Technical modernisation proposal
A new independent vehicle-data, pricing and enquiry platform that completely decouples the Global Vans website from iComplete.
01 / Project overview
Global Vans currently relies on an ageing iComplete CRM and page-generation system to manage vehicle pricing and produce the HTML pages that form its website.
The arrangement has become increasingly difficult to maintain, creates recurring technical and SEO issues, and makes routine frontend improvements disproportionately complex. The internally owned legacy system no longer receives supplier product updates.
Digital Impact's original recommendation was for the Global Vans IT team to create a structured feed from iComplete for a new website to consume. This was the lower-cost route for the initial frontend scope, but it would require Global Vans to design, build and maintain a new integration within an unsupported legacy platform.
The IT team has confirmed that it does not wish to pursue this route, particularly as iComplete is intended to be retired. The recommended direction is therefore to build the permanent vehicle-data, pricing and enquiry capabilities now rather than invest time and cost in an interim feed that would later need to be replaced.
What technical debt means
Technical debt is the ongoing maintenance burden created by older technology, historical system decisions and outdated integrations. Over time, it makes routine updates slower, increases the risk of errors and restricts the organisation's ability to introduce improvements.
The current IDS update process demonstrates this problem. Updates can disrupt pricing or website output and reportedly lead to approximately two weeks of corrective work. The new CAP-based system replaces this with a controlled update process designed to preserve existing pricing relationships.
02 / How the project evolved
Global Vans IT would create and maintain a structured feed from the existing platform for a new frontend to consume.
The IT team does not wish to create the interim feed. Phase One therefore brings forward the permanent data, pricing and enquiry capabilities.
The proposed feed would have allowed the existing system to continue performing much of the underlying data management, reducing Digital Impact's initial frontend scope. It would also have placed the development, testing and ongoing maintenance of that feed with the Global Vans IT team inside a platform that no longer receives supplier updates.
The current website relies primarily on IDS vehicle data while Global Vans is moving to CAP. A feed from the present system would preserve both the iComplete and IDS dependencies. Building a native CAP database removes both legacy foundations and avoids creating an integration that would need replacing when iComplete is withdrawn.
03 / Proposed solution
Phase One will deliver one standalone Global Vans application containing the vehicle data and operational functionality required by the website. One properly structured relational database will contain separate tables and modules for CAP data, pricing, custom vehicles, imagery, enquiries, users and integration logs.
The application will expose a controlled API. WordPress will use that API to obtain vehicle and pricing information, while future websites, brand sites or applications can use the same governed source. External systems will not access the underlying database directly.
This separation is a deliberate future-proofing decision. Website technology and AI-enabled services are changing quickly, and the preferred approach is not to bind Global Vans' core operational data to one CMS. Global Vans can change frontend platforms, launch additional websites or internal tools, and supply different approved offer selections from the same governed source without rebuilding the underlying vehicle and pricing system.
04 / Phase One scope
Core data
Objective: create a reliable and maintainable source of vehicle information that is independent of the existing IDS and iComplete page-generation process.
Digital Impact will design and build the schema required to hold relevant CAP car and van data, including makes, models, derivatives and technical specifications. Digital Impact has approximately ten years of experience working with CAP data, and the client already holds the required CAP licence and has provided access to the source data.
An automated update process will add new vehicles and apply relevant CAP changes on an agreed schedule or through a manual administrator request. Updates will preserve pricing and other Global Vans records associated with existing CAP vehicles.
Commercial control
Objective: replace the pricing-management functions currently provided by iComplete with a focused administration interface inside the new Global Vans application.
Administrators will search the CAP database, select a vehicle and create or update the corresponding offer. The interface will display the appropriate pricing fields for cars and vans and support promotional labels such as Special Offer, In Stock and Electric.
Migration
Objective: populate the new application with the vehicle offers currently available on the live Global Vans website, reducing the need for manual re-entry.
Global Vans currently associates pricing with IDS vehicle codes. The new application will use CAP codes. Using the supplied IDS-to-CAP mapping and the pricing table exported from the live system, Digital Impact will match and bulk-import the existing vehicle offers.
During development, a repeatable bulk-update process will allow the demonstration environment to remain aligned with pricing changes made on the live website.
Migration assumption: the fixed scope assumes that the supplied IDS-to-CAP mapping and pricing export are sufficiently complete and internally consistent for automated processing. Records that cannot be matched reliably will be reported for manual review.
Custom products
Objective: give Global Vans a structured way to create and promote X Range products without duplicating and modifying core vehicle records inside the legacy CRM.
An administrator will select a standard CAP vehicle as the base and create a linked X Range product. The product retains the technical specifications of the underlying CAP vehicle while adding a custom name, description, modification details, imagery and pricing.
The initial functionality is intended for custom bodywork, alloy wheels, tyres and internal fit-outs. It will not attempt to model engineering-level changes. Detailed conversions will continue to be handled through the Global Vans consultation and sales process.
