Version updates can't bring OmaPosti down

An impressive three million households and businesses are visited by Posti on weekdays. To better reach their customers, Posti’s OmaPosti native mobile app serves up-to-date information on packages, shipments, letters, and invoices.

The app's one million active monthly users make it a critical consumer channel that must work flawlessly. Therefore, HiQ's continuous Managed Services are a perfect match for Posti: HiQ tracks and tests Apple and Google version updates, ensuring the app runs smoothly.

"We didn't have the resources to monitor and test every system update. HiQ provided business-critical services exactly in the form we wanted and precisely when we needed it most," says Mari Takari, Product Owner of OmaPosti.

Posti is one of the leading distribution and logistics companies in Finland, Sweden, and the Baltics. Their collaboration with HiQ began in 2021, and the partnership has also included accessibility testing for the OmaPosti app.

Challenges: Frequent version updates take up valuable team resources

The essential native platform and component updates for the OmaPosti app require perpetual monitoring and testing, as Apple and Google update their WebView and WebKit components up to several times a month. These updates sometimes include breaking changes that might break existing features.

When a new Android or iOS operating system version is about to be released, HiQ ensures that the OmaPosti app works with it.

"Our business is based on convenience, that the customer gets information about their packages or can schedule a desired home delivery time on the app. Being able to respond to version updates calls for constant attentiveness. When HiQ takes care of it for us, our team can focus on the essentials, i.e., testing new functionalities," Takari says.

HiQ provided business-critical services exactly in the form we wanted and precisely when we needed it most.

OmaPosti Product Owner

Mari Takari

Solutions: Quality assurance in a mobile environment with regression testing

HiQ tracks new Android and iOS versions in an automated process, and the updates are always tested before their release to the market. When HiQ's tester has gone through the agreed-upon regression test set for the OmaPosti app, Posti receives a detailed report of the findings.

"Because we test OmaPosti against new beta versions, potential app malfunctions are detected and fixed before they even become apparent to customers," says Eemi Tantarimäki, Team Lead for Quality Assurance at HiQ.

In an industry bursting with various apps for packages, letters, and invoices, the user experience and functionality of such an app can lead to either a victorious or disastrous brand image. Therefore, reacting pre-emptively is an important competitive factor for Posti.

"Even one malfunction in the app immediately makes the customer service phones ring and app feedback pour in. It's not acceptable for consumers to notice our problems before we do. Responding to version updates is work that must be invisible to our customers," says Mari Takari.

Results: Delegating routine tasks leaves ample time for value-creation

When searching for a partner to help with the version updates, Posti's needs were specific and urgent. It wasn't a given that every company would provide the necessary help. However, starting the collaboration with HiQ was fast, agile, and apt.

Mari Takari especially appreciates the peace of mind and freedom that the continuous services have brought to the Posti team's everyday life.

"When people open OmaPosti in the morning, we can rest assured it works flawlessly regardless of the updates Apple or Google have released. Due to this reliability, we sleep soundly at night, and our team can fully focus on their core work."

Watertight processes and listening to customer needs have been an essential part of HiQ’s quality assurance. Essentially, the continuous services tailored for the native mobile app have allowed the OmaPosti development team to focus on creating value, with HiQ handling version updates.

"It’s very valuable to us that the routine burden of updates has been lifted from our team's shoulders. The primary goal of the collaboration has been an app that is guaranteed to work every day, and we have achieved that. We are very satisfied with the cooperation," Takari summarizes.

The collaboration in a nutshell:

• Managed Services – continuous services for native mobile apps

• Scalability in native expertise

• Automated monitoring and screening of Google and Apple version updates

• Regression testing against beta versions

• Detailed reports on findings

• Monthly meetings for status updates

• Open communication and proactive suggestions for further actions