Customer Support
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01/06/2023
Customer relationship management (CRM) is an important technology for businesses of any size to manage customer relationships. It helps improve customer relationships and retention while providing insight into customer data and analytics. It also helps to streamline processes and automate tasks so that customer interactions can be more productive and efficient. Many stakeholders use CRM - salespeople, marketers, managers, and executives - to help plan and execute customer interactions across the entire customer lifecycle.
Businesses should understand the key objectives of their CRM implementation and select the right solution for their needs. Taking a "one size fits all" approach to choosing a CRM can result in less-than-ideal outcomes. With the right CRM, businesses can strengthen customer relationships, improve customer service, and increase sales.
CRM as a system of record
A CRM is a powerful record system that allows companies to manage the information that flows from pre-purchase to post-purchase effectively. With a CRM, businesses can track transactions, communication, and other vital details on the sales to customers. CRM also helps to create a consistent and organized record of a prospect or customer. The main benefit is accessiblity for all staff who need to interact with the customers.
The system is also valuable for reporting so that managers and accounting teams can access all data that is related to sales. CRM helps track critical metrics like average order value (AOV), annual recurring revenue (ACV), and total contract value (TCV). A CRM allows users to monitor customer activity and organize customer data in a way that is beneficial to their business. The impact on the user is enabling them to manage and organize customer data efficiently and effectively, giving them a competitive edge.
CRM to drive sales A sales-focused CRM is a powerful tool to help companies organize their sales pipelines. It enables sales teams to be more efficient and productive by providing features such as quote builders, task management, document support, scheduling, and other automation.
CRM offers pre-built and custom reports on demand, allowing salespeople and managers to track and report performance. This makes it easier to identify trends and patterns that can help improve sales and customer experience. By utilizing a sales-focused CRM, companies can streamline their processes and make more informed decisions, resulting in more efficient sales operations and higher customer satisfaction.
CRM to power demand generation Marketing-focused CRM offers a variety of features to help marketing teams identify prospects, automate outbound demand generation activities and support inbound marketing efforts. These systems have campaign tools with integration to lead data, automated email sequences, and nurturing solutions for buyers.
CRM is great at managing web landing pages, visitors' interactions with web pages, lead capture, and tracking performance for campaigns. It helps with compliance for privacy, including GDPR.
Content marketing is a hot trend in demand generation today. CRM can build and deploy content marketing, track click rates of content in email sequences, and provide deep insight into how demand generation activities perform. This allows marketing teams to understand their audience better, engage users with relevant content, and track the performance of campaigns.
With CRM, marketing has a technology enabler to scale marketing processes. Today it also helps make more informed decisions, ultimately leading to effective demand generation and higher ROI on marketing efforts.
Conclusion
CRM has been a powerful tool for many brands, enabling them easily support their customers and maximize their growth potential. With DreamingCode, you can ensure that your digital presence and CRM are integrated to suit your brand's strategy.
We are ready to assist with any questions or concerns, so don't hesitate to contact us and set up a consultation. With our help, you can make the most of your CRM and maximize your brand's potential.
To learn more about how we can help your business, schedule an appointment with one of our solution experts today.
To learn more about the Dreaming code eCommerce platform visit: https://dreamingcode.com.
12/27/2022
Sales & Marketing
Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) has become the go-to payment option for consumers looking for a convenient, interest-free way to purchase products. BNPL is a loan offered to customers at the point of sale (in-store and online) to purchase merchandise without a credit card. Popular BNPL options include Shop Pay Installments from Shopify, Affirm, Afterpay, Sezzle, PayPal, and Klarna.
This payment option has become increasingly popular across generations, as nearly 60% of consumers prefer it over credit cards due to the ease of set payments, the simple approval process, and the lack of interest charges, according to a PYMNTS survey. Consumers primarily use BNPL, but these options are now emerging on B2B marketplaces as well.
Typically, the online merchant must pay a fee to the payment partner to assume the transaction's risk. This fee is usually a small percentage of the total purchase, allowing the buyer to purchase the product without interest or late fees. In return, the payment partner can offer the buyer a more flexible repayment plan. BNPL is an attractive option for buyers looking for a convenient and cost-effective way to purchase products.
Win-win for consumers and merchants alike BNPL is a revolutionary new payment method that provides customers and merchants with several benefits. Customers benefit from the convenience of paying for their purchases in installments, while merchants benefit from increased sales and conversion rates. This payment method helps simplify shoppers' purchase decisions and reduces cart abandonment rates, resulting in higher conversion rates for merchants.
The BNPL payment method has been a great success and has been credited for increasing revenue and the number of orders on Black Friday 2022 by 72% and 68%, respectively according to RetailDive. Furthermore, it has been reported that the number of items per order increased by 10% year-over-year from November 25 to 27. This payment method has created significant value for customers and merchants, making it an excellent choice for online shoppers and merchants.
