Businesses from every sector have had to adapt and evolve due to COVID-19. From implementing new technology to overhauling business processes, tactical decisions have been made so that companies can continue to operate.
Now that we look to life beyond the pandemic, it’s time for organisations to establish their exit plan and turn those tactical solutions into strategic ones. Building the right foundations now will help your business weather the storm of any potential economic downturn and set you up for long-term success.
The recovery will be digital
It’s no surprise that digital channels and tools have been adopted and utilised at record pace by during the pandemic. A survey by McKinsey shows that COVID-19 has sped up the adoption of digital technologies by several years, with respondents saying that ‘at least 80 percent of their customer interactions are now digital in nature’. Whether it’s workforces operating remotely or people shopping online, we’ve all changed our behaviour to counter the restrictions placed upon us. And more importantly, the evidence shows that a lot of those changes are here to stay.
This shift doesn’t just present a challenge for businesses, it also creates a number of opportunities. Take the retail sector, for example – we’ve seen a massive increase in consumers shopping online, with more people than ever purchasing through their mobile device. And interestingly, the older generations have been quick to change their buying habits, too. Whilst this has meant that brands with poor digital channels have suffered, those companies with a strong ecommerce offering have benefited from a huge uplift in sales.
Generate new revenue streams with ecommerce
There have already been a number of retail cases where brands have suffered for neglecting their digital channels. Arcadia Group, for example, cited the increased competition from online brands as one of the issues that forced them into administration. The fact is, if retailers neglect their digital channels, they will struggle to survive in the long-term.
But it’s not just high street brands that need to consider ecommerce. Business-to-business (B2B) companies are also looking for new ways to generate revenue. And while consumers are demanding a more seamless and intuitive online shopping experience, so are businesses. As well, digital provides opportunities for B2B businesses to go Direct-to-consumer (DTC) – opening up a completely new revenue stream. However, ensuring you have the right solution is the only way you will truly capitalise on this opportunity.
Implementing the right ecommerce solution
Recognising the opportunities with ecommerce is one thing but being able to capitalise on them is another – and that’s why choosing the right solution is so important. Not only that, but ensuring you have the right business process and backend infrastructure is key to setting your businesses up for future growth.
If your main source of revenue is from B2B interactions, pivoting to offer DTC involves a number of considerations. User experience, integration with your current systems, taxonomies for search capability and the ability to scale at speed are all important factors when designing the right solution. And as the demand for a better customer experience increases along with the competition, the first impression you make with your customer is more important than ever.
Powering your digital growth with WooCommerce
At Box UK, we’ve worked with a number of platforms and have undertaken a rigorous comparison exercise to determine the pros and cons of the major players. While platforms such as Shopify and Magento are great solutions, there are some key benefits of WooCommerce development that are difficult to overlook. Two that really stand out for us and certainly for our clients are the quick time to market, with the ability to deliver a functional platform within a matter of days, as well as the cost of ownership. Rather than being a subscription-based platform, WooCommerce is a platform you will own – this gives you the opportunity to extend and scale, with a lower cost of ownership.
Of course, there are many other benefits – very simple integrations make it easy for you to link up with marketing technology and other backend systems, and the flexible editor enables you to quickly create campaign pages. But to realise the true power of this platform, selecting an agency that can help you get the most out of it will be imperative.
Delivering your digital future
At Box UK, we have years of experience in implementing the right digital solutions to help businesses adapt and evolve at pace. And that’s not just your digital shopfront. We will look at every area of your business – from your backend systems and fulfilment processes, to your marketing tools and CRM, we can help build the right ecosystem for your business to excel.
Right now, we’re seeing huge potential with ecommerce and are well positioned as an agency to support any organisation looking to maximise their sales and revenue through digital channels. With frameworks already in place to support rapid adoption, our turnkey solutions can help any business implement cost effective ecommerce solutions at speed. See how we have helped other businesses evolve, or contact us now to see how we can help you drive new growth through ecommerce.
