Choosing your new platform is like choosing a new suit: you want something that looks good, feels good and most importantly, fits well. And, just like with suit buying, there are plenty of re-platforming ‘personal shoppers’ out there, each offering you that once-in-a-lifetime deal.
But how can you tell which agency knows their Dolce & Gabanna from their Dolce & Bannana? Is the person helping you, dare we say it, working on commission? How can you get something that truly suits? (Sorry)
5 Quickfire Questions
We get it. It’s intimidating enough to decide you need to re-platform. And now we’re setting you homework? But fear not: ask these simple questions and we’ll have you looking sharp in no time…
1. 2’s a crowd, 3’s a party
Make sure your advisor has genuine knowledge of several technologies. You want someone who can give you an honest opinion of the pros and cons of a variety of offerings.
2. We can rebuild him. We have the technology
We’re not saying that vendors might be prone to exaggeration, but well, actually, that’s exactly what we’re saying. An advisor who has to rely solely on whatever the vendor tells them? Swipe left. An advisor with technical abilities, who has experience implementing the technology? A keeper.
3. Spreadsheets aren’t sufficient
Too many advisors are using flawed selection processes. Like everything else in life, re-platforming isn’t perfect. And so trying to make your business fit into a cookie-cutter mould isn’t going to suffice. You need an advisor who has real-life implementation experience, alongside a keen understanding of what criteria is relevant for your particular business.
4. Don’t play favourites
The archetypal example here is cloud vs non-cloud, where the vendor of each solution will try to prove why theirs is the most cost-effective approach. Often, advisors who have never had to implement such a solution will have a firm favourite – but unlike the marmite debate, here there is no wrong or right – it depends on individual cases.
5. We haven’t had enough of experts
At the risk of stating the obvious, make sure you pick an advisor whose advice you trust. It’s much easier to trust the cost/ benefit analysis of someone who has actually used the product they’re recommending. Digital agencies will know what A and B are, but can’t integrate them together.
Systems integrators can integrate. But it’s important to find an advisor who asks: why integrate? Will it make your business grow? Is this the right commercial decision at this time?
Conclusion
Replatforming and suit-buying: it’s not a one size fits all. Here at Greenlight Commerce, we provide tailor-made solutions, and with our breadth and depth of experience and technological know-how, your bespoke replatforming will be as seamless as this metaphor.