The Hidden Risks of BNPL Solutions
BNPL payment solutions are becoming increasingly popular but come with hidden risks. Consumers may find themselves with unsustainable debt and damage to their credit scores so they need to manage their BNPL loans properly. Merchants and payment solution providers should also be aware of the risks associated with BNPL solutions, as they can lead to losses if not monitored. As this payment method continues to grow in usage, there needs to be more information about how often people use it and how it impacts consumer credit.
Unsustainable debt is one of the most significant risks associated with BNPL loans. The ease of taking out a BNPL loan may lead consumers to take out too many loans at once and accrue more debt than they can repay. Taking out BNPL loans regularly for an extended period could also cause financial stress.
Credit score damage is another risk associated with BNPL solutions. Credit bureaus like Equifax are beginning to incorporate BNPL data into credit reports. That could be a good thing for many (a track record of on-time payments will boost your credit score), but it also means a late BNPL payment could hurt your score and make it more difficult and more expensive to borrow down the line. Lack of consumer protection is also a risk associated with BNPL solutions.
BNPL loans are a very recent innovation. Regulations surrounding these products aren't as robust, and consumers have fewer protections when something goes wrong. It can be more challenging to settle disputes or return products purchased with a BNPL loan than those purchased with a credit card.
The best way to manage these risks is for consumers to use BNPL loans when necessary and to pay them off as soon as possible. Merchants and payment solution providers should also be aware of the potential for losses and monitor their BNPL solutions to ensure they are being used responsibly.
Unlock Your Ecommerce Growth BNPL is a powerful tool for eCommerce merchants to unlock growth. BNPL allows for more sales and a larger basket size when customers can spread out the payments over time.
To make a BNPL solution successful, merchants must implement the correct solution, inform consumers early in their purchase journey, offer an omnichannel experience, evaluate approval rates, and go after abandoned carts. DreamingCode has experience implementing BNPL and can help guide merchants through the selection of the right partner, implementation, and ongoing management of the solution with Radical Support.
A successful BNPL solution can help merchants increase their conversion rates, grow their customer base, and ultimately increase their revenue. BNPL also helps brands build trust and credibility with their customers and create loyal customers who are more likely to continue shopping with their favorite brands.
If you are an eCommerce brand and have questions about Buy Now Pay Later and how it could impact you, feel free to contact us to set up a consultation with us today. Unlock your eCommerce growth and learn how to launch BNPL with DreamingCode.
To learn more about how we can help your business, schedule an appointment with one of our solution experts today.
To learn more about the Dreaming code eCommerce platform visit: https://dreamingcode.com.
12/23/2022
Sales & Marketing
Introduction
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards designed to protect companies that process, store or transmit credit card information. PCI compliance helps to protect companies from data breaches, fraud, and other security threats.
E-commerce merchants are the primary users of PCI compliance, but any company that processes credit card data needs to be PCI compliant. By implementing the PCI DSS, companies can improve their security posture and reduce the risk of a data breach. PCI compliance is a requirement for all companies that accept credit cards and is enforced by major credit card companies. Failure to comply with the PCI DSS can result in fines, increased transaction fees, and the loss of the ability to accept credit cards.
PCI compliance is substantial because it protects your company's reputational risk and improves your company's vision and value. Plus, it can prevent and detect violations of rules.
Benefits
PCI compliance allows merchants to transact with customer credit cards securely. It gives consumers the peace that merchants protect them adequately from data and security breaches.
Some benefits of PCI compliance include:
- It decreases the risk of security breaches as businesses are no longer just physical places but virtual ones that can be accessed and breached anywhere at any time from multiple devices.
- Consumers can transact with confidence. They may not understand every detail about what it means to be compliant, but with many public breaches in the news, awareness about the issue is growing.
- Merchants can have peace of mind that they have some level of protection from the growing threat of data breaches.
Challenges
If you are starting an eCommerce business or are already running one, you need to be aware of PCI DSS. There are three challenges to consider:
- Data breaches can be very costly. There's the cost of replacing credit cards, paying fines, and compensating for what the customers have lost, not to mention investigation costs and audits on the business side. The costs for a minor data breach can range from $60,000 to over $250,000.
- PCI compliance is very technical, so when selecting a PCI DSS security consulting firm to validate your company's compliance, opt for one that has security system integration services.
- All requirements in the standards are mandatory, meaning it is necessary to maintain compliance during the 12 months of the certification, otherwise is the risk of fines and even disqualification for the receipt of payment cards in the case of an audit.
The best way to overcome these challenges is to work with a certified PCI partner, like DreamingCode, who understands the nuances of compliance and can help you maintain compliance throughout the year.
