Michael Scharff, CEO, Evolv Technologies
For most retailers and ecommerce companies worldwide, the concept of code freeze is a way of life.
Code freeze refers to a period during which a company will not make any changes to its production environments. It also often extends to the deployment of new technology and applications. Retailers are especially protective during the holiday season and the months leading up to it. They often have strict policies not to introduce any new technology or make changes to their websites and mobile apps.
The motivation behind such draconian policies stems from the desire to maintain bulletproof environments as they approach the busiest time of the year. At face value, this approach makes sense and seems rooted in sound business practices. But the world, especially the digital world, faces constant changes coming from within companies and markets.
When building digital experiences, retailers must make complex choices to convert visitors. Those choices can include visual design considerations, site navigation, page prioritization, copywriting, search functionality, and everything else that goes into the experience’s look and feel. The ideal experience changes over time as competitors launch promotions, product offerings change, consumer preferences shift, or societal behavior, as seen with COVID-19 protocols, completely turns upside down delivery models and even transforms the audience segmentation.
The concerns about public safety and lockdowns have translated to a rise in online shopping. Many websites popular with millennials and Gen Xers. are now having to appeal to baby boomers as well. With many countries heading back into more restrictions, retailers need to pivot again. While COVID-19 has resulted in a particularly acute situation, it exposes a systemic challenge. The dynamic nature of markets and consumer behaviors has created a need to adapt and change quickly, which directly contradicts the code freeze mentality.
Avoid code freezes and remain nimble
The code freeze mentality must go. Retailers need to ensure they can remain nimble and react at a moment’s notice to stay competitive and perhaps even relevant. Many retailers have used the second half of 2020 to transform their business with a heavy investment in their digital channels. Many have been able to realize an omnichannel experience and in the process, grow. These companies have reset the expectations that many consumers have when it comes to the retail experience. In many ways, the marketplace has set a new standard, determining where consumers will spend their money this holiday season and beyond.
Retailers and ecommerce companies need to consider how to learn and react to external factors continuously and what visitors and customers are doing. Few companies have implemented analytics and intelligence to detect changing patterns and the ability to implement adjustments quickly. Most of the testing and experimentation tools used to improve websites and mobile applications take months to implement. Tests also take months to complete and produce results, which are often inconclusive. This further feeds the reasoning that causes many retailers to adhere to code freeze periods and why environments stay as-is for months. This leads to an existential question: How prepared are retailers and how quickly can they adjust if need be?
The world of technology has changed dramatically and there are many ways to introduce new capabilities without the dreaded fear of breaking an environment. Customer experience and how to optimize it is the most important element any retailer must consider. Optimization means having the ability to react as patterns change and quickly determine ways to serve a better experience. A growing number of retailers have recognized their limitations and are deploying non-disruptive technology solutions. These solutions can be implemented quickly and can deliver meaningful results in days, not months. Increasingly these solutions are driven with artificial intelligence (AI).
AI has an uncanny way of cutting through data and, without any bias or prejudice, surfacing answers to questions that humans may not consider. Using AI’s power in this context enables retailers to continually optimize their customer experience, even in the face of nearly endless possibilities and amid a backdrop of constant change. AI can be instrumental in finding the best experiences that drive results. With intelligent solutions in place, retailers can stay nimble, deliver smart and relevant customer experiences, and break the code freeze mentality. By doing so, they can more confidently achieve their revenue goals during the holiday season and every month after that.