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HOW TO BECOME
A TRULY GLOBAL
ORGANIZATION
Text: Carl Miller // Photos: GRIN - Global Retail Insights Network
For retail companies in today’s digital age, being “global” is no longer a choice, but rather, an
imperative. To help retailers achieve international scale and lay the groundwork for an in-
creasingly global future, this report addresses key considerations including: how to localize,
to what degree to localize, how to structure your organization, and how to staff teams and
create processes that promote successful localization. When retailers go global, they’re faced
BUILDING YOUR DIGITAL FUTURE with structural challenges, difficult strategic decisions, and an often-understaffed interna-
tional team. In the modern age, every retailer is global from day one. Being a global organi-
zation, then, is key to success.
TAILORMADE ECOMMERCE SOLUTIONS
THAT EXCEED CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS
ature through four phases to grow your planning the company’s expansion into Asia, they specifically
global team prioritized countries where they had solid contacts.
MCompanies will typically progress through three
phases of development as they continue to expand internation- 2. Cultivating locally knowledgeable centralized country
ally, with the most mature companies ultimately graduating teams within company headquarters. The next phase of
When it comes to e-commerce, no company starts from scratch. And none of to a hybrid “glocal” or shared services approach (see Figure 1). organizational development involves assigning some degree
GRIN’s phases of org structure development include: of market-specific accountability to individuals and teams
their customers come without expectations either. That is why Intershop builds within company headquarters. (One Shanghai-based execu-
digital commerce solutions as an integral part of your business. Seamlessly 1. Assembling an informal advisory board of ‘local heroes’. tive told us that his company even encourages each team to
integrating any relevant system with ease. Enabling your company to showcase Localization is not an “all or nothing” tactic. Regardless of hang their country’s flag above their desks.) A centralized
your brands, market your products or services, improve effi ciencies, implement resources or global maturity, all organizations can take certain model allows for maximum corporate control and consist-
steps towards localizing their retail presence. Indeed, forming ency of approach, while promoting operating efficiencies by
the strategies that will grow your business, and exceed customer expectations. a group of trusted local advisors or conversing with other preventing duplication of work across teams. Additionally,
companies that are at a similar phase of development and fo- this model enables organizations to reduce overhead costs by
In this way we have engineered digital business engines for hundreds of cused on similar regions can be immensely helpful in learning laying the groundwork to leverage economies of scale.
ambitious B2B and B2C companies around the world. From global enterprises more about things like local payment preferences, fulfillment
expectations, relevant brand affinities, and media consump- 3. Building out an on-the-ground presence in well-established
to fast growing start-ups. For over 25 years. Our 100% success ratio is tion habits. One Global VP of eCommerce, for example, told or key strategic markets. As one retailer explained, “There’s
unmatched; as is the ROI we deliver. So bring your own expectations and visit Download the Intershop us that he often taps into relationships with local wholesal- a point in every business cycle where it just makes sense to
www.intershop.com. E-Commerce Report 2016 ers to obtain essential guidance on “how best to localize the open up physical offices and in country”. A decentralized ap-
site, ins and outs of customer requirements, the customer use proach, with autonomous regional management teams (CEO,
profile, and local customer expectations” when expanding CFO, Regional Operating Director, etc.) located in country,
into a new country. And when global leaders at Puma were gives local leadership the space to customize their website,
www.intershop.com
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