How to make it work?
PCI compliance is a requirement to run an eCommerce business today. The benefits are substantial, but the challenges can make it seem daunting.
PCI compliance is not a one-time event but a continuous commitment to assessment and remediation. If you have questions about PCI compliance and how it could impact your business, don't hesitate to contact us to set up a consultation today.
To learn more about how we can help your business, schedule an appointment with one of our solution experts today.
To learn more about the Dreaming code eCommerce platform visit: https://dreamingcode.com.
12/20/2022
Introduction
The internet has become a primary source of information gathering and commerce for consumers, with eCommerce brands playing a significant role in our digital lives. However, with the rise of digital technology comes an increase in the potential for the abuse of consumer data. The regulations and laws are changing rapidly. As an eCommerce brand, it's essential to understand consumer privacy's importance and how to protect customer data adequately.
Consumers have the right to expect their personal information to be handled responsibly and securely. This personal information can include but is not limited to names, emails, Social Security numbers, credit card, or other account data. This means that businesses must be aware of the laws, regulations, and best practices related to consumer privacy. Companies must demonstrate compliance and establish a culture of respect and trust with their customers by providing transparency and access to information on privacy settings and opt-outs.
Here are six steps to ensure that your eCommerce brand is making steps in the right direction with respect to consumer privacy.
Understand the Relevant Laws and Regulations: The most important thing for businesses to know is the laws and regulations governing consumer data collection and use. This includes the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in Canada. Knowing these laws and understanding the requirements of each will help you create a compliant privacy policy and ensure that your business respects consumer privacy.
Create a Privacy Policy: Your privacy policy should clearly explain how you collect, store, and use customer data. It should also include details on how customers can access, update, or delete their data and what security measures are in place. Keep this policy up-to-date with any changes in law or best practices.
Provide Access to Information: Your customers should be able to access their data and information on its use. This includes providing information on their privacy settings and opt-out options. Make sure that this information is easily accessible and in plain language so that customers can easily understand it.
Train Your Staff: Your staff should be aware of the laws and regulations related to consumer privacy and your company's specific policies. Having your team trained on the appropriate measures for collecting and handling customer data will help ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Establish Secure Data Collection Methods: Collecting customer data needs to be done securely. Use secure methods such as HTTPS and TLS (Transport Layer Security) to protect sensitive data in transit. Also, ensure that any stored data is encrypted and securely backed up.
Monitor Activity: Regularly monitor your systems for suspicious activity, such as unauthorized access or data changes. This will help detect potential breaches and help you take the necessary steps to protect customer data.
Final Thoughts
Consumer privacy is an important issue that all eCommerce brands need to take seriously. Taking the time to understand the laws and regulations related to the collection and use of customer data and implementing the necessary measures to protect it will help your business create a culture of trust and respect with your customers. By taking these steps, you can ensure that you're providing a secure and positive customer experience.
Dreaming Code supports hundreds of brands through the complex and ever-changing world of consumer privacy. We can offer strategy, services, and products to ensure your customers are confident that you are protecting their data. Feel free to contact us to set up a consultation with us today.
To learn more about how we can help your business, schedule an appointment with one of our solution experts today.
To learn more about the Dreaming code eCommerce platform visit: https://dreamingcode.com.
12/16/2022
Introduction
Web accessibility is a critical technology solution in the digital world today. Web accessibility makes web content available to all users, including those with disabilities. Brands can achieve this compliance by following the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design (ADA compliance). The goal is to ensure that people with disabilities can access all electronic information and technology.
Most web users expect that a website they visit will be ADA-compliant, ensuring they are not being excluded or discriminated against due to disability. It is vital for public sector bodies, commercial facilities, and any private entities that receive federal funds, as they must maintain digital accessibility to comply with the WCAG 2.0 requirements.
Web accessibility guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to enjoy employment opportunities purchase goods and services. Web accessibility is a way to deliver a high standard of usability, level the playing field and ensure that no one is excluded from great web experiences.
Why is it important?
By creating a website that is accessible, users can benefit from features such as properly marked-up semantic structure, well-labeled links and images, and the ability to access the same content that all other users do. It helps make the website more discoverable by search engines, and more importantly, it ensures that people with disabilities can access all of the available content. The solution improves the brand's business by allowing them to comply with federal and state laws and provide equal access to all users.
How can we become compliant?
The solution to improving website accessibility can be complex as there are many things to consider. Brands can use accessibility checker software on a website to get a detailed audit report that can be actioned. High-level items that the software evaluates include:
- Ensure that the formatting of labels, images, and navigational elements adhere to heading hierarchies and have alternative descriptive texts.
- Poor contrast text is another challenge brands can avoid using a color contrast checker when designing the website.
