Sarah Gallagher

Stay engaged in the ecommerce ecosystem. Each platform has its own set of providers and technologies are constantly evolving. Read newsletters, go to conferences, develop your own point of view on which tools and platforms are right for which types of businesses. Stay curious - don't be afraid to ask questions when you meet someone doing something new in the space. It's a chance to broaden your knowledge, skill set and network!

You can almost skip past doing your own data analysis if you use AI driven personalization and recommendation tools that analyze customer behavior in real time and share 1:1 recommendations based on their views. These tools can eliminate brand bias (but, of course, can also be trained to show prioritized products or categories - or not to show sale items, for example) and show products that truly resonate with each individual customer based on what they've already viewed and how they've interacted with your site.

TRULY hearing your customers can be your secret weapon when you're working with a challenging client. Here's why: 1. It shows respect: By giving your full attention, you're telling customers their concerns matter. 2. It uncovers the real issues: Often, what customers say isn't the whole story. Active listening helps you read between the lines. 3. It builds trust: When customers feel heard, they're more likely to see your side of things as well. Pro tips: 1. Don't interrupt - let them finish their thoughts. 2. Summarize what you heard - "So, if I understand correctly..." 3. Ask clarifying questions - dig deeper to get to the root of the problem. 4. Use empathetic language - "I can see why that would be frustrating."

As an agency, we work with technology partners to identify opportunities for training. We block time monthly for in-person tech partner trainings with our team, usually as a virtual lunch and learn format. When our tech partners offer learning academies or new courses, we schedule time for our team to go through certification courses or sessions using our project management tool so that we can track completion and add new courses as they become available.

Set routines but also don't be afraid to break them! Sometimes, moving out of the home office and working from a coworking space or neighborhood coffee shop can mix up your day in a way that leaves you feeling more inspired and productive than if you'd stuck to your everyday routine. Calendar time blocking is helpful for recurring tasks and meetings - can you block internal meetings on the same day? Build in blocks of time for deep work? Plan out the big goals you're working towards and make sure you have the time reserved to work on them so you don't always get pulled into slack and email and lose the big picture.

The fun in e-commerce is that the industry is constantly changing. It can be easy to fall into a rabbit hole chasing the latest app, trend or customer trend, but it's important to stay focused on big picture goals while giving yourself time to learn, grow, test new things and find what's winning. How? Block windows of time in your calendar to meet new tech partners, read industry news, identify trends and tech worth trying and run small tests to determine what's promising and where you can invest more time and budget.