Vehicle presentation
Objective: provide reliable vehicle imagery for standard CAP vehicles while supporting custom photography for the X Range.
IMAGIN.studio will be the primary image source, matching vehicle imagery through CAP codes. Mark Murphy at Fleet Alliance holds the relevant provider subscription, and suitable API access will be made available to the project. Coverage will be assessed during implementation before the final mix of API and owned imagery is confirmed.
The API offers a stronger and more flexible presentation than a static repository, including supported vehicle colours and branded number-plate treatments. Existing Global Vans imagery can complement the service and will be included where image records can be exported and reliably aligned to CAP IDs. Manual uploads will remain available for X Range products and agreed exceptions.
Lead visibility
Objective: ensure website enquiries are retained within the new Global Vans application and reliably delivered into iComplete or another nominated destination system.
When a visitor submits an enquiry, the application will validate and store a copy before passing it to the nominated system. Delivery status will be recorded so failed submissions can be identified and retried rather than being silently lost.
Each enquiry will retain the available marketing-source attribution, such as Google Ads, organic search or direct traffic. This will use a suitable cookie and tracking configuration based on the approach already used for Fleet Alliance, subject to the website's consent settings and the source data available at submission.
Phase One provides a lightweight enquiry log rather than a replacement CRM. It gives authorised users operational visibility and creates a module that can later be extended into broader lead-flow management if required as iComplete is retired.
Critical dependency: the fixed scope assumes that the nominated destination system provides one documented, technically accessible method for receiving enquiries and suitable access for integration testing.
Proof and access
The application will support multiple administrative users at launch. All initial users will have administrator-level access, and additional users can be added when required. More granular roles and permission levels can be introduced later if the operational need emerges.
Changes to pricing and other important records will be associated with the authenticated user and remain technically traceable by Digital Impact if an audit or investigation is required. A client-facing audit-log interface is not included.
Approved API endpoints will support vehicle, offer and website functions. WordPress and future frontends will consume these endpoints rather than accessing the database directly, with appropriate validation, authentication and permissions applied to each function.
A basic wireframe-style frontend will prove the complete system. It will demonstrate that vehicles and pricing can be displayed and that enquiries can be submitted, stored and passed to the nominated destination.
The demonstration frontend proves the technical system. It is not the finished customer-facing website.
05 / Clear project boundary
Separating the application from frontend design prevents technical delivery from becoming delayed by visual-design decisions and approval cycles. It gives Global Vans control of the underlying data before the finished website is attached.
Data, pricing, X Range, imagery, enquiries, API and proof frontend.
Included in this proposalRecreate the existing Global Vans presentation on the new technical platform. Fix the current technical SEO and speed issues, address navigation issues and complete other agreed quick fixes.
Suggested budget: £8,000 + VATNew landing pages, new features, new templates and wider site expansion delivered as focused projects over time.
Separately scopedWhat the foundation unlocks
06 / Delivery framework
The project will progress through controlled internal stages so the data model, administration workflows, migrations and integrations are built in the right order. These are delivery stages rather than separate client sign-off or payment milestones. The meaningful product demonstration takes place when the completed Phase One build is ready for acceptance, after which the separate Phase Two frontend project can begin.
From technical commencement, assuming timely access to the required source data, technical contacts and test systems.
Confirm inputs and create the database, administration and API structure.
Import CAP data, establish controlled updates and build pricing management.
Migrate offers and implement X Range, imagery and enquiry functions.
Complete end-to-end integration, testing, agreed defect resolution and handover.
Confirm source data, exports, destination integration and operational rules.
Create the database, administration framework, users and API structure.
Import CAP data, build controlled updates and deliver the pricing manager.
Migrate offers and implement X Range and vehicle-imagery workflows.
Store, attribute, forward and validate website enquiries.
Prove the end-to-end workflow, resolve agreed defects and complete handover.
Completion checks
Detailed delivery dates and client review points will be confirmed following approval and the initial technical-validation stage.
Key assumptions
Not included in Phase One
07 / Commercial proposal
This is a fixed investment against the defined Phase One outcomes, reflecting the bespoke application, data migration and integration work required to remove the website's dependency on iComplete.
The payment structure reflects the nature of the build: an initial commencement payment followed by the balance when the completed Phase One system is demonstrated and ready for acceptance and handover.
Once Phase One is complete, we recommend an £8,000 plus VAT working budget to recreate the existing Global Vans website on the new technical platform. We will shape the focused Phase Two scope around this budget while retaining the general appearance and structure of the current website, fixing the current technical SEO and speed issues, addressing navigation issues and completing other agreed quick fixes. It does not include a wider redesign or new brand development.
Hosting, monitoring, ongoing maintenance and support will be confirmed separately before launch. CAP, IMAGIN.studio and other third-party licence costs remain outside the Phase One investment unless expressly agreed otherwise.