We love seeing our clients win awards

Due to the pandemic, this year’s MobEx & Asia E-Commerce Awards 2021 was conducted via online event broadcast. The awards celebrate the industry’s champions for the most innovative and forward-thinking marketers in mobile & e-Commerce. We are excited to see our clients snatch the awards for their digital campaigns in the following categories:

Mob-Ex Awards 2021:
Best Use of Content – AXA Liverpool Campaign

Asia e-Commerce Awards 2021:
Best eCommerce Design – Timberland (Bronze) and D&G (Silver)
Best eCommerce Strategy – Timberland (Bronze) and D&G (Gold)
Best eCommerce Omnichannel –D&G (Gold)
Best eCommerce Leads Generation – D&G (Bronze)

Watch the awards ceremony here:

Once again, congratulations to our clients. More importantly, we are grateful for the trust and confidence of our clients who have chosen XGATE to develop their headless commerce strategy as a key transformation piece for their retail business. The future of commerce is already here and companies investing into online channels with the right business model and technology strategy will emerge as market leaders.

三大重要策略助電子商務業務轉型 並為未來作好準備

In this Master Report, XGATE proposes looking into three strategies to build a “headless commerce” architecture that will future-proof businesses as they dive into the new e-commerce reality.

社交距离及封锁措施已严重影响企业营商及消费者生活的模式,疫情令消费者转向网上消费,即使日后一切回复正常,已改变的习惯也不会消失。

事实上,这场危机已令许多大胆的企业大举投资网上渠道,而具备合适转型策略的经营者有机会成为市场领导者。在今期「Master Report」,XGATE探讨建立「无头商务」构架的三种策略,助企业为未来的崭新电子商务环境作好准备。

零售品牌正不断探索崭新的网上商店策略,面对不断提高的顾客期望,电子商务经营者的当务之急,是要了解可能遇到的潜在难题。当下众多的选择已将消费者「宠坏」,他们可以在从「被吸引」到「选择购买」这个过程中精挑细选,这无疑使得数字化在线业务竞争空前激烈。即使电子商务发展较成熟的企业,现时也面临具挑战的难题—如何吸引合适的潜在顾客消费、如何留住顾客、以及如何降低不断上升的获取顾客成本。为迎接电子商务的未来,企业必须建立一个涵盖以下特质的无缝数字旅程:

1. 能够快速部署的无头商务构架
随着付费媒体成本上升,加上市场竞争加剧,制定有效的内容策略来吸引自然流量变得十分重要。各大社交平台的品牌已采取这种内容及商务策略,例如Facebook Shops、Instagram Shopping、Taobao Live及小红书等。

然而,许多零售商正采取将前端店面与后端电子商务功能脱钩的无头商务构架,品牌可借此将内容管理、顾客档案管理、忠诚度管理、订单管理、仓库管理、甚至aPOS等不同系统与电子商务平台结合,从而选择最佳性能的构架。以下图表概述如何连接以API为基础的无头商务构架,以支持内容发布、忠诚度营销及商务营运。
API-first headless commerce architecture

品牌可运用无头商务构架迅速推行电子商务,无须花费数月,几天便可开设一家新网上商店。在竞争激烈的全球市场,上市时间一向是致胜关键。一项业务的成败,取决于市场推广人员能否将推出广告宣传的时间从数星期缩短至数日。此外,品牌亦可迅速有效地分享数字内容,有助进一步在不同接触点上,包括渐进式网络应用程序、原生应用程序、会员网站、社交应用程序及任何智能设备,发布产品、产品宣传片及社交帖文。

2. 全渠道零售体验
流动科技及社交媒体应用已改变消费者与品牌互动的方式。随着线上线下体验相融合,消费者在整个购物旅程中将透过多个接触点与品牌联系,因此品牌需要采取全渠道零售策略,当顾客浏览、进行研究、甚至购物时,产品都必须无处不在。

管理大量在线线下销售渠道涉及大量资源规划,经已是一项艰钜的任务,更遑论要管理那些渠道的产品库存。从顾客体验及营运开支角度来看,库存不足或存货过多的情况均会造成沉重的后果。因此,部署完善整合订单管理系统(OMS)及仓库管理系统(WMS)的商务构架,对支持电子商务、ERP及POS系统非常重要。