- Keyboard accessibility and navigability are also essential, as visually impaired users or users with mobility disabilities may find it challenging to use a mouse or trackpad to navigate the website.
- Brands should also consider mobile-first design, as businesses must ensure websites are optimized to accommodate accessibility requirements.
Next Steps
Web accessibility and ADA compliance are essential steps for any eCommerce brand. It is important to understand the steps needed to make your website ADA-compliant to maintain a successful online presence.
Dreaming Code provides the tools and services to ensure that eCommerce brands are ADA-compliant. The Dreaming Code product and user interfaces are designed with ADA compliance in mind, and our team of experts can provide a comprehensive website audit to detect any issues that may be present. This audit will provide an accessibility score and outline any issues that need to be fixed. Brands can start to fix the problems or advise their partners of the updates required.
Our team of experts understands the importance of ADA compliance and can help you with any questions. If you are an eCommerce brand and have questions about ADA compliance and how it could impact you, feel free to contact us to set up a consultation with us today.
To learn more about how we can help your business, schedule an appointment with one of our solution experts today.
To learn more about the Dreaming code eCommerce platform visit: https://dreamingcode.com.
12/13/2022
Returns management is an essential process for any eCommerce business. It manages customer returns, including receiving, processing, and repackaging products for resale. As eCommerce continues to grow, returns have become an increasingly important part of the logistics process for retailers. The average eCommerce return rate hovers around 20-30%, and according to a survey by Pitney Bowes, the cost of online returns can be as high as 21% of order value.
For online merchants, returns management involves finding cost-effective ways to manage the process while providing a stress-free experience for customers. To help manage returns, retailers are turning to technology solutions that can improve the returns process. These solutions can help retailers reduce the cost of returns, improve customer satisfaction, and create a better overall shopping experience.
Technology solutions for returns management include SaaS solutions that allow customers to quickly initiate returns and track the status of their returns, third-party vendors who manage the process end to end, and analytical tools that provide insights into customer behavior and help retailers prevent returns before they happen. By using technology solutions to streamline the returns process and gain insights into customer behavior, retailers can turn returns management into an opportunity to improve their bottom line.
Data on why returns happen is important
Returns are an inevitable part of eCommerce, but with a sound returns management strategy, you can design a pre-purchase and post-purchase process that will maximize the economic potential of returns.
Online merchants need to understand why people are returning products, such as if they purchased with the intent to return, the product didn't fit or work as expected, the product didn't match the description, they're returning a gift, and more. Returns management provides insights into customer behavior, allowing brands to understand their needs and preferences better. With this data, brands can create a personalized shopping experience that encourages customers to purchase items they will keep. Data can also recognize fraudulent activities and implement measures to protect your business.
Returns management gives you the power to make informed decisions that will positively impact your business. By leveraging data insights to design an optimal pre-purchase and post-purchase process, you can ensure customers have the best shopping experience while maximizing the economic potential of returns.
Building a solid returns strategy
Understanding the reasons behind returns is integral to building a proactive strategy focused on improving the pre-purchase and post-purchase processes. Brands can target online experience updates that prevent and simplify returns.
Here are two strategies that brands can implement to reduce returns:
Pre-Order Support: Product descriptions should be updated to include more missing detail and a symptom of returns for that product. Additionally, having helpful sizing charts and featured product reviews can help customers make informed decisions before they buy. Offering free and straightforward returns is also an excellent policy to have in place.
Post-Order Support: A live chat or a simplified customer support system is essential. Merchants should also consider offering alternative products to customers if their original choice needs to be revised. Live chat can be an excellent opportunity to engage customers to turn returns into opportunities for loyalty and upselling.
These recommendations are relatively simple to implement but will demonstrate to customers that an online brand is committed to their satisfaction. These updates can help build loyalty and excellent word-of-mouth referrals.
Conclusion:
Brands should use data on why people are returning products to improve the pre and post-purchase experience. This data should be analyzed regularly to improve and continuously improve the online experience for your customers. Dreaming Code can provide strategy and product solutions that can help guide you through the solution's selection, implementation, and ongoing management. Feel free to contact us to set up a consultation with us today.
To learn more about how we can help your business, schedule an appointment with one of our solution experts today.
To learn more about the Dreaming code eCommerce platform visit: https://dreamingcode.com.
12/09/2022
E-commerce is a catalyst for growing a business, and Dreaming Code is a leader in helping businesses make digital transformations. As online merchants seek to grow by delivering great digital experiences, a solution must have key features to deliver personalized customer experiences, support flexible inventory and order management, and solid financial integration.
Customers want personalization, transparency, and the ability to move seamlessly between channels to make a purchase. The benefits of the Dreaming Code solution are increased revenue, increased customer loyalty, and increased share of wallet. Here is a quick overview of the key features that make customers choose our platform.
