To some employees, the cycle of CEO promises can seem never-ending. One of the most common surrounds the updating and futureproofing of business processes and technology to aid efficiency and productivity. While often successful, these changes can cause more internal workload and stress, only to be changed again by an incumbent.
Before all else, one truth must be understood before undertaking a digital transformation project – deep-rooted problems within organisations cannot be solved by technology alone. For all businesses, changes in operational models, capabilities, and workflows, alongside new technology, are needed to deliver efficient success.
With technology constantly evolving, organisations must ensure their digital approach and technology stack work harmoniously to tackle the issue at hand. When used correctly, digital solutions and operational systems enable businesses to adapt to unforeseen demands.
Unfortunately, the disconnect between development and operations can be a huge barrier to the successful implementation of new technological solutions. Each has a different focus; development team efforts are primarily in innovation and change, while operations teams ensure governance, maintenance, and stability.
In terms of innovation, commerce is leading the way. Traditionally, commerce platforms offered a one-size-fits-all solution that delivers a standardised experience. Today, choosing one platform may work initially, but trying to ‘fit’ individual requirements into a predetermined architecture, limits a business’s ability to compete and optimise. This need has driven the growth of composable commerce.
Collaboration across departments
Composable commerce is a microservices and modularised architecture that provides organisations with agility through quick, application programming interface (API) driven integrations, from catalogues and product searches, to order submissions, inventory, and recommendations. It provides seamless communication between various applications, giving customers new ways to interact and connect with brands on a personal level.
Development teams can focus their efforts on speed and innovation, while operations can make time for back-end updates, compliance releases, and testing. All this can be done without affecting front or back-end operations.
It provides collaboration between departments so development, operations, marketing, ecommerce, data, finance, and other areas can align and become an agile platform. Everything can work together cohesively and with siloes no longer existing, products can be brought to market quickly and efficiently without manual intervention.
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Learn quickly
Failing should not be something businesses are afraid of with composable commerce. Organisations can implement an ‘iterate, test, fail fast, improve fast’ method. Here, there is an ability to learn quickly by receiving rapid feedback, refining releases, and successful delivery can be found quicker than before.
Businesses need to be able to bring products to market fast – well before competition — to remain relevant. Having a quick and efficient innovation process means retailers can continuously optimise processes and accomplish revenue targets.
Give customers what they want
In the world of ecommerce, composable commerce enables retailers to provide what customers want, when they want it. Customers should be at the heart of business operations and whatever decisions a business makes.
When products are developed quickly, they can go to market quickly. Composable commerce diminishes common issues in product development as front and back ends are separated and new, modern customer experiences can be released at the drop of a hat.
Companies can be more agile, more innovative, and create better value for customers when there is a better understanding of their needs. Customer centricity is all about putting the customer at the heart of everything a business does. Businesses can experience greater profits, increased employee engagement, and build brand loyalty. Composable commerce can help organisations do all this. Bringing customer-focused solutions to market and evolving them over time can ensure continued success for new and existing products.
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Meeting consumer demand
If ecommerce brands can deliver agility, they can adapt to change with ease and without the worry of operational, back-end disruptions. Loyalty can become a core focus where brands ensure they are constantly providing great experiences. In reality, consumer demand can be continuously addressed with new products and services, and these can then be improved over time.
These adjustments can be as easy as adapting the mobile user interface or implementing a new payment method. They are simple to implement with potential long-term benefits. By creating an easier platform for customers to navigate and updating solutions when needed, retailers can ensure always evolving consumer demands are met.
Be innovative
The pandemic upended the world. Who could have predicted the speed of change in retail? No one could have. Therefore, it critical that businesses embrace agility and invest in innovation.
Composable commerce is beginning to gain traction. Those who want to remain innovative should not ignore it and brands that pave the way in the adoption of composable architecture will be able to adapt swiftly to consumer demands. Revenues, brand reputation, market share, and profits all lean on the ability to adjust easily. Now is not the time to act with trepidation. Businesses must be confident and innovative – and the results will follow suit.
