V. -1
Building Tech.
Most tech start-ups only have enough funding to create an MVP.
This MVP is a minimal viable product. The definition for viable ranges from well thought out to just workable.
I compare the latter to a handbag without pockets. It’s a perfectly functional product but it’s missing features. The pockets will come later when the company has more funding. Pockets only get added to the handbag if the customer (client/retail/brand) asks for them. We all know it needs pockets to deliver desirable results.
The reason I would hear is that it’s easy to add something in tech - it takes a second. However, some of my experiences with building & launching enhancements in tech have taken as much time as it takes to re-order a handbag from China with a pocket.
Just like with handbags, when the customer finally realizes they need an enhancement for the software, there is an up-charge. This is a shanda.
The truth is, what may seem obvious to me at the planning stages of building a software as a service for a fashion customer, may not be obvious to an expert software engineer or software sales wizard. Often times, features that seem obvious later are judgment calls in the planning stage, with no data to support an immediate ROI - only the possibility of a negative customer experience.
Software companies that truly understand the industry, brand and consumer that they are designing for & are committed to protecting a brands future integrity, are considering all the necessary features upfront. If a company cannot afford to include all the features, I would suggest being transparent about it.
How many <$100M brands out there are doing less than 20% of business on their own brand.com? Their most profitable channel. They could be doing so much more with just a few brand-right tech partners. These brands don’t know which tech partners to go with. They don’t talk tech. By now everyone knows “customer success” is just another word for sales guy. Retailers know sales guys.
The Customer. The Brand.
Conversations are getting lost in translation. Dots are not getting connected fast enough. Trust is not being built! Missed opportunities.
The Consumer & How They Experience the Experience.
No two retail brands are the same. No two digital brand experiences should be the same.
Just because one brand went with one technology partner does not mean it’s the right match for your brand or your consumer.
Cut To The Chase.
To cultivate brand loyalty, retail brands should identify strategic partners designing customer journeys that align with what their community finds meaningful & what both internal teams can thoughtfully support. Such as, quality, intention, reliability & the end game.