Article post by Julie Morris

We got a lesson in just how important e-commerce was when 2020 made us all rethink the ways we do business. In fact, in the US alone,  e-commerce doubled during that period from $102 billion to $218 billion. Changes in human behaviour as it relates to shopping appear to be sticking, even though, once vaccines became available, in-person shopping was not considered as risky as it had been. There’s a definite shift in the economy with shoppers looking for the kind of speed and efficiency they can get from online shopping. To help you further consider e-commerce and its merits, ZAAAX Design presents the following tips and resources.

Consider the Advantages of Digital Transformation

Change is hard, and it’s especially challenging to do something new when the old routine seems to be working. But the truth is that you won’t know how far your business can go if you don’t try out new things. Plus, if you don’t change, you may find that you and your business get left behind.

Instead, begin to embrace digital transformation. It has plenty of benefits, including a better experience for your customers, more learning and growth opportunities for your staff, and plenty of ways to make data-driven decisions for your business. Look for tools that support your growth efforts, including search engine optimization that can help you take your sales and advertising to the next level.

Rethinking How You Do Business

There are steps you can take right now to bring yourself and your business further along in the world of e-commerce. These include steps like:

Remote work

It’s been shown that employees are not just as effective when working remotely, but we’ve found that productivity actually increases when employees work from their home office. In fact, remote employees report working an extra 1.4 days per month, which works out to be an additional three weeks of work per year. In addition, businesses save money when employees work from home. Dave Rietsema, Founder and CEO of Matchr.com says, “Companies can save up to $11,000 per employee in terms of overhead costs if they switch to remote work.”

Business Structure

The advantages of e-commerce mean that it’s easier than ever for an individual or small team to create their own business. However, it’s vital that you research the available business structures and carefully evaluate their pros and cons in order to determine which structure is best for your situation.

Make AI Your New Employee

Artificial Intelligence can provide chat-bot service, analyse customer comments, and make recommendations. Predictions are for artificial intelligence to handle 80% of all customer interactions this year. AIs can self-learn and improve how they handle customer relations with self-programming software.

E-Commerce Tools

Business Process Management

Business process management (BPM) can automate and optimise processes and workflows to facilitate digital transformation. By streamlining and improving previously laborious business operations, you’re more likely to get employee buy-in which will make it easier to integrate digital technology. When creating a BPM framework, make sure you’re constantly monitoring its effectiveness and then acting on monitoring info to take steps to improve the process and output.

Process Map Template

When you have a remote team of workers, communication becomes key, especially for collaborating team members. Fortunately, a process map template is a fantastic tool that enables you and your team to analyse the processes and outcomes everyone is working on and makes it easier for everyone to stay organised and productive.

Mobile App

Every shopper expects to be able to purchase straight from their smartphone. If your app can’t accept customer payments, you’re missing out on potential revenue. Security is paramount when it comes to receiving and processing customer payments, but you’ll have to verify bank account number API for authentication. Bank account and routing numbers can be instantly verified when customers pay via ACH. This can work seamlessly with any ACH processor, including Stripe and Dwolla, making the app all the more user-friendly.

Conclusion

The e-commerce market is expected to grow by nearly $11 trillion by 2025. Even with stores reopening, digital sales and shopping are not slowing down. No matter your business, there is no facet of how you operate that won’t be more efficient with BPM, process mapping, and all of today’s new digital tools.

If you’re in need of a website that can help your message reach the largest possible audience, ZAAAX Design can help! Reach out today for a free quote.