Personalized Catalogs
When deploying a B2B business, online merchants must deliver great experiences for direct buyers, resellers, and your internal sales team. Dreaming Code has prebuilt user experiences for all of these types of buyers, supports personalized catalogs, and enables dynamic pricing to allow customers to order easily and accurately. This is important because if buyers cannot access a product catalog based on their business terms and the correct pricing, they will not trust or use the digital system. This can impact buyers' confidence in the merchant and result in them not continuing to order from the system. Conversely, merchants can reduce the time and cost to get sales from the buyers and use that to focus on new growth strategies.
Inventory and Order Management
Dreaming Code's flexible inventory and order management system helps online merchants manage their product catalogs, pricing, and availability in a more accurate and streamlined manner. With this feature, they can create a B2B storefront tailored to their buyers and offer tiered pricing for preferred customers. The system also allows for simplified SKU management for online stores that carry a large number of items. This feature ultimately provides customers with accurate catalogs, real-time pricing, and up-to-date availability. The delivery of a more personalized experience instills confidence in customers that they are getting the right product, at the correct price, and available when they need it.
ERP Integration
ERP Integration can be a vital component of a successful eCommerce business. Using an ERP-agnostic platform, merchants can reduce the burden of disconnected systems. This lack of integration leads to system slowdowns, poor performance, and other errors that can impact the customer experience. With cloud-based, API-first eCommerce solutions like Dreaming Code, integration is flexible and cost-effective, so in-house teams have more time to focus on critical business tasks instead of getting tied up with daily system maintenance.
Conclusion
When selecting a B2B eCommerce platform, businesses need to ensure that the solution can scale with their growth. Dreaming Code has the experience and expertise to help merchants grow their eCommerce operations and maximize sales. With a personalized experience, flexible order and inventory management, and an ERP-agnostic platform, businesses can focus on scaling their business. Schedule a 30 min assessment with our solution experts to learn how Dreaming Code can help your business grow!
To learn more about how we can help your business, schedule an appointment with one of our solution experts today.
12/06/2022
Sales & Marketing
The Dreaming Code B2C eCommerce platform enables businesses to grow using eCommerce, selling directly to consumers. Our managed platform allows owners to focus on connecting with consumers, and the Dreaming Code platform and team handle all the design, technology management, hosting, and ongoing site maintenance.
Several critical features distinguish well-designed and deployed B2C eCommerce solutions.
- Personalized experiences are essential, as customers want to feel like they're dealing with a company that cares about them as an individual.
- Social and mobile technologies are also necessary, as customers increasingly use these channels to find and research products.
- Finally, 24/7 customer support is necessary, as customers never know when they'll need assistance.
Personalized experiences matter
Consumers expect personalized experiences when it comes to eCommerce. With Dreaming Code, merchants can deliver beautiful, responsive web pages that will work on any device. This feature gives customers a great experience, regardless of their device. If customers can view a product image on their mobile device, they will likely continue the purchase. With Dreaming Code, merchants can create an excellent experience for their customers, which will keep them returning for more. The future wave of personalization in eCommerce will be the need to know your customer and curate experiences based on that information.
Social media and mobile technologies for reach and reputation
The Dreaming Code B2C eCommerce platform connects to the most popular social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. These platforms leverage influencers who have large followings to promote different products. They can give a brand reach to billions of consumers and generate massive demand for a product if its followers love it. A connection between eCommerce and social media platforms allows a single place for product descriptions, digital assets, and content to be optimized for mobile. Since social media is a must in B2C eCommerce, the Dreaming Code platform offers a very low-cost way to reach billions of consumers rapidly.
Always-on customer support builds trust
Customer support is vital for both online and brick-and-mortar businesses. Consumers often are demanding and expect instantaneous access to support and help. Features include appointment scheduling, live or assisted chat, and customer knowledge bases.
Automating customer engagement can help to improve customer satisfaction by providing instant access to support and help. More prominent brands have created this expectation, but smaller, more agile brands can offer the same or better service. The viral nature of responsive service can help build loyalty and new customers. For eCommerce stores, these modern and automated customer engagement solutions often lower the overall cost to serve, as it frees up staff to do other tasks and has 24/7 availability.
Conclusion
The key benefits of identifying a B2C eCommerce platform are personalization, leveraging the power of social media, and providing exceptional customer service. These three factors create user value and allow brands to focus on their consumers rather than technology. To learn how Dreaming Code can help scale your eCommerce business, schedule a 30-minute assessment with our solution experts.
To learn more about how we can help your business, schedule an appointment with one of our solution experts today.
To learn more about the Dreaming Code eCommerce platform visit: http://dreamingcode.com.
