E-Commerce, Executives, and Effectiveness
“To say that the retail industry operates in a changed landscape is not just to describe the difference between today’s high streets and those of even ten years ago; the advent of ecommerce has affected the sector more than almost any other, and multi-channel operations are now the norm. We haven’t stopped shopping, but the ways we access and receive goods, products, and customer service have been – and continue to be – rapidly transformed.” –Elaine Wilson, Managing Consultant at ASK Europe
This is the opening paragraph of an article on Developing Executive Managers in Retail from the Retail Gazette. Ms. Wilson goes on to observe that a rapidly transforming job description is not keeping pace with the level of training given to the average executive retail manager. E-commerce is changing the face of retail, and the task of keeping the process seamless and effective falls to the retail manager; an executive position involving people skills, data skills, and a holistic approach to retail.
Best Ecommerce Software Support Enables Optimal Performance
The Retail Gazette article focuses on the need for executive retail managers to have appropriate training and support. Without it, there really isn’t an effective use of resources from the top and the resulting problems can be seen every time a potential sale is lost. Decisions made at an executive level affect the entire business, and decisions made in the dark as a manager tries to figure out implementation of software have negative impact.
For example, ChainDrive’s E-Commerce Gateway is the link between the web store and the rest of a retailer’s enterprise. It’s an important component of a highly-functioning integrated retail management solution, and it enables all the necessary data to be shared and utilized from any needed channel. It’s a vital link in the rapidly transforming world of retail and under-utilizing this software means losing sales.
No matter how effective software is, there has to be the training and support to use it. No training, no support, and the user is making decisions in the dark. That’s why ChainDrive’s best ecommerce software works with clients to provide the training and support needed, even for an executive retail manager. We don’t want to merely make a sale, we want to establish working relationships so our software is utilized effectively and optimally.
Training and support are important for everybody because without it, nobody does their best job.