eis_b2bonline_paulwlodarczyk_world-class-product-data_2015-04-27

Copyright © 2015 Earley Information Science1 Copyright © 2015 Earley Information Science.

World Class Customer Experience Requires World Class Product Data

May 2015

Paul WlodarczykVP & Practice LeaderIndustrial SolutionsEarley Information Science

Copyright © 2015 Earley Information Science2

In a brand name, keyword-driven world where search results drive leads directly to company websites, a B2B company must deliver a compelling e-Commerce experience on its own website.– Andy Hoar, Forrester Research,

February 2014


How do we define a compelling B2B digital experience?


What defines a compelling B2B digital experience?

SEO:

Expose Product &

Attributes to Web Search to drive lead generation


What defines a compelling B2B digital experience?

Site Search

Pricing

Availability

Crossrefs

Filter

Compare

Downloads

Images

Order


What is a compelling e-Commerce experience?

Product ID

Breadcrumb

Pricing

Availability

Details

Crossrefs

Downloads

Images

Related Items

Order


How does the average B2B digital experience rate?


Most B2B Digital Experiences Don’t Deliver

We hear the same stories time and time again:

B2B Customers:• “Can’t find it in Google”• “Can’t find anything” on website

– searching or browsing• Can’t filter on product attributes• Can’t compare products• Can’t transact on-line


Most B2B Publishing Processes Don’t Deliver

We hear the same stories time and time again:

Digital marketers:• Takes too long to on-board products to digital channel• Not all products are on-line• Can’t relate products – “even flashlights and batteries”• Can’t connect stories to products• Stale or incorrect data• Duplicated data


The majority of B2B companies are still in the process of deciding how much and how quickly to invest in Digital.

As a result, they are running on legacy platforms, scant product data, and largely manual publishing processes.

Getting Ready Base Capability Infrastructure In Place

Best in Class

Time →

Num

ber o

f Com

pani

es →

B2B Digital Maturity

B2B Digital Capability Maturity Lags B2C

Brand or “Brochure”

Site

Catalog Site on Legacy Platform

Catalog Site on Digital Platform

Integrated Commerce

& Marketing


Which came first?

• In most cases, the Chicken came first: Companies generate product data using legacy systems and processes that weren’t purpose-built for the digital channel– Technical publishing of datasheets,

brochures, print catalogs– Warehouse management or e-procurement

systems– Corporate marketing websites

• As a result, product data is “low resolution” – does not have the rich attributes needed to power a modern digital experience

Process Capability

Product Data


Awareness• Product attributes &

cross-references are “SEO friendly” – available for web search to drive traffic to site

• Brand story reinforced throughout the experience including product detail pages

• Customer terminology used in product content, search & navigation

Consideration• Product attributes

support search, filtering, compare for customer product research

• Base products relate product variants for easy navigation, search

• Pricing - ideally specific to buyer’s organization

• Availability, lead time, MOQ, and samples

Decision• Purchase on-line -

directly or through a channel partner

• Product relationships enable up-sell & cross-sell recommendations

• Multi-channel:• Purchase on-line• Direct off-line sales• Distributor sales• e-Procurement• Print catalog

Customer’s Product Research & Purchase Process

Wor

ld-C

lass

B2B

Dig

ital E

xper

ienc

eRich product data enables a World-class end-to-end Customer Experience


How good is your Product Digital Experience?

• Are fewer than 90% of your eligible products online?

• Does “N/A” show up frequently in product attributes?

• Are your products findable in web search, site search, or distributor site searches?

• Can customers use product attributes to filter search?

• Do you expose the attributes your customers need for researching and completing purchases?

• Do your product categories read like your org chart?

• Do you display relevant related products for up-sell & cross-sell?