12/02/2022
The Dreaming Code Digital Experience Platform (DXP) allows businesses that don't need eCommerce still to have an impactful digital presence for engaging customers. Companies like medical offices, engineering firms, and others that don't have physical goods need a website to showcase their expertise and capability to embrace the digital age. The platform is a software as a Service (SaaS) and managed, meaning that it handles all of the site's design, technology management, hosting, and maintenance. It allows companies to focus on their business, not constructing and managing website technology.
Important features needed in a DXP include the ability to deliver personalized customer experiences, enable search engine optimization to help find new customers, and make it easy to update new content. The platform also automates customer engagement, allowing companies to connect more meaningfully with their prospects and customers.
Easy to manage and add new content
Dreaming Code has an easy-to-use feature that makes adding and managing website content straightforward. The platform already has simplified website page templates to help provide a robust framework for website structure and make it easy to add text, visual content, and brand design to the website. Content is essential as it is indexed by search engines so that people looking for information about a service or topic get pointed to the digital site.
Dreaming Code offers a content management system (CMS) that stores and manages all web content. It makes it easy to update and add new content ensuring the site is always fresh and engaging. Meaningful content to engage visitors helps them convert. When they connect, they now represent a potential customer and a source of revenue to grow your business. Dreaming Code offers content generation as an add-on to its platform.
Make it easy for customers to find you
The Dreaming Code platform offers a suite of features that make it easy for businesses to connect with new customers and global markets. Search technology has changed the way people seek information. One application of search is SEO, which helps companies optimize their website content and visibility in search engines. It makes it easy for potential customers to find your business and learn more about your products and services. SEO can significantly impact a brand's reach and connect with new potential customers. Dreaming Code has several included and add-on services that aid in getting your website optimized for search engines.
Simplify and automate your engagement
The Dreaming Code platform offers a range of features that make it easy for customers to connect with your company. These applications include appointment scheduling, social media, live chat, and 24/7 customer access.
When visitors want to speak to the company, they can easily connect on various channels available on the website. This feature is accessible through the site, which often means companies no longer need telephones or office hours. The benefits are that it makes the company look responsive and offers the visitor immediate access to resolve questions. It helps visitors with buying intent get 24/7 and direct access to resolve their inquiries.
Conclusion
Building a robust digital experience is vital for any brand, even if you are not directly selling products and services online. By deploying a DXP, companies can connect with their customers online, engage new markets through search, and educate visitors with great content. The right DXP partner and using a managed SaaS platform means brands can focus on running their business rather than technology. Schedule a 30 min assessment with our solution experts to learn how Dreaming Code can scale your eCommerce business.
To learn more about how we can help your business, schedule an appointment with one of our solution experts today.
To learn more about the Dreaming Code eCommerce platform visit: httsp://dreamingcode.com.
11/29/2022
Sales & Marketing
Dropshipping is a business model in which eCommerce entrepreneurs sell products without having to carry any inventory. When a store owner receives an order from a customer, they contact the supplier, who will ship the products directly to the customer's door.
Sellers can add products from various suppliers into their shop to fuel the product offering. Dropshipping is the perfect business model for new eCommerce entrepreneurs. It's simple to set up and manage and doesn't require a significant up-front investment. Here are several dropshipping tips and challenges to apply for a successful venture.
Advantages:
Dropshipping allows merchants to focus on the growth and marketing of their products, as they do not need to worry about managing or storing inventory. Sellers need less upfront capital and a low overhead cost to start a dropshipping business. Additionally, as the merchant does not need to purchase merchandise, they have a more comprehensive product selection. Dropshipping allows merchants to be agile and try different marketing and promotion strategies to see which works best. If a merchant finds a market and audience validated, they can quickly scale their efforts to maximize their sales.
Challenges:
Merchants must be careful of their profit margins when working with a drop shipper. Dropshipping can be a more cost-effective way to sell products, but it can also come with low-profit margins. Merchants should find low-cost ways to build an audience and attract customers. Additionally, inventory issues and complexity can arise when working with multiple suppliers. Suppliers can make errors, which can magnify if there are numerous suppliers. Lastly, sellers may find that they need more customization options with suppliers. Without taking these challenges into account, merchants may face negative results.
Playbook:
The playbook to a successful dropshipping business is not complex and comes down to being very smart in execution. Follow these steps:
- Choose great products: When selecting products, it's essential to consider what is selling well online and in the local area. Try and find a niche to focus on, as this will make it easier to compete with other sellers.
- Source products: It's essential to find a supplier that can offer high-quality products at a reasonable price. Seek suppliers by simply searching or contacting businesses that already sell products in the target niche.
- Set up store: This can be done by creating a simple website or using a platform like Dreaming Code. When setting up a store, include clear images and descriptions of the products.
