Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be the key element of the platform that a retailer will choose regardless of size to be the core of its e-commerce activity as according to Iason Kataropoulos, Chief Commercial Officer of ATCOM, there is the future .
To that end, the company recently launched the A-commerce platform, which with AI at its core, helps businesses get started quickly with a full suite of Omnichannel-level operations and ensure the success of their investment in long-term future.
You recently launched a new e-commerce platform. So tell us about it, what is A-commerce?
A-commerce is ATCOM’s new platform for Omnichannel Commerce, which offers complete solutions from the web to mobile and from the online store to the physical. This is the new generation of our software for the commerce industry, on which retailers can build all their e-commerce activity. It is the culmination of our 22-year experience, both in the development of CMS and e-commerce platforms, and in the field of commerce, through our cooperation with the largest players in the Greek – and not only – market.
A-commerce helps businesses get started quickly with a complete built-in suite of features, while allowing further expansion based on their niche needs, through custom development and integrations. With AI at its core, A-commerce is based on the foundations of stability, scalability, speed and security. At the same time, as a cloud-native, it has a flexible and durable infrastructure, which ensures that the retailer investment will be successful in the long run – what we call “future-proof”.
It has a built-in SDK for native mobile applications, advanced functionalities at the level of Customer Experience and Unified Commerce, Content personalization but also Consent Management, Reporting and Content Management mechanisms – the list is long and is constantly enriched.
A new feature that we are very proud of, is Merchandising, which, through strategic placement and promotion of the store’s products, helps to turn e-shop visitors into customers as well as to serve valuable commercial agreements. Simply put, it has all the services and functionality that a retailer needs to operate, today and tomorrow, on one platform.
Who is the new platform aimed at? Is there a specific target either in terms of company size or, possibly, the industry?
A-commerce is a platform that we believe is suitable for everyone, regardless of size or industry, and this results from the unprecedented flexibility that characterizes it.
In other words, it is the right choice for all organizations, whether they are mega retailers or smaller stores, for digitally “experienced” companies looking for the new platform and the partner that will lead them to the future or for companies that are now going through their first steps in e-business.
A-commerce is also a platform accessible to all, and this is evident in its pricing model, which has a value-based character. In this way, we give the opportunity to retailers of all financial possibilities, to enjoy the services of A-commerce, in their entirety and without restrictions!
Recently, with the rise of e-commerce, the debate over data protection and transaction security is intensifying. Is the Privacy & Security area important to you and to A-commerce? And if so, in what way?
It is true that the more e-commerce prevails and spreads, the stronger the need for protection and security – of data, of privacy, of transactions.
It is the duty of retailers to respect the privacy of their customers and to ensure that their sensitive data is not leaked, shared or kept secure.
But this becomes more and more difficult when third-party applications for e-commerce services come into play in areas such as Recommendation, Personalization or Product Ratings & Reviews.
Data sharing is a real risk arising from the use of such third parties and certainly does not favor the protection of their privacy.
For us, the Privacy & Security area is of particular importance, which is why it was our main concern in creating A-commerce. The solution we provide is the integration of all services around e-commerce, in a single platform.
This means that there is no longer a risk of sharing or leaking personal data – and that our partners keep their own clients’ data in their own systems. This is something we intend to further strengthen in the near future.
The strategic cooperation of a company with a key provider has many important advantages, but in theory it also creates a relationship of potential dependence. What is your opinion on this?
It is understandable, to some extent, the agony of a company to maintain its independence, to have control in its hands. However, I would like to make it clear that this concern comes from a wrong basis and is therefore not valid. And I will explain why.
First of all, no matter how technologically advanced, innovative and accessible a platform may be, it certainly cannot function on its own. It needs people who have deep expertise and knowledge on the one hand of the platform itself, on the other hand of the company and, at the same time, of the whole industry. This combination can only be achieved when the organization joins forces with the specialist provider.
So if the company wants to reach 100% of its potential, and stay there in the future, choosing a provider as a strategic partner is the only way – and that’s not a bad thing at all.
Therefore, instead of companies consuming the so-called “vendor lock-in”, putting the same brakes on their full growth and flourishing by canceling options, they could embrace building trust with their e-commerce provider and implementer.
Even at the level of technology, the logic of Open Source found as USP on other platforms gives only an illusion of “freedom”, in our opinion.
In contrast, A-commerce is based on well-known technologies, uses Open Source platforms such as Microsoft .NET Core, and is cloud-native, thus ensuring interoperability and portability – thus dispelling the myth of vendor lock-in .
So what would you advise a retailer who is looking for the platform that will be the source of his e-commerce activity?
As far as the platform is concerned, I believe that Artificial Intelligence should be an integral part of it. Regardless of whether the retailer has AI at the moment in its strategy, this should be a key element of the platform it will choose, simply because that is where the future lies.
Next, it is important that the platform covers all aspects of its e-commerce operation, through a wide range of services. And to provide all these services out of the box, without hidden costs and extra charges.
Finally, I would advise him to realize that the choice of platform is inextricably linked to the choice of partner, and this is something he should not be afraid of. The magic recipe for success is hidden in the combination of an excellent platform, with an excellent partner!
Source: Capital
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