Legacy Lock-In Case Studies

Real companies that broke free and transformed their operations

Detailed breakdowns of successful platform migrations with actual timelines, costs, problems encountered, and measurable business outcomes.

Featured Legacy Lock-In Escapes

Real companies that broke free from Legacy Lock-In and transformed their business operations

PLATFORM MIGRATION

Scart Kft.

Legacy E-commerce → Modern SaaS

90%
Maintenance overhead eliminated
€2.7K/month
Ongoing savings

"Escaped Legacy Lock-In, constant maintenance work replaced with time for growth"

View Full Case Study →
TEAM SCALING

FirstFocus B.V.

Platform Modernization + Team Growth

70%
Faster project delivery
3→10+
Engineers scaled

"€100K+ in projects delivered while doubling team productivity"

View Full Case Study →
ENTERPRISE SCALE

Intershop Communications

Multi-Tenant Search Architecture

50%
Faster integrations
Millions
Queries processed

"Customer integration times cut from 4-6 months to under 2 months"

View Full Case Study →

Complete Technical Portfolio

Detailed case studies across platform migrations, team scaling, and technology transformations

Platform ModernizationCompleted 2024Duration: 7 months

Legacy E-commerce to SaaS Platform Migration

Scart Kft.

Technologies Used

UNAS PlatformSAP B1 ERPServerless ArchitectureGoogle APIsOpenAI Integration

The Customer's Pain

Scart was drowning in maintenance work. Their custom e-commerce platform required constant fixes, the warehouse team was buried in manual tasks, and simple feature updates took months. They needed to escape their legacy platform but couldn't afford business disruption during migration.

My Approach

1

Architected serverless integration middleware for seamless SAP B1 ERP connection

2

Implemented real-time synchronization between UNAS platform and multiple services

3

Designed automated workflows for invoice processing and customer communications

4

Established digital document delivery system reducing warehouse overhead

Technical Highlights

Serverless SAP B1 integration handling thousands of transactions

Multi-service API orchestration (Google, OpenAI, UNAS)

Automated invoice and manual delivery system

Real-time inventory and order synchronization

Measurable Business Impact

€3K/month ongoing savings

Eliminated virtually all maintenance overhead

Significantly reduced warehouse workload

Automated critical business operations

Enabled scalable growth on modern platform

💡Key Insights

Modern SaaS platforms can dramatically reduce operational overhead when properly integrated with existing business processes. The key is designing middleware that handles complex workflows automatically.

Enterprise ArchitectureCompleted 2024Duration: 1 year 9 months

Multi-Tenant Search Engine Architecture

Intershop Communications AG

Technologies Used

.NET CoreKubernetesAzureReact.jsNext.jsMulti-tenant Architecture

The Customer's Pain

Intershop was losing deals because customer integrations took 4-6 months. Their enterprise clients were frustrated with slow onboarding, the search infrastructure couldn't scale efficiently, and the development team was stuck maintaining instead of innovating. They were bleeding opportunities to more agile competitors.

My Approach

1

Architected multi-tenant search engine API serving 80+ channels per customer

2

Developed NextJS client dashboard for search engine management

3

Implemented reverse engineering strategies to expand closed-source capabilities

4

Established CI/CD and high-availability hosting on Azure Kubernetes

Technical Highlights

Multi-tenant .NET API handling millions of queries per week

Kubernetes infrastructure across two continents

NextJS dashboard managing dozens of customer configurations

Automated deployment pipelines with zero-downtime updates

Measurable Business Impact

50% reduction in customer integration timelines

Enabled process automation and cloud-based management

Scalable architecture supporting exponential growth

Improved customer satisfaction through faster onboarding

💡Key Insights

Strategic reverse engineering and automated deployment are key to scaling enterprise software. Multi-tenant architecture requires careful planning but enables massive scalability.

Legacy ModernizationCompleted 2023Duration: 4 years 2 months

Enterprise Platform Modernization & Team Scaling

FirstFocus B.V.

Technologies Used

.NET Framework.NET CoreAzure DevOpsCI/CDTeam Leadership

The Customer's Pain

FirstFocus was trapped in a vicious cycle - 70% of their developers' time went to maintaining legacy .NET Framework code instead of building features. Projects that should take weeks stretched into months. They were losing talented developers who didn't want to work on outdated technology, and client satisfaction was dropping.

My Approach

1

Led migration from .NET Framework to modern .NET Core architecture

2

Implemented comprehensive CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps

3

Established engineering culture focused on mentorship and efficiency

4

Built and managed 7-person offshore development team

Technical Highlights

Complete platform migration with zero business disruption

90% reduction in deployment times through automation

Structured development processes doubling team productivity

Scalable architecture supporting multiple concurrent projects

Measurable Business Impact

70% faster project delivery cycles

Successfully delivered €500K+ in client projects

2x increase in team productivity

Established sustainable development practices

💡Key Insights

Platform modernization must be coupled with cultural transformation. Technical improvements mean nothing without proper processes and team alignment.

IoT/MobileCompleted 2017Duration: 6 months

Smart Thermostat Android App Migration

Quby (Toon by Eneco)

Technologies Used

AndroidIoT IntegrationSmart HomeMigration Support

The Customer's Pain

This was an Android development freelance project where I was challenged to work with a completely undocumented codebase and fix critical bugs without any handholding. Quby's smart thermostat app was crashing frequently, draining battery, and customer complaints were mounting. I had to figure out the architecture, identify issues, and implement fixes all on my own.