- Market products and focus on customer service: The final step is to market your products. Several ways to do this include using social media paid to advertise and email marketing. When selling products, be sure to focus on the benefits they offer to the customers.
To learn more about how we can help your business, schedule an appointment with one of our solution experts today.
To learn more about the Dreaming Code eCommerce platform visit: https://dreamingcode.com.
11/22/2022
Sales & Marketing
When it comes to eCommerce, integration is vital. But what does that mean, and how can you make sure your eCommerce platform integrates successfully with your business applications?
Dreaming Code has been designed for this purpose – to provide a platform that integrates with many enterprise systems, making it easy to connect business applications as seamlessly as possible to the platform. Businesses can connect financially, logistics, supply chain, order management, fulfillment, and 3rd party shipping systems with prebuilt connectors to the Dreaming Code eCommerce solution.
Dreaming Code supports an extensive library of applications and solutions through application programming interfaces (APIs) and other native protocols. Brands can be confident their e-commerce platform will be able to integrate with existing applications.
Order Management:
Order management is about orders being received, verified, inventory confirmed, and fulfilled for customers. The most critical integration point for order management is syncing orders to inventory management, and with this reliable connection, your order automation will function smoothly.
Many organizations overlook this integration, and it causes manual processing. For the customer, it means their orders are delayed or, even worse, need to be more accurate. An unforeseen consequence of poor order management integration is the impact on customer service costs to resolve the issues associated with incorrect and delayed orders.
Fulfillment systems:
When orders get processed through a fulfillment partner, it can take a lot of the burden off of the eCommerce business and help it to run more efficiently. However, not all fulfillment partners are created equal, and it's essential to do your research before selecting one. Dreaming Code's advantage is its robust integration with most fulfillment partners and systems. This feature means merchants can quickly and easily send orders to a partner and rely on them to handle the fulfillment process. Dreaming Code has a wide variety of partners, making it easy to find a partner who can meet all a merchant's needs and has a track record of providing good customer service.
ERP integration:
ERP systems are the financial, customer management, human resources, and accounting systems that keep your business running. The Dreaming Code platform is ERP agnostic, and can easily integrate into any system, such as Dynamics, SAP, JDE, Acumatica, and Epicor, to name a few. Updating or changing your ERP to launch your eCommerce business is usually not an option, so the partner selected for eCommerce should have experience and support for a brand's existing or planned ERP. With cloud-based, API-first eCommerce solutions, integration is flexible and cost-effective, so in-house teams have more time to focus on critical business tasks instead of getting tied up with daily system maintenance.
Conclusion:
E-commerce platforms with a clear and well-documented approach to integration will signal a positive experience for an implementation. The robust and flexible integration provided by Dreaming Code ensures that eCommerce will operate as expected and that merchants can avoid unforeseen costs and delays in launching and managing their eCommerce systems. To learn more about how Dreaming Code can scale your eCommerce business, schedule a 30 min assessment with our solution experts.
To learn more about how we can help your business, schedule an appointment with one of our solution experts today.
To learn more about the Dreaming Code eCommerce platform visit: https://dreamingcode.com.
11/17/2022
Sales & Marketing
Companies seeking to implement a B2B eCommerce solution understand their requirements and align with a strong partner to select a platform that best serves their digital ambitions. This article aims to help companies define their core requirements and needs. We will also outline how Dreaming Code delivers a robust SaaS B2B eCommerce platform than can fit the requirements of even the most demanding business. Launching an eCommerce platform requires brands to consider their solution requirements, deployment, experience management, inventory and fulfillment management, and seamless integration.
The right solution for your business model
First and foremost, Dreaming Code understands the importance of assessing your business, and its needs before recommending a solution. We won't recommend a platform that's "one size fits all"; instead, we will work with you to identify the specific features and functionality you need to power your B2B eCommerce. This approach ensures the platform is tailored to your particular business needs and that it will be easy to manage and use.
Dreaming Code has a deep understanding and experience in the delivery of eCommerce solutions. We know what works and needs improvement and use this knowledge to deploy flexible and durable solutions that can handle any B2B eCommerce. Our platforms are also easy to manage, meaning that you won't need a team of experts to keep them running smoothly.
After identifying requirements, we will review the critical considerations for a client to consider when looking at B2B eCommerce platforms and outline ways that the Dreaming Code solution will deliver excellent business outcomes.
Deployment choices
Deploying a B2B eCommerce solution can be a complex process that requires careful planning and consideration. It's essential to understand your target buyer, your business model, the sophistication of your technology team, and the systems you use to run your business.
There are several options for deploying a technology solution, and each has advantages and disadvantages.
- A brand can buy an off-the-shelf product with the need to configure, support, and maintain it with their technical team or a consultant.
- They can explore several available open-source technologies but be willing to spend the money and effort to make that solution fit best into their business.
