Commerce Maturity Model

Survey Results

• Business Strategy

• 1. We have a strong understanding of our competitors and the competitive landscape

  You Scored 1/2

  !Your Digital Marketing team and/or agency could take this a step further and create a bi-yearly rubric of your competitors features, functions, and value propositions. This will give you a clear understanding of where you outperform and underperform relative to your industry, and where you have opportunities within your sales channels.

• 2. We have a strong understanding of who our customers are

  You Scored 1/3

  Both psychographic and demographic knowledge is important. Utilizing this information to segment throughout databases and marketing tactics is a great next step towards success.

• 3. We have a cohesive strategy around customer messaging across business channels

  You Scored 2/3

  You are doing a good job of understanding your customer segments and driving cohesive branding throughout your customer messaging. To move forward, test messaging strategies that touch customers across multiple channels, and develop a good understanding of which customer segments are receiving multiple messages during which days of the week.

• 4. We have a strategic roadmap

  You Scored 2/3

  A single company roadmap is great, but try to keep it more up to date. Consider moving to a bi-annual roadmap that is updated based on changes to the business and consumer expectations.

• 5. Our organization makes data-driven decisions

  You Scored 1/2

  Are there are any hurdles (depth, accuracy, etc.) that are keeping you from using this data more frequently? Address these concerns first. Then review the business questions that your brand faces most often, and map them to metrics that could help inform on their behavior (e.g. you want to assess the impact of merchandising elements - so items per order and overall revenue per sessions exposed to those merchandising elements would be helpful). Since your organization sometimes looks at this data, you'll likely need to leverage segments or tests to uncover new insights. These deeper findings are often the most impactful.

• 6. We have a yearly budgeting process

  You Scored 1/2

  An annual budget is great, but most brands and retailers need to implement budget changes throughout the year. Business can change both positively and negatively, and these changes should be forecast at the mid-point of your year.

• 7. We budget marketing expenses as a percentage of overall revenue

  You Scored 0/3

  Your brand should start at allocating dollars to a budget. A good place to start is understanding what your vertical spends on average.

• 8. Our organizational structure prioritizes the overall customer experience through all business channels

  You Scored 2/2

  You are ahead of most brands. This is considered best-in-class.

• 9. We have a customer data repository

  You Scored 2/2

  You are ahead of most brands. This is considered best-in-class.

• 10. We create a bottom-up inventory forecast for each business channel

  You Scored 1/3

  Each channel should have their own inventory plan. Best-sellers in stores and web often differ and having an inventory planBestsellersand open-to-buy overall will help with missed demand and or aging inventory.

• Customer Journey

• 11. We tailor our content to various audiences and segments

  You Scored 2/4

  Knowing your visitors' location, or the search terms they used to get to your site, and tailoring the content experience based on that is a smart move. Continue to focus on buyer behaviors and optimize your experience for these.

• 12. We apply consumer research and usability testing to optimize navigation

  You Scored 1/4

  Great, how recently was this conducted? Also, how often do you add or remove L1, L2 or L3 navigation categories? Have you tested your navigation for distinct consumer types and journeys?

• 13. We apply consumer research and usability testing to optimize key pages

  You Scored 0/4

  Even small, periodic research projects can provide significant insights and opportunities. What is keeping you from performing research? Can you elaborate on your position about consumer research so we can recommend a few ideas?

• 14. We present enhanced content and creative experiences

  You Scored 3/4

  Is this content tailored to specific audiences? Do you have certain KPIs that you are trying to meet based on these rich content campaigns? Is this content managed directly in your CMS or by a third party?

• 15. We leverage dynamic content

  You Scored 2/2

  If you are already leveraging predictive tools for content recommendations and delivery, you are likely in a test-and-learn phase. Your next step is to establish a testing plan and ensure you are testing through the multiple algorithms available within the predictive tool you've selected. Testing should be ongoing for these tools.

• 16. We use loyalty segments to target content both on-site as well as through multiple marketing programs

  You Scored 0/2

  While loyalty programs have proven value and should be kept on the roadmap, you can move forward with content personalization. One way to do this without a CRM or loyalty program would be to leverage a behavioral vendor to personalize your customers' site experiences. Several eCommerce platforms have the ability to switch out content based on customer attributes or manual customer groups. If you are using or considering using SFCC, you can use active data tied to campaigns to personalize content slots on site.

• 17. We segment our loyalty customers based upon tiers of engagement

  You Scored 1/2

  Having loyalty tiers based on customer spend is a standard practice. Many best-in-class retailers structure programs this way - e.g Nordstrom. However, by just looking at spend you may not be nurturing loyal customers at initial lower thresholds that could evolve with you over time. Consider adding points mechanisms for Reviews, user-generated content, and brand advocacy. This content can be extremely valuable in driving traffic to the site.

