Completing the Replatforming Journey!
Welcome to the conclusion of my #TopperTuesday series with this being the tenth post on replatforming. It’s not everything I know, but it contains all of the highlights! From understanding what problems you are using to justify a replatform and partner selection to selling your ideas and measuring the results.
Here is a summary of my entire replatforming series:
- Lessons Learned From a Career of Replatforming
- Why Replatform? 5 Reasons Retailers Make the Change
- Platforms and Partners: 5 key points to consider when making retail replatforming choices
- Demystifying Platform Technology: Buzzwords and Jargon Never Deliver
- The Order: Why It’s the Center of the Commerce Universe
- Replatforming: How To Present Your Recommendation
- Replatforming Implementation: Time To Execute!
- Replatforming for Outcomes: Metrics That Matter! (1 of 2!)
- Metrics that Matter: My Love of Contribution Margin! (Part 2 of 2)
I have had a ton of fun doing this. If I had to summarize what amounts to 27 years (almost exactly) of replacing, implementing, and upgrading platforms at scale, I would highlight these three main points:
- Understand the business drivers of why you undertake any replatform.
Or, better yet, understand why any discretionary money is used for anything. Many of our costs are fixed, but some percent (let’s call it 5%, sometimes more, sometimes less) is for the management teams to decide how to invest. The rest of that money—the 95%—is primarily COGS, SG&A and variable marketing spend. In short: ROI capital is the best capital! In that vein, understand not only what you are solving but also how to measure its impact. Be myopically focused on the level of success of those expected outcomes. - Pick partners and platforms that fit.
Choose those that align with your direction and culture, and that address the gaps in what you are trying to solve. Be at least a little skeptical of continually trying to repeat “what worked before.” As a former boss once told me, “Whatever it took to get us where we are now won’t be the same as what gets us to our future.” Similar to the first point, focus on who you trust the most to get you to the outcomes you seek, even down to the individuals involved. - Execute like crazy and as incrementally as practical.
Don’t be afraid to change directions mid-stream, or to move people around and continually evolve on the fly. Create a “hero” culture where praise is given to people who find problems, even in their own backyard Also, avoid the blame game, especially when multiple players are involved.
My last thought is around re-platforming in general. There are a lot of industry experts out there. Some are brilliant, even if I don’t always agree with them. I often rely on their perspective.
There is a wave of behavior analysis that indicates people are “sticking with mediocrity” during these unsettling times. I am NOT being self-serving when I write this; I speak as someone who has personally been responsible for ~100 platform initiatives. Some of my biggest wins were during times of financial duress or certainty. It’s a buyers market out there now, and this won’t always be the case.
Wrapping it up
I have had a ton of fun with this series. My posts will continue, but they will be more around current industry trends and perspectives, all with the goal of making sense of the complex and helping bring outcomes to your business instead of finding technology that doesn’t move the needle.
To that end, we are offering a free assessment for anyone who might be interested. This is a great way to get additional perspectives on your thoughts and ideas, or to help you generate some new ideas!
Take a look at the framework below and please reach out if I can help in ANY way! An exercise like this is my bliss, so my feedback will be genuine and thoughtful.
Try our no-cost replatforming assessment
With my vast retail experience, I would love nothing more than to spend time with your team, whether through a live whiteboard session or virtual meetings, to discuss the current state, address key challenges, and explore hypotheses for sequencing outcome-based changes (roadmap!).
Here are a few possible questions to answer. Which of these are most important to you?
- How to measure the business the impact of change–why change?
- Overall platform assessment
- High-level architectural assessment
- What architecture matters to your business outcomes
- Ideas on how to sequence a transformational roadmap?
- What platforms or architectures could be roadblocks?
- What your end users need to serve their customers best
- How to position change to ELT’s and Boards
- Rough timelines and budget expectations for defined programs
- Watch-outs! True Tips and Tricks!
Scope: We’ll think of your CX flow from pre-sales activities, marketing, the stores and all post-sales activities, and we can focus as broad or narrow as you desire. While fabric plays primarily in the stores and post-sales space, MarTech and marketing metrics/stacks, supply chain and customer services should/could be included for a complete picture. If fabric is a potential fit, we will certainly highlight that, but this engagement is platform- and vendor-agnostic.
Cost: $0!
Schedule your replatforming assessment today
Are you ready to get started with a replatforming assessment for your company? I’m available to work around your schedule and timeline.
To schedule your no-cost, simply click here, submit your contact information, and we’ll be in touch.
Chief Customer Officer @ fabric
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