Later<\/em>) <\/h3>\n\n\n\nEstablishing a Stable Channel for Revenue <\/h4>\n\n\n\n Profitability is as rewarding to achieve as it is crucial to your company’s health. Not only are you concerned about it as a head of your department, but your C-suite is also focused on optimizing the business for profitability. With all the ways search can generate a short-term gain, it is a natural trajectory for it to become a stable channel for both new and recurring revenue. Since it is a tool focused on increasing conversions of high-value products and services, search technology points your prospects in the desired direction and promises a strong ROI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weathering Future Disruptions in the Market <\/h4>\n\n\n\n The sad reality is that\u00a0pandemics, worker shortages, war, climate change, fuel costs, and inflation\u00a0are all factors that greatly influence how you conduct business, the talent and tools you gain and retain, and the purchases your consumers make. For modern-day businesses, pivots aren\u2019t a one-time occurrence. They will happen again and again. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that companies need to prepare ahead of time, so they can adapt to endure when the next hardship inevitably surfaces. With agile inventory updates and comprehensive product information, an advanced site search solution provides an exceptional product discovery experience and improves customer loyalty, helping companies remain profitable in uncertain times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we all have learned over the past two and a half years, it is simple to ditch digital strategy until it becomes necessary, but it\u2019s hard to pick back up if you leave it behind. Digital transformation isn\u2019t only about your brand\u2019s online presence; it should permeate every aspect of your business from sales processes and marketing workflows to \u2014 you\u2019ve guessed it \u2014 product discovery. Although algorithms have advanced exponentially, locating products or services online is the same as it was 20 years ago in many ways. When it comes to finding relevant information, the consumer ultimately takes on a lot of responsibility to locate what they need or want. This makes product search a necessary ecommerce investment, especially if your brand is set on building a successful, long-lasting digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Making the Argument for Your Company\u2019s Future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Now that we\u2019ve made the argument for site search, it\u2019s your turn to do the same. Sure, it would be incredible to stumble upon a new digital solution, mention it once during a Zoom call, and get instant approval to invest, but let\u2019s be realistic. Since you know that search can provide true value to your business, it\u2019s up to you<\/em> to champion the solution to the stakeholders and implementation experts involved in the decision-making process. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThese colleagues will not always understand the value right off the bat, and you\u2019ll need to build a solid case for buy-in. First, you will need to argue that search is the right investment for your company at this time. Then, you\u2019ll have to narrow it down to a single vendor, while understanding what site search tools cost. Finally, you must answer the following question for key decision makers: Why this solution, and not another competitor?<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\nEven though the ball is in your court, we don\u2019t want you to go into the big game unprepared \u2014 or even alone. After all, planning and preparation will be a huge factor in taking your search solution of choice from ideation to implementation. Here are three checklists we\u2019ve prepared to help you to make the argument for product search as your next ecommerce innovation project:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CTO or CIO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n The\u00a0Chief Technology Officer (CTO)\u00a0or Chief Information Officer (CIO) will likely not have the same asks as some other members of your C-suite. Their focus will be on the implementation of the tool, as well as regular maintenance and security precautions. Even though they might not hold financial control, they are one of your main influencers on the project and could possibly be your most difficult to convince since they\u2019re thinking about the entire digital transformation \u2014 as opposed to search as just a single application or CX improvement.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To help them see the big picture, you\u2019ll need to have this information ready for your next meeting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nMake sure the search tool is integration agnostic, so it will work well with the rest of the business\u2019 tech stack (i.e., SaaS, API-first architecture that allows for composability)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\nGather the \u201cTotal Cost of Ownership\u201d (i.e., licensing costs, costs to maintain, and costs to upgrade) of the tool to ensure it suits Engineering or IT\u2019s criteria and\/or budget<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\nJot down everything about the site performance and speed of the chosen search solution (remember, this ultimate IT metric centers around on-site performance, speed, and uptime)<\/li>\n\n\n\n Ensure that the search solution is \u201cdeveloper-efficient\u201d (i.e., fewer requests from colleagues and the business, faster time to live)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nCFO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Many people think of CFOs as faithful to archaic processes and out of the loop with the latest technology, but they are just as aware of the need to digitally transform as any other leader of your C-suite. Still, you won\u2019t have to worry as much about the technical aspects of your purchase with the CFO as you did with the CTO or CIO. They\u2019ll be more concerned with the cost of the tool fitting into the department budget and the potential revenue that it could return. Because of labor costs, however, the CFO could also show interest in a sensible implementation timeline. Once they understand the ROI that a search tool can provide, we\u2019re sure they\u2019ll be completely satisfied with your decision to move forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s still important to prepare these items below to further demonstrate the value of a site search solution:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nNail down all the overall costs of a search tool (i.e., licensing fees, costs of API capacity, maintenance and update fees, and additional costs for training or customer support)<\/li>\n\n\n\n Have a proper grasp on the ROI of a search solution and consider highlighting vital metrics, like revenue, RPV, and efficiency<\/li>\n\n\n\n Make sure that the search tool is scalable to accompany business growth and can support a larger product catalog to avoid vendor churn, costs of evaluating a new tool, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n