CIO Consult

Our Unique Interactive eCommerce Financial Model

2008-06-14T10:02:00.005+01:00

You may think these days it's pretty self-evident that companies should be trading online. But making a profit, with a good ROI in a reasonable time frame, is not a 'given'.

That's why we developed our unique interactive eCommerce financial modeller: to help clients understand what the key drivers of PROFITABLE trading online are, where the sensitivities are, and to ensure the total project is budgeted to deliver a successful outcome.

While every business has their own set of inputs, feel free to explore a 'generic' eCom model here. (Requires Flash)

Customised models can easily be built that reflect your business more accurately. These are great for formal Business Case analysis, and for project presentations to your colleagues.

Feel free to contact us to discuss how to get the best from the model, to interpret the results, or to have a custom model built for your own situation.

Is there commercial value in Web2.0?

2008-06-02T11:10:00.002+01:00

Customer reviews, ratings, forums, blogs, user generated content, video...what do all these mean for etailers?

Does any of this really drive incremental revenue?

What are the risks? - to customer perceptions of your products, or indeed to your Brand itself?

Well, CIO Consult has been invited to join a panel discussion, along with some of the leading etailers in the UK, to discuss these questions.

The discussion will be recorded, and will be available to view on line (of course! ;)).

I'll put a link in a subsequent post as soon as it's available.

The Eternal Medievel Cheese Shop of CRM

2008-05-17T10:14:00.002+01:00

I originally told this allegory to a conference on CRM back in the early days of the Internet. It was then on my original web site for many years. So many people have mentioned it to me since then that I thought I'd 'blog it' here.

There are many, many definitions of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Our favorite is described by a story about a Medieval cheese shop.

A long, long time a go, there was a cheese shop deep in the heart of England.

A certain customer always came in on Tuesday mornings, and bought a round of his favorite blue cheese.

One week, the customer didn't arrive until the afternoon of the next day. On entering, the shopkeeper greeted him, saying "I was wondering what happened to you. I put a piece of your favorite cheese aside & saved it for you."

That simple story encapsulates so much about the value of CRM. The customer felt valued, appreciated, understood, and special. Why would he ever go to another cheese shop!

The challenge for today's retailers is to replicate that level of service, when you are dealing with tens of thousands, or even millions of customers.

Technology alone can't provide the solution. But technology can enable your company to become customer-centric, and deliver this level of service.

Mark Lewis

2008-05-17T07:42:00.008+01:00

Mark Lewis - founder & CEO, started CIO Consult in 2003, to help companies select, deploy, and maximise benefit from the ever growing panoply of eCommerce technologies and options, and to ensure that these initiatives really do support the business's strategic objectives.

Mark has an extensive background in technology and retail management. Born into a retailing family, he later built a 12-store chain of fashion and outdoor clothing stores, before selling this and becoming IT Director of a new retail venture from the creator of River Island.

It was in this role, in 1998, that Mark launched his first eCommerce business – an award winning site that had customer facing functionality years ahead of its competition, but which came in on time (10 weeks, from standing start to go live) and budget.

After a period as a senior manager in a £9m technology start-up, Mark was invited by the CEO of River Island to assist them with their first eCommerce venture. Thus began CIO Consult.

Mark is also a Senior Associate at Biglight, where he has worked on eCommerce projects for New Look, Blacks Leisure Group, Firetrap, Abel & Cole, and others.

Mark has a bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Miami, where he majored in Music Theory & Composition, and minored in Jazz Piano Performance. He still plays & writes – when he has the time!

Contact Us

2008-05-16T14:18:00.004+01:00

We help with many types of project, large & small, and would be delighted to discuss your project with you.

If you'd like to talk to us about how we may be able to help your eCommerce project, please contact Mark Lewis on +44 (0)208 991 8906 or email mark at cioconsult.co.uk

Clients

2008-05-16T12:22:00.012+01:00

Launching an online channel in a matter of weeks, CIO Consult helped River Island deliver their vision for online trading.

Ensuring the online channel delivered true incremental profit, as well as promoting the brand, CIO Consult helped Oasis launch their online business.

CIO Consult helped Healthy Direct move to a second-generation platform that could support their requirements for advanced functionality & ongoing customisation.

CIO Consult is helping HQ Hair, a 'Fast-Track 100' online retailer move to a second-generation platform.

When Berry Brothers & Rudd needed to specify their next-generation eCommerce proposition, CIO Consult helped them understand what was possible, practicable, & profitable.

A true 'multi-channel' project, with sales viewable in store on the tills, and visa-versa, for a full 360 ° customer view .

CIO Consult is helping Digital Stores move to a second-generation platform.

CIO Consult assisted Bauer Consumer Media (the no.1 consumer magazine publisher in the UK) with the merchandise platform to support their new online eCommerce project.

CIO Consult helped Hewlett Packard manage their retail channel strategy for ink products.

After an $80m+ refurbishement of their Palm Beach hotel, Ritz Carlton came to C Consult for their re-launch.

CIO Consult developed & deployed a new corporate site for The Lewis Trust Group.

CIO Consult developed & deployed a new site for Westmark Developements.

Why Choose CIO Consult?

2008-05-16T12:05:00.003+01:00

Why choose CIO Consult?

Over 10 years experience in eCommerce
Over 20 years experience in retail - end-to-end: supply chain, logistics, customer service, as well as the technology to deliver it all
Detailed knowledge of virtually all the platforms/vendors
Complete Independence - no 'deals with' or obligations to any of them
Having launched so many trading sites, know the pitfalls - and how to avoid them

CIO Consult

2008-05-16T10:55:00.005+01:00

CIO Consult is a specialist eCommerce consulting company, with deep experience in retail, etail, and technology development.

Where we can help:

Understand what's possible, & document your requirements
Manage the tender process & vendor/platform selection
Project Management through to successful implementation

Clients for whom we've done some or all of the above include:

River Island (http://www.riverisland.com/)
Oasis Stores/Mosaic Group (http://www.oasis-stores.co.uk/)
Healthy Direct (http://www.healthydirect.com/)
HQ Hair (http://www.hqhair.com/)
Berry Brothers & Rudd (http://www.bbr.com/)
Digital Stores (http://www.digitalstores.co.uk/)
Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com)

Why chose CIO Consult?

Over 10 years experience in eCommerce
Over 20 years experience in retail - end-to-end: supply chain, logistics, customer service, as well as the technology to deliver it all
Detailed knowledge of virtually all the platforms/vendors
Complete Independence - no 'deals with' or obligations to any of them
Having launched so many trading sites, know the pitfalls - and how to avoid them

To find out more, contact Mark Lewis (mark at cioconsult.co.uk) on +44 (0)208 991 8906

Labels: eCommerce retail technology consultant