Retailers: a new organisation geared towards e-commerce is needed to survive the crisis
These days, whether it's on social networks, on TV or in any other media, the health crisis is at the heart of discussions and debates.
Some are coping better than others in this oppressive environment. It's not uncommon to hear that small traders, restaurateurs, craftsmen and so on are going out of business because they haven't been able to keep their businesses afloat over the past year.
However, some small local players are coming out on top. But how? Why are they doing it? What are they doing that's different from the others?
Well, quite simply, they're building on what works. They understand change and adapt quickly to changing demand. We can see that the retailers who survived the crisis and are still surviving today quickly integrated e-commerce into their organisation. The digital transition was compulsory and had to be accelerated, in a hurry for some.
The challenges of crisis and containment for commerce in 2021
Retail has changed. Consumer behaviour is also changing as a result of the current crisis. The challenges are as numerous as ever, and are linked to digital technology. Confinement, curfews and other restrictions limit access to consumption. The challenge for companies is to find solutions that continue to meet consumer needs, while taking account of regulations.
For VSEs and SMEs, the challenges relate more specifically to a fall in sales and a drop in demand. The French tend to save in these gloomy times. Which seems logical, despite everything.
The difficulty also lies in seizing the opportunities presented by this crisis and the repeated shutdowns. How can we adapt? And what exactly do we need to adapt to?
Customers' expectations and needs have changed. Their habits have changed. They tend to save more and buy essential products.
Buying patterns have also changed. Consumers want to buy much more locally, avoiding physical shops in favour of online shopping, click and collect or any other type of delivery. As far as payment is concerned, contactless methods are obviously preferred.
So how can we meet these new expectations? How can we adapt to these new needs? VSEs and SMEs really need to take these kinds of considerations into account if they are to stay "in the game".
Online sales: a necessary digital transformation
It seems clear that digital is part of the solution for small and medium-sized businesses to continue to reach their consumers. As well as opening up new avenues of action, digital technology is helping to boost team productivity, customer service management and, quite simply, the brand-consumer relationship.
To adapt to the current situation, and to avoid losing too many sales, a number of tools are essential for VSEs and SMEs:
- an e-commerce site is essential;
- software such as CRM (for better management of the customer experience, contacts, etc.) is becoming essential;
- and solutions that enable you to manage day-to-day administrative tasks more effectively are also essential if you want to save time on your core business: selling.
Existing during the crisis, but above all surviving the post-crisis period, requires accelerated digital transformation. In fact, SMEs that have successfully completed their digital transformation seem to have been more resilient during the crisis.
So it's no longer enough to have an e-commerce shop. It's clear that customer relations and easier management of administrative tasks (for example) are essential elements in ensuring that your VSE or SME operates and survives.
The essential functions and tools for optimising your e-commerce business
In order to boost the productivity of your teams, to support each department in carrying out its tasks efficiently and with the aim of continuing to sell despite the crisis, you need to go beyond simply offering an e-commerce site to your target consumers.
Tools are available to help you manage the influx of new customers online. For example, it is possible to synchronise your e-commerce site with your management software (invoicing).
Synchronising your e-commerce site with your ERP system
Synchronisation software such as Atoo-Sync GesCom allows you to get up and running quickly. Rather than having to re-enter everything twice (on your e-commerce site and in your management software), synchronisation software makes it possible to :
- make it easier to put products online ;
- display products at the right price, based on stock availability;
- and above all, the key function of this type of tool, to import orders directly into the invoicing software.
This ensures that the data entered is secure, reducing the risk of errors in address, product or quantity to be delivered.
This type of software is essential for saving time on your day-to-day e-commerce tasks. Whatever your CMS, there is a way to connect your e-commerce site and your ERP and save time!
Accounting for your e-commerce site
There are also modules that allow you to manage the accounting of your e-commerce site much more easily. Atoo-Sync Export Compta, for example, is very useful for carrying out all the day-to-day accounting tasks such as VAT, DEB and balance sheet printing. You don't even need to know anything about accounting.
SaaS software like Atoo-Sync Export Compta connects your e-commerce site to your accounting software. All you have to do is import sales, payments and credit notes directly into your accounting software. And for a more accurate financial overview of your business, you can distinguish sales accounts by country and tax rate, and payment methods by bank account and journal.
With a gateway like this, you no longer have to enter the same information in two different databases.
Your digital transformation is quick and easy! Thanks to these solutions, all the company's departments have access to a centralised database that enables them to :
- manage the product database
- manage supplier purchases
- update price lists
- processing of sales documents through to invoicing (purchase orders, delivery notes, invoices),
- accounting management,
- BtoC and BtoB price management, etc.
Finally, it's essential to use tools that help you save time and manage your business on a day-to-day basis, so that you can be as efficient as possible in these times of crisis, when e-commerce has partly taken over from physical shops.
Start or continue the digital transformation of your business with peace of mind, adapting to the new needs of the market as simply as possible!
Article translated from French