My Approach

1

Reverse-engineered undocumented codebase to understand architecture

2

Identified and fixed critical performance and stability issues

3

Optimized battery usage and connectivity with IoT devices

4

Delivered working solutions without requiring extensive documentation or support

Technical Highlights

Successfully navigated complex, undocumented Android codebase

Fixed critical app crashes and battery drain issues

Maintained IoT connectivity while improving performance

Delivered results independently without technical guidance

Measurable Business Impact

Resolved critical user experience issues that were driving customer complaints

Demonstrated ability to work independently with challenging codebases

Proved I could deliver results without handholding or extensive documentation

Established reputation for tackling difficult technical challenges independently

💡Key Insights

This project taught me how to work effectively with undocumented, complex codebases. It proved I could dive into unknown technical territory, understand systems through investigation, and deliver fixes without requiring guidance - a skill that became crucial for my consulting career.

Healthcare/MobileCompleted 2016Duration: 8 months

Elderly Health Monitoring & Alert System

MonitorLinq

Technologies Used

iOSSwiftHealth MonitoringAlert SystemsTeam Leadership

The Customer's Pain

This was a freelance team leadership assignment where I had to lead an iOS development team to deliver a PoC under intense time pressure from investors. The challenge wasn't just technical - families needed to monitor elderly relatives remotely - but also organizational: delivering a working prototype with a team while investors were breathing down our necks.

My Approach

1

Led iOS development team through complete application architecture

2

Implemented real-time health monitoring and alert systems

3

Designed user-friendly interface for elderly users

4

Established development processes and team coordination

Technical Highlights

iOS native health monitoring application

Real-time alert system for emergency situations

User-centric design for elderly accessibility

Team leadership and project coordination

Measurable Business Impact

Successfully delivered PoC on time despite investor pressure

Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams under high-stakes conditions

Proved I could balance technical execution with team management

Established my capability to deliver results when external pressures are intense

💡Key Insights

Leading a development team under investor pressure taught me how to manage both technical delivery and team dynamics simultaneously. This experience showed me I could handle high-pressure situations while maintaining team morale and product quality.

AR/Healthcare InnovationCompleted 2016Duration: 6 months

Augmented Reality Medical Treatment Application

Trauma Rehabilitation Clinic

Technologies Used

UnityAugmented RealityiOSMedical Software

The Customer's Pain

This was my first freelance project - a small PoC that required learning completely new technologies (AR glasses in 2016), Unity 3D, and C# under tight deadlines. The client needed an innovative AR solution for brain injury rehabilitation, but I had never worked with AR or Unity before.

My Approach

1

Designed AR treatment modules for cognitive rehabilitation

2

Implemented precise tracking and calibration systems

3

Collaborated with medical professionals on treatment protocols

4

Ensured compliance with healthcare software standards

Technical Highlights

Custom AR tracking for medical precision

Unity-based treatment simulation engine

iOS native integration with AR capabilities

Medical data collection and progress tracking

Measurable Business Impact

Successfully delivered working AR solution despite being completely new to the technology

Customer was satisfied and could immediately use the product

Established my reputation as a hands-on problem solver who can learn quickly

Set the stage for my career as an independent consultant who tackles business challenges with technical solutions

💡Key Insights

This first freelance project taught me that I could successfully tackle completely unfamiliar technologies under pressure. It established my pattern of taking business challenges and coming up with practical technical solutions, even when the tech stack is entirely new to me.

My Strategic Approach

A proven methodology for technological transformation

01

Discovery & Assessment

Comprehensive technical audit to identify critical issues and growth blockers

Week 1-2

02

Strategic Roadmap

Clear path forward aligning technology decisions with business objectives

Week 2-3

03

Implementation & Leadership

Hands-on technical leadership with team mentorship and process optimization

Ongoing

04

Scale & Optimize

Continuous improvement and preparation for next growth phase

Ongoing

Real Results, Real Impact

Every engagement is different, but the outcomes follow a pattern: faster delivery, lower costs, happier teams, and sustainable growth

FirstFocus B.V.

E-commerce Platform • 4 years 2 months

70%
Faster project delivery
2x
Team productivity increase
€100K+
Successful projects delivered

"Ben managed me during my internship and employment at FirstFocus. He is a gifted software developer with a wide skillset, as well as a quick learner with a good ability to tackle problems."

- Sandro Dekkers, Full-stack Developer at CM.com

Intershop Communications

E-commerce Solutions • 1 year 9 months

50%
Faster integrations
Millions
Queries across 100+ channels
2
Continents served

"The technical guidance provided was invaluable for both our engineering teams and C-level stakeholders. The strategic approach to complex technical challenges made a real difference."

- Intershop Engineering Leadership

Scart Kft.

E-commerce Integration • 7 months

90%
Maintenance overhead eliminated
Real-time
SAP integration
Modern
SaaS platform

"The transformation exceeded our expectations. What once required constant maintenance now runs automatically, allowing us to focus on growing the business."

- Scart Leadership Team

Technical Expertise

Strategic technical leadership across the full technology stack

Architecture & Leadership

System Architecture
Technical Strategy
Team Leadership
Process Optimization
Fractional CTO

Backend & Cloud

.NET Core
Serverless
Kubernetes
Azure
API Design
Microservices

Frontend & Mobile

React.js
Next.js
TypeScript
iOS Development
Unity
AR/VR

Integration & Data

SAP Integration
ERP Systems
Multi-tenant Architecture
Real-time Sync
API Orchestration

Similar problems? Let's talk.

Recognize your challenges in these case studies? I can help you escape Legacy Lock-In too.

Similar problems? Let's talk!