- They can subscribe to a prebuilt SaaS solution to support all the features they expect to need and require no need to buy any infrastructure.
Should a brand choose the building approach (options 1 & 2), it will usually require a considerable upfront build cost and an ongoing investment that can be significant for updates. The cost of deploying a technology solution is measured by calculating the cost to purchase, the price to configure, and the ongoing investment to add new features. However, with a SaaS product, the software is built flexibly, can be deployed rapidly, and has ongoing support and updates to ensure that the brand gets access to the latest features without having to make it themselves. Additionally, as it grows, this software can scale with the brand's business.
Brands also need to consider factors that include the company's overall budget, current company infrastructure, business model, and technical capabilities to manage and support the solution.
Dreaming Code is a feature-rich platform designed for most B2B eCommerce for deployment in weeks. It has all the essential features to run and operate a successful B2B storefront. The company has a profound roadmap of new features deployed as the market conditions and buyer requirements change. Lastly, Dreaming Code has an expert team that ensures your solution is up and running optimally without needing your staff and will grow as your business expands.
User experience (UX) is everything
User experience is a deep understanding of the solution users, what they need to accomplish, what they value, their abilities, and their limitations. The right solution also means a platform that puts personalization at the center of any customer journey. Considerations for the UX include:
- The various personas and objectives of the persona when engaging with the solution.
- The devices and networks the target buyers are using to access the online site.
- Meaningful incorporation of branding and visual elements to drive critical user journeys like the path to purchase and search.
- Clear data presentation with catalogs and menus.
- Personalization to support buyers' negotiated or expected pricing that a merchant offers based on volume and markets they serve.
Delivering a UX that can support all the dimensions and permutations requires deep research, extensive validation, and lots of iteration to provide a well-designed UX.
At Dreaming Code, we understand the importance of UX and have created a platform that is agile and robust. Our platform supports deployment across the web, desktops, and mobile devices. We have thought of delivering essential functions like product detail pages, search, and checkout. Our UX designs and templates are built for various buyers and users. We can incorporate branding and customized style sheets to ensure your business is represented the way you want it.
Seamless Integration
When it comes to eCommerce, a business's success depends on its ability to integrate its commerce platform with its core business infrastructure. These include its core financial systems (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), inventory management, and fulfillment systems. A platform that offers seamless integration allows a merchant to connect its existing systems with little to no effort, eliminating the need for custom development and reducing the time and cost to deploy a new eCommerce solution.
Deploying a platform that is not agnostic to current systems can mean businesses either need to replace their existing systems or invest significantly in building custom connections between their infrastructure systems (like ERP, CRM, and others). Without seamless integration, brands create silos between different functions, preventing them from reacting quickly to customer needs and hindering growth. Integration means that the processes you have defined to transact online can operate without manual work or intervention.
Dreaming Code understands the importance of seamless integration and has built our platform to offer prebuilt integration to the most popular ERP systems. Our platform is virtually system agnostic. We maintain strong industry partnerships with all the leading vendors of these systems to ensure our platform can connect and interact with these other software platforms. With Dreaming Code, businesses can easily connect their existing systems and get up and running with a new eCommerce platform quickly and cost-effectively.
The right partner
When choosing a technology partner for your B2B eCommerce project, there are a few essential things to remember.
The partner you select has to have a high level of experience in eCommerce and digital transformation. At Dreaming Code, we have over 75 years of combined experience in these areas, and we've worked with businesses in various industries and markets. This experience allows us to bring a wealth of knowledge and insight to your project and ensures that we can help you achieve your goals.
Next, choosing a partner who values a strong team of talented professionals is essential. At Dreaming Code, we only hire the best designers, engineers, project managers, and other professionals. This team is dedicated to ensuring your brand's success and providing you with the best possible eCommerce experience.
Finally, it's crucial to choose a partner with a reliable, secure, and resilient platform. Dreaming Code's platform is one of the most advanced and reliable in the industry, and our team is dedicated to ensuring that your brand's eCommerce site is always up and running. We have offices around the globe, so we can provide coverage 24/7/365 with our Radical Support. When you partner with us, you can be confident that you're working with a team of experts dedicated to your success. We'll help you configure the right eCommerce platform and provide you with the support you need to achieve your goals.
Conclusion
When seeking to make the transition to eCommerce, it is vital to find a partner that understands your specific needs and has a robust, secure platform that is highly configurable. Dreaming Code's B2B eCommerce platform provides just that: it integrates seamlessly into your company and is supported by a team of always-available experts. This comprehensive offering can help brands launch and grow their eCommerce storefronts rapidly and successfully.
To learn more about how we can help your business, schedule an appointment with one of our solution experts today.
To learn more about the Dreaming Code eCommerce platform visit: https://dreamingcode.com.
