This post is a short overview of an Abto Software logistics project.
The benefits of a direct connect distribution API, in particular for the logistics segment in the travel industry, are significant, as it can enable:
- Increased efficiency
- Real-time connectivity
- Improved resource-allocation
- Enhanced scalability
- B2B and Host2Host integration
- Regulatory compliance
Overall, applying direct connect distribution APIs might empower mature leaders to offer on-demand services. This way, they might facilitate their customer loyalty and achieve a competitive advantage.
Custom API for on-demand price aggregator: The project
Abto Software was contracted by a well-known organization offering advanced B2B and Host2Host solutions. The project was focused around designing an unprecedented booking service price aggregator.
The company has covered every phase from initial market discovery and analysis to deployment and support. The project was successful — the delivered direct connect distribution API allows resellers seamlessly connect with hospitality, airlines, transportation, travel and entertainment vendors to provide better services.
The team was aimed to handle the following:
- At the first stage, they built an aggregator that processes up-to-date information being later used for service provision
- At the second stage, developers integrated instant notifications to inform interested parties about changes associated with placed or canceled bookings, and else
The solution is designed to collect relevant information for companies that provide travel and lifestyle services. By applying SOAP requests, the system can collect required details from previously identified sources.
The solution gathers details 1–3 times a day, allowing companies to update the information in a timely manner. Detecting reservations and cancellations, the system sends repeated SOAP requests to ensure correct pricing.
Tech stack: Java, String, Hibernate, Docker, Mongo DB, Java Spring, REST API, SOAP API.
Cloud services: AWS S3, AWS EKS.
Custom API for on-demand price aggregator: The challenges
Ensuring uninterrupted request processing
To handle request processing:
- We created a custom multi-threaded solution sending requests to vendors at a regular interval
- We implemented information caching on the server side to facilitate information transmission
Minimizing daily server load
To resolve this problem, Abto specialists designed and implemented a solution to minimize the load on the vendor’s server. In brief, the solution is sending the requests only once a day at night, after which relevant details are updated once or twice during the day in dependence on whether important changes were made.
Ensuring security
The team added security tokens to protect the integrated SOAP API.
Unifying different, non-uniform responses
The implemented solution unifies responses received from different vendors to provide uniform responses.
Summing up
Abto Software was approached to design custom-built APIs for multiple direct connect distribution platforms. By leveraging the expertise in delivering logistics solutions, the vendor helped the client to provide high-quality services to customers across the travel and hospitality sectors.
The team successfully implemented an aggregator that collects relevant details on bookings and cancellation. Utilizing knowledge and experience in providing value-added products, they implemented instant notifications to inform interested parties about changes associated with placed or canceled reservations, and other important details.
The client now uses the solution to reach potential customers, which includes:
- Service suppliers (hotel chains, airlines, rentals)
- Service resellers (tour operators, receptive operators, marketing organizations, and more)
Respectively enjoying:
- Increased productivity
- Reduced risks
- Greater reach
- Competitive advantage
