In my role at the company, I recently had the opportunity to work on a large-scale web portal built using CodeIgniter 4. The project focused on solving key usability issues in the client’s existing CRM, especially around ordering, product browsing, and customer communication.
The CRM was functional but not designed with customer experience in mind. Customers struggled to place orders, browse items, or repeat their previous purchases. Admins also found it difficult to categorize products, manage bundles, send communications, or streamline order handling.
The goal of the new portal was to bridge these gaps and provide a smoother, more efficient workflow — for both customers and administrators.
Understanding the Challenges
The existing CRM had several limitations that affected day-to-day operations:
- Customers couldn’t easily place or manage orders.
- Product data wasn’t categorized, which made browsing confusing.
- There was no option to create bundles or discounted packages.
- Customers couldn’t repeat previous orders.
- Admins had limited tools for communication and customer management.
These issues resulted in a slow, inefficient, and sometimes frustrating experience.
The Solution: A Custom Web Portal on CodeIgniter 4
As part of the development team, I worked on multiple features for a new web portal that connects directly with the CRM. The portal enhances the CRM rather than replacing it, providing a modern and intuitive interface for both admins and customers.
CRM Synchronization
The system integrates with the CRM to fetch:
- Customer records
- Product lists
- Existing orders
This ensures that the portal always reflects real-time data.
Admin Features
A major part of my work involved developing and refining modules for the admin panel. Some of the key features I contributed to include:
Customer Management
Admins can fetch all customers from the CRM into the portal and send them welcome emails with login credentials and usage instructions.
Order Management
Admins can view customer orders, monitor activity, and track customer interactions.
Bundle & Package Creation
One of the core requirements was the ability to create custom bundle products with built-in discount rules — something the CRM didn’t support.
Email & SMS Communication
I implemented functionality for admins to send marketing emails and SMS messages to selected customer groups directly from the portal.
Customer Features
I also worked on several customer-facing features to make the ordering experience seamless:
User Dashboard
Customers can log in to their personal account and view key information immediately.
Product Ordering
Customers can place orders for both:
- Individual products, and
- Bundle products with discounts
Outstanding Dues Notification
If a customer has pending dues, the dashboard shows clear notifications before they place new orders.
Repeat Orders
To speed up reordering, customers can reorder past purchases with a single click.
Direct CRM Update
Every order placed on the portal goes straight into the CRM, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
Final Outcome
The new web portal has greatly improved the ordering and management process:
- Customers enjoy a simplified, fast, and organized way to place and repeat orders.
- Admins have better tools for managing customers, promoting products, and sending communications.
- Bundle discounts have increased purchase flexibility.
- CRM synchronization keeps everything consistent without manual work.
Being part of this project allowed me to expand my experience in CodeIgniter 4, API integrations, CRM synchronization, email/SMS automation, and scalable portal architecture.