting services for high-precision projects; and HD plasma and oxy-fuel cutting solutions for thick materials. Additionally, it offers value-added services such as custom cutting, shot blasting, priming, drilling, or bending to optimize production processes and deliver products tailored to each need.

Its growth has been based on the balance between technology and human talent. Technology allows for process optimization and efficiency improvement, but the true differentiator of Mafesa is the people behind each project. This combination drives continuous improvement and reinforces a culture based on commitment and innovation.

With this philosophy, Mafesa, in collaboration with Itequia, has developed Mafi, a digital portal that simplifies order management and improves customer relations, offering a more efficient and personalized experience.

Mafesa continues to evolve, combining its trajectory with a constant commitment to improvement and adaptation to market needs.

What we were looking for for our clients, we found in Itequia: technology and people. Thanks to their knowledge and close approach, the project has been developed in an agile and simple way, providing us with just what we needed.

Mònica Rovira. Marketing Technician at Mafesa.

​The Mafi portal project presented several significant challenges:

• Product complexity: Mafesa handles a wide range of metal products, each with specific characteristics. This required a detailed and agile visualization structure that allowed customers to easily find the information they needed. The diversity and specificity of the products made a clear and organized system necessary. 
• Integration with existing systems: It was essential to connect the new portal with Mafesa’s ERP. This would allow real-time information extraction on orders, delivery notes, quotes, and other relevant documents. The integration had to be smooth to ensure that the data was always up-to-date and available to customers. 
• Document management: Mafesa’s customers needed access to a variety of important documents related to their purchases. Document management had to be efficient. Thus, customers could access these documents quickly and easily from their personal area. 
• Multilingual: Mafesa serves a diverse customer base. Therefore, the portal had to be available in three languages: French, Catalan, and Spanish. This would ensure that all customers could use the portal in their preferred language, thus improving accessibility and user satisfaction. 
• User experience: Besides technical functionalities, it was crucial for the portal to offer an intuitive and pleasant user experience. This involved designing an interface that was easy to navigate, with a modern and attractive design that reflected Mafesa’s values. 
• Customer diversity: Mafi had to be useful for a very diverse range of customers, from small workshops to large technical offices of structural engineers or construction companies. 
• Customer proximity: Maintaining closeness and not losing proximity to the customer was fundamental for Mafesa.

To address these challenges, Itequia developed a custom portal using modern and scalable technologies. The Mafi portal includes a series of key features designed to offer an efficient and accessible user experience. Among the main features are:

• User Login and Registration: Intuitive screens allow users to securely access their personal area. The process for creating new accounts and recovering passwords is simple. Additionally, there are options for accessing different functionalities according to the client’s needs. 
• Main Screen: With an optimized search engine and clear product visualization, users can easily navigate through the complete catalog of items. This allows them to find what they are looking for quickly and easily. 
• Product Details and Availability: Each item can be viewed in detail, with complete information about its characteristics and availability, facilitating purchasing decisions. 
• Document History: Access to a complete list of documents, providing full control over transactions and simplifying administrative management. Additionally, each client has a personal repository to share any type of additional documentation.

The development process focused on several key aspects. Angular was chosen to build the portal’s frontend. This platform allows for the creation of dynamic and responsive web applications, ensuring a smooth and attractive user experience. The backend was developed with .NET Core and API on Azure, guaranteeing robust performance and seamless integration with other systems. The entire infrastructure was hosted on Azure, simplifying management and ensuring the portal’s scalability.

The portal’s design was user-centered. Itequia conducted a thorough analysis of the end users’ needs and expectations. This allowed for the design of an intuitive and easy-to-use interface. Navigation is clear and accessible. Usability tests were conducted to ensure the portal met the highest standards of user experience.

Customization and flexibility were key aspects in the portal’s development. It was designed to be highly customizable, allowing Mafesa to adjust and adapt functionalities according to their clients’ specific needs. It includes the ability to manage and update the portal’s content autonomously, without the need for technical intervention.

Security and regulatory compliance were priorities. Itequia implemented advanced security measures to protect clients’ sensitive information, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. This includes data encryption, user authentication, and strict access controls.

​Additionally, functionalities were developed to automate key processes, including report generation and order management. This not only improves operational efficiency but also reduces the risk of human errors and ensures consistency in information management.

Finally, Itequia established a continuous support and maintenance plan. This ensures that the portal operates optimally at all times. The plan includes regular updates, performance monitoring, and technical assistance, thus being able to resolve any issues that may arise.

Technology