全渠道解决方案须确保所有平台的数据流保持一致、整合来自所有渠道的数据、在每个可能的接触点联系顾客、并帮助有效管理库存。事实上,未来的商务解决方案应将每个接触点的用户体验纳入为一项重点设计。相反,与传统零售及网上商店相比,缺乏以顾客为先的系统架构,是由于所设计的解决方案只着眼于不断优化各个渠道,而没有考虑整体顾客体验。

3.  忠诚度策略配合个人化生命周期营销
电子商务的激烈竞争导致品牌的平均获取顾客成本不断上升。从「光棍节」或「黑色星期五」期间的促销大减价、到网红营销推广的成本不断上升,市场推广人员正逐步改变其商务策略,加大对建立顾客忠诚度的投资。

个人化通信是品牌进行忠诚度营销的一个常用手法。在顾客生命周期的各个阶段,顾客会收到欢迎信息、生日祝贺、积分或会借到期提醒、预购邀请、独家折扣、甚至是包装小礼物。

由于后端系统已记录消费者的购物数据,因此设计个人化购物体验,并不如「购买X的人亦会购买Y」一样。因此,最重要是运用那些数据令内容管理系统、手机应用程序及社交渠道变得个人化。在不同的接触点上,品牌可以向忠实顾客送上小福利。

品牌亦可在电子商务专页上宣传额外优惠,例如消费一定金额后免费送货,或者为VIP会员提供专人客户服务,让他们可经电话、短信或通信软件直接联系。在购买过程中,透过各个接触点提供一致的体验取悦顾客。

崭新电子商务时代经已来临
企业投身电子商务的最大理由之一,是要避免因瞬息万变的零售业务环境而陷入困境(尤其在新冠疫情期间)。不同企业目前正处于不同电子商务发展阶段,一些早起步的经营者正成为其行业的主流网上企业,例如化妆品行业的Sephora、电子产品行业的苏宁、或者家居装饰产品行业的家得宝。

随着愈来愈多人以新方式在各种接触点上发掘产品资讯、阅读评论及下订单,电子商务的未来经已来临。崭新与成熟的网上品牌现正处于交汇点,评价能真正帮助业务变得灵活的可持续发展业务策略及电子商务平台选择。因此,品牌必须转向无头商务构架,以支持全渠道(在线及线下)零售营销、打造个人化体验、留住忠实顾客、并保持长远竞争优势。

零售数字化转型:从商店到全渠道
全渠道零售无须品牌无处不在,品牌只须出现在顾客所在之处。全渠道零售的最终目标,是通过在所有渠道或接触点上提供统一的购物体验,以建立一套综合营商方式。
主要业务挑战:
• 零售销售疲弱—新冠疫情及封锁措施对零售销售造成打击,尤其是奢侈品。
• 消费者行为转变—经济低迷令消费者选择价格较低的高素质高档品牌。

为应对这些挑战,D&G采取电子商务策略,通过不同接触点为消费者提供商店购物体验,同时提升零售人员为网上顾客提供客户服务的能力。
为提供独特无缝的店内及网上购物体验,品牌以无头商务构架为基础,围绕微信的核心功能开发三款小程序以满足不同需求:

1. 电子商务—用于网上销售活动

2. 会员中心—供顾客查看交易记录、会员状态、以及电子商务连接

3. 顾客服务—供零售人员管理销售商机、将顾客连接到电子商务平台、并追踪销售业绩.

此外,D&G亦开设一家360度虚拟商店,当中提供网上商店的连接。

该数字化策略能够提供全渠道顾客体验,有助留住顾客及提高销售额,改变零售业务的营运方式。销售人员可在零售店使用顾客服务功能提升电子商务平台的销售流量,数月内令新潜在顾客增加超过95%,电子商务电商小程序的销售额增加超过13%,品牌的顾客留存率亦保持在40%以上的健康水平。事实上,D&G已成功运用科技创新来打造无缝的顾客体验,并有效提高业务盈利。

This post has been written by Xen Chia from XGATE under the Master Report series of Marketing Magazine, published in the January 2021 issue.

XGATE on the importance of loyalty and personalisation

This year XGATE walked away with bronze award for CRM & Loyalty Marketing Agency of the Year at the Agency of the Year awards. At the heart of the full service digital marketing agency is its proprietary DMS suite consists of a diverse range of multi-channel marketing from mobile to email, social and web. It also has numerous tech solutions such as marketing automation, CRM and loyalty system, data management platform, social media marketing, SMS gateway and others.