• 18. We create and manage content such as product descriptions, blog posts, category descriptions, or ‘how to’ articles

  You Scored 2/2

  Continue to track performance for optimized pages, considering search presence for targeted keywords and searches, as well as associated keywords and searches. Also, continue to generate ideas for expanding on-site content. Consider the content silo method to consistently and organically improve site authority for highly relevant themes to target searches throughout the entire customer journey and provide a positive user experience that satisfies the needs of searchers in each phase. Now, you can focus on accelerating searchers from early stages to late stages of their journey, where they have the highest likelihood of converting.

• 19. We optimize our customer experience for mobile users

  You Scored 3/4

  How have these enhanced features been performing relative to your expectations? Have you seen increases in conversion since implementing these changes?

• 20. We apply a tiered optimization strategy for mobile page load

  You Scored 3/4

  Can you give more detail around your approach? What third party are you using to deliver the images? Who manages the images and how often are new ones added? Is this employed throughout the site or only on key pages? If so, which pages?

• 21. We leverage Endless Aisle/Mobile Point-of-Sale solutions

  You Scored 3/4

  Excellent! Focus on tracking and reporting this program, and align incentives for store associates to drive them to offer this option to your customers

• 22. We offer Buy Online, Pickup In Store (BOPIS) functionality to shoppers

  You Scored 3/5

  Continue to measure and refine this program. Establish SLAs for store fulfillment. Use text messaging to notify customers when their orders are ready to be picked up. This will drive additional in-store purchases. Also, allowing the customer to designate another individual to pick up their order on their behalf is a great way to boost loyalty.

• 23. Our customers can return online purchases to a retail store

  You Scored 2/5

  Cross-channel customer service is a differentiator for retailers. Giving your store associates the appropriate tools to not only see online transactions, but process refunds/returns with the original payment tender used online is a great step in the right direction. POS integration is not always necessary, but to take the next step, you'll need to consider extending your eCommerce platform's customer service tools into the in-store environment.

• 24. We fulfill online Ship From Store orders

  You Scored 2/4

  What are the factors contributing to this limitation? Have technology limitations or channel-specific P&L issues led to this approach? If your average lines-per-order is high, this is likely negatively impacting your customer experience and your profitability. Determine the right customer-centric strategy for Ship-From-Store and adjust systems and internal organizational issues accordingly. LYONSCG can help.

• 25. We provide customers with full visibility into both online and in-store inventory

  You Scored 1/4

  Customers expect your site to provide access to the same product and availability information that your store associates have. Explore omnichannel Order Management Systems that provide robust "Available To Promise" functionality that can be integrated into your product detail pages.

• 26. We offer standard pricing and promotions across stores and channels

  You Scored 2/5

  You've taken a solid first step. Can you elaborate on the factors preventing omnichannel offer redemption? Technology issues? Franchisee issues?

• Digital Marketing

• 27. We track the success of our SEO program

  You Scored 2/2

  Continue tracking these KPIs, and keep using result-based insights to inform the activities of your SEO program. Always consider the customer journey as it pertains to the content on your site. Review KPIs to determine page relevance for various types of search. Regularly monitor your top search results to confirm that SEO program strategies are aligned search results to ensure your strategies are having their intended impact.

  Continue to add to campaign tracking as programs mature, making note of any site changes, promotions, and changes to other digital marketing programs. This will help you to better differentiate between external organic SEO impacts and internal optimizations as part of your SEO program.

• 28. When we do sample keyword searches in Google …

  You Scored 1/2

  Create a tracked keyword universe of terms associated with top category, sub-category, product, content, and branded terms. Monitor ranking trends prior to making any on-site changes to establish a baseline of search presence.

  Look for opportunities to optimize on-page SEO elements, considering page level optimizations, as well as how the page relates to other similar pages that could be competing for the same targeted keywords. Make adjustments to begin seeing changes in search presence, and update pages based on this insight.

• 29. We feel comfortable and up-to-date on Google’s most recent algorithm changes and the impact they have on our website

  You Scored 0/2

  Follow SEO trends from experts for ideas on ways to further optimize for organic search, and to keep up with updates from Google about new releases, algorithm updates, and more. Make updates to site as needed.

• 30. We have an active paid media program

  You Scored 2/2

  Once a media program is established, the next step is constant optimization and mining for additional opportunities - both for increasing efficiency and for next stage growth.

• 31. Our paid media channels are meeting ROI goals

  You Scored 1/2

  Identify where the pain points are, prioritize them, and begin addressing these issues. Often, the budget has been misallocated, and there are missed opportunities around new traffic acquisition or current customer retention that can quickly boost program performance.

• 32. We are currently targeting new customers through display or non-brand search

  You Scored 0/2

  This is a great first step in establishing a media program. In order to drive significant incremental traffic and revenue, though, your programs will need to expand into non-brand product and category targeting within Search and Shopping channels.

• 33. We are using an attribution model to properly credit all media channels

  You Scored 2/2

  Continue to make data-driven decisions on program goals and investments. Make sure the model is revisited with any additions to the program, and continue to test different attribution models periodically in order to stay ahead of the pack.

