Sounds a bit far-fetched, right? One of the primary requirements in setting up a store is having someone to manage it. The manager may not need to be in the store every second of every day, but they do need to keep an eye on what’s going on and be proactive in changing things up.
Some of you probably know where this is heading…
One of my favourite misconceptions to tackle is that creating an eCommerce platform is a “set and forget” process. Sure, your cashier and stock boy may be automated with eCommerce, but as users get more savvy it’s important for your business to keep up with their changing expectations. Or better yet, keep ahead of them. That can be exceptionally hard to do if you don’t have anyone with their ear to the ground and the time to action customer insights. Which means that just like a bricks and mortar store, your eCommerce store needs a manager.
But what, exactly, are they managing? Fair question. And the answer will look a little different for each organisation, but these days an eCommerce manager might oversee any or all of the following:
- Website strategy / direction
- SEO
- Customer targeting & personalisation
- Email and product campaigns
- Analytics
- UI / functionality enhancements
One of the latest Forrester reports tells us that “B2B marketers are shifting from supplying leads to the load-bearing sales force to architecting engagement across the customer life cycle.” Translation: adapt or be left behind. If your business still treats the website as a poor cousin to older outbound sales methods you’ll likely find yourself the way of the horse and cart sooner than you’d like.
We know through previous posts (and the goldmine of research within them) that a lot of thought needs to go into each element of your website. Not only so you keep up with the industry trends that shape customer expectations, but also so you’re not just relying on industry trends.
Your customers are unique. The reasons they shop with you might differ from the reasons they would shop with your competitor. If you don’t have someone whose focus it is to understand those differences and moreover, to capitalise on them, you’re wasting the very thing that sets you apart from the crowd.
Whether your “Web Shop Manager” lives within your marketing team, has their own department, or maybe fits in with Customer Service is entirely dependent on your particular business. I don’t believe there’s One True Way™ to manage a web presence (and don’t worry, I’m not going to try and convert you to the Cult of Eternal Web Sales).
However, I do strongly believe that your web presence needs to be just as important (if not more) than any physical presence you have, and that this mentality needs to be adopted by every level of your business. After all, if the right hand doesn’t believe in what the left is doing…. you’re in for a rough ride.
So how do you manage your web presence? Does it belong to marketing? Do you have a dedicated eCommerce Manager? Or is it an additional responsibility added to an already full job description?