Apart from CRM & loyalty management, DMS provides real-time campaign performance tracking, behaviour analytics, reporting; and act as a social CRM for leads generation and nurturing. Hence, helping its clients to engage with customers throughout the entire lifecycle journey to optimise marketing ROI and build customer loyalty to grow their lifetime value.

According to Tang Pak Kay, business development director of XGATE, “Winning this award serves as a confidence booster to our clients, knowing that XGATE is committed to working and supporting our clients in building customer retention and brand loyalty with their members and consumers.”

This interview is done as part of MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s winners and finalists’ interview series. To find out more about the awards, click here.

How has your clients’ marketing plans shifted this year?

Tang: Due to this unprecedented pandemic, many of our clients are starting to reach out to us to review and re-evaluate their marketing plans, especially in fostering a stronger relationship with their customers. We are privileged to be able to help them strategise new member recruitment and engagement solutions on various touchpoints.

What are some of the trends you see carrying on post-pandemic, and how are you readying your workforce to be ready with these trends?

Tang: Brands are starting to pay more attention and invest more resources on digital marketing strategies to engage with their customers. They see the need to offer personalised messages and promotions on multiple touchpoints to reach out to their customers and track their behaviors more religiously. The team is definitely expanding to support the increasing customer pool. At the same time, we are also doing more integrated campaigns on various platforms.

What do you think makes for great marketing these days?

Tang: Timeliness, relevance and personalisation. These are the key ingredients in achieving the marketing objectives. The right message / offer needs to reach your customers at the right time they are seeking for the particular information. Once the customer can identify and resonate with the message, that is when he/she is more open and receptive to your brand. Ultimately, personalisation – the ability to customise a particular offer that is one-of-its-kind for the customer, and creating a unique and exclusive customer experience.

How are you planning for 2021?

Tang: Year 2021 will be an exciting and busy year for us. We are expanding our marketing functions to the existing clients who are enhancing their marketing strategies; introducing more sophisticated marketing capabilities XGATE’s R&D team has developed. In addition, working with some new accounts we have won. We hope that 2021 will bring more opportunities for everyone and break new forays in the marketing landscape. We are eagerly looking forward to an exciting year ahead!

This article was adapted from Marketing Magazine.

XGATE荣获 ISO27001 认证

该认证是对XGATE致力于保护客户数据方面的充分认可。我们建立了一套系统的、持续的信息安全风险管理体系来处理公司和个人信息。

2021年2月——XGATE的数字营销服务(DMS)平台处理广泛的数据包括客户资料、交易、忠诚度积分/积分、BI数据等,我们将保护这些数据作为重中之重。XGATE一直在积极努力执行业界最严格的安全要求。在这些努力之下公司荣获了ISO/IEC 27001:2013认证——信息安全管理系统(ISMS)认证。

通过认证意味着XGATE实施了符合国际公认标准的数据安全控制、措施和政策。全球对数据隐私的关注导致许多国际立法和数据保护法律在世界各地实施,如欧盟GDPR、香港PDPO和新加坡PDPA。使用数字平台收集和广播信息的营销机构需要确保使用符合正式、全球公认流程的方法保护这些数据。新的数字时代迅速发展,新的数据安全认证方法也将很快成为处理消费者数据的公司的标准。

信息安全的全球标准是ISO/IEC 27001:2013,它包括创建综合信息安全管理系统(ISMS)的一系列要求。

ISO27001 logo

XGATE 信息管理系统总监 Harry Chan 表示:“XGATE ISMS的认证认可了XGATE在保护客户数据方面的专注于努力。我们已经建立了一套系统的、持续的信息安全风险管理体系,以处理公司和个人信息。”。

运营总监 Parry Tam 说:“ISO 认证对公司来说是一个重要的里程碑。我们不仅为团队开发和推出高质量产品提供了一个安全的流程;而且还提供了一种经验证的方法来确保服务可用性和业务连续性,以确保客户将其数据委托给我们。”

XGATE的认证是在 QAS International 完成正式审核后颁发的。有关XGATE认证的问题,请联系MIS总监 Harry Chan,他负责管理实施和监督所有ISO控制。