• 34. We utilize remarketing tactics and tools, including CRM or email data, to target users through media channels

  You Scored 1/2

  Using lists is a good first step, but there is more work to be done. Segment users by visit frequency and on-site behavior. Users who abandoned a cart or viewed multiple products in the last week should be of higher focus than those who visited your homepage, say, 30 days ago. Working with a dynamic ad partner to serve highly relevant ads to each user is another great step to take.

• 35. We currently have an affiliate program

  You Scored 1/3

  If your affiliate program is on "auto-pilot," considering shaking things up by reaching out to your top affiliates and asking about their interest in additional placements or exclusive promotions. Another good way to grow your affiliate program is through constant communication, such as newsletters. This helps affiliates feel listened to and a part of your overall strategy.

• 36. Our email platform is integrated into mulitple systems

  You Scored 0/2

  This is a solid foundation, however, you are likely missing out on valuable customer information. Your next step should be building out a customer data profile within your ESP. Speak to your technology partner to discuss next steps for integrating your CRM, or if you do not have a CRM, alternative customer data sources, into your email platform.

• 37. We email to defined segments

  You Scored 2/2

  If you already have site behavior and past purchase data you actively segment upon, then your next step is to identify any remaining gaps in your email data profiles. For instance, are there any brand-specific engagements (such as customization or wishlist engagement) that would be beneficial to target? Beyond rounding out your data profile for segmentation, you are now in the "test and learn" phase. Make sure you have a strong testing plan in place to validate your current segmentation and confirm assumptions.

• 38. We clean and manage our customer records

  You Scored 0/2

  This is essential to maintaining a healthy email file. If this is your first time cleaning and optimizing your email list, we recommend you work with a third party to go through this process. Invalid addresses, duplicates, and unengaged subscribers can damage your IP reputation and deliverability.

• Technology

• 39. We are utilizing the latest version of our eCommerce platform and its associated functionality

  You Scored 1/2

  To improve the user experience, you may want to institute some A/B testing to qualify your statements that the user experience is positive, and analyze your data to verify how users are reacting to the user experience.

• 40. We currently have an eCommerce website post-launch support model

  You Scored 0/3

  You should look to evolve your post-launch support model from a reactive one to proactive one by way of heartbeat monitoring, feed alerts, and regular maintenance to ensure information is flowing.

• 41. We use a management workflow tool to help streamline online business operations

  You Scored 2/2

  You are ahead of most brands. This is considered best-in-class.

• 42. We manage site code with an agile and repeatable release management process

  You Scored 0/2

  It is important to establish a best practice, Agile-based, repeatable, and reliable release management process. Without this, statuses are lost, expectations are mispresented, requirements are confirmed prior to commencement, and tickets are not estimated, resulting in budget overruns. Do you have a process already in place? If not, what are the major hurdles you've faced in implementing one? We can help establish one, train you on it, and execute it.

• 43. We perform quality assurance testing on all of our site code before we release it to Production

  You Scored 0/4

  There are many forms of testing out there, including automated testing, custom test plan creation/execution, regression testing, load testing, to name a few. A goal would be to come up with a comprehensive testing matrix, leveraging some of these testing mechanisms.

• 44. Our site is ADA compliant

  You Scored 2/2

  You are ahead of most brands. This is considered best-in-class.

• 45. We have PCI-based security processes in place

  You Scored 1/5

  You should continue to do this on a routine basis, to make sure you identify any stop-gap measures or additional measures that may need to be taken to ensure compliance.

• 46. We have a dedicated analytics platform with customized tracking specific to our online goals

  You Scored 1/2

  Without any customized tracking, it's likely there are major questions around how customers interact with your digital experiences. Start with these major questions, and figure out what kind of tracking needs to be added via custom dimensions, metrics, or events to uncover the answers you need.

• 47. Our analytics program is completely integrated with our customer and marketing data

  You Scored 2/2

  There are immediate optimization opportunities after completing your attribution infrastructure that may have been missed. Subsequent insights can be uncovered by testing changes in marketing tactics and observing the results on your attribution models. Ensure that any new marketing tactic is included as an input within your model.

• 48. Our optimization testing program enables us to trial and validate both simple and robust user experience changes

  You Scored 1/2

  Since you run basic A/B tests, you likely have enough evidence to justify more robust testing initiatives. Have past tests revealed ways to strengthen your digital experience or have otherwise helped your business? If not, ensure that you are running enough tests, and then evaluate future tests' focus against known friction points or pathing arteries to ensure you're capitalizing on high-value areas of the customer journey.

• 49. We test our site with browser/platform/device matrices tied to our user base

  You Scored 1/1

  You are ahead of most brands. This is considered best-in-class.

• 50. We utilize a tag manager to deploy tags, and our team is comfortable deploying or editing these tags

  You Scored 1/2

  If only a few of your companies tags are hardcoded, it's likely okay to leave them as they are until those tags require some kind of update. At this point, it makes sense to move them to the tag manager: just make sure to document that these tags exist in case a page is updated and a developer assumes that only the tag manager needs to be supported to transition all tags. Centralize all tagging requests through a single party so they can ensure that all tags are supported through a clean and consistent process, that any dataLayer requests are not redundant, and that tags are properly QAed.