World-

class

CommerceWorld-class

Digital Experience

World-class Search & SEO

Product Thesaurus, Relationships, & Cross References

Normalized Product Attributes & Attribute Data Fill

Product Category & Attribute Design

Thoughtful Product Taxonomy is the Foundation of World Class B2B Digital Experience


Our web platform was state-of-the-art but our taxonomy and product data hadn’t been properly managed. So, despite our hard work and investment, we had a garbage-in, garbage-out situation. –VP Engineering Systems,

$15B Electronic Component Manufacturer

What people are saying about Product Taxonomy


We spent millions upgrading technology …. Looking back, I’d get the taxonomy right from the beginning. — Chief Marketing Officer

$8B Scientific Equipment Maker

When we fixed the taxonomy, search finally worked! — CIO of S&P 500 Manufacturer

We solve this problem every 18 months.— VP Product Management, High-tech Manufacturer

What people are saying about Product Taxonomy


Assess & Diagnose• Core Issues• Goals &

Gaps• Baseline &

KPIs

Quick Wins & Pilot• Leading

Category• Taxonomy

Quick Wins• UX Quick

Wins• Search Quick

Wins

Design & Implement Categories• Collection &

Display Taxonomies

• Cleaner leaf-node categories

• Style & labeling guidelines

Design & Implement Attributes• Normalize• Implement

schema• Style

guidelines• Attribute Fill

Governance Deployment• Prevent drift• Accommodate

portfolio growth

• Clarify roles, policies, structure

The Pathway to World Class Product Data

Get it right Optimize Product Categories & Attributes for the Digital Channel

Keep it rightMeasurable, Sustainable, Repeatable & Scalable Governance & Operations


Assess & Diagnose Product Taxonomy

Your Company

Competitor 1

Competitor 2

Supplier 1

Supplier 2

Use standard heuristic measures to asses the effectiveness and “fit to purpose” of the current Product Taxonomy & Attributes in the context of the Search and Navigation user experience.


Quick Win Example: Product Page UX Redesign

• Clearer Product Information– Product name / ID– Image– Pricing / availability– Key product facts

• Clearer “Calls to action”– Purchase– Click to chat/call– Order samples– Downloads

• Clearer Refinement

Example Results:• 43% Increase: Click-thru Rate • 45% Increase: Downloads• 27% Increase: Time on Page• 10% Decrease: Bounce Rate• 17% Increase: Searches with

Refinement


Simplify taxonomy by moving “nodes” to attributes. • Focus on “is-ness” categories• Board-to-board/Wire-to-

board and Orientation are attributes

Product Categories – “attribute stuffing”

Printed Circuit Board Connectors >Board-to-Board Connectors

>Horizontal>Receptacles

>Right Angle>Headers>Receptacles

>Vertical>Headers>Receptacles

>Wire-to-Board Connectors>Headers>Receptacles

>Housings>Contacts>PCB Connector Accessories

>Covers>Keying Plugs>Locking & Retention>Post Hoods & Shunts>Shrouding>More Accessories

Printed Circuit Board Connectors >Headers>Receptacles>Housings>Contacts>PCB Connector Accessories

>Covers>Keying Plugs>Locking & Retention>Post Hoods & Shunts>Shrouding>More Accessories

Attrib

utes

AfterBefore


Attribute Style Guidelines

Preferred: Phosphor Bronze (20,478 search results)

Non-Preferred (search results):Phosphor Bronze Alloy (79)Phosphor-Bronze (20,478)Phos Bronze (83)Phos-Bronze (81)Phos Bronze Alloy (1080)Phospher Bronze (1)

Style Guidelines assure that the taxonomy can grow and evolve in a controlled fashion and continue to work effectively for On-boarding, Search & Navigation.


Attribute Normalization

After assigning products to the new category structure, normalize attribute values looking across the legacy product data.• Consistent formats• Fill missing values• Apply style

guidelines


Competitive / Distributor Attribute Research

Candidates

Item Count

Your Company Company 2 Company 3 Company 5Company 4


Governance: Keeping it Right

Governance is essential to maintaining the quality of a newly-minted “digital-ready” product taxonomy• Stakeholders must be active participants

(merchandising, web team, product teams)• Search analytics and market-facing research must drive

routine updates to taxonomy and attributes• Minor changes managed through operations; major

changes (overhauls) approved through governance• Impact analysis informs decisions• Technology assures syndication of updates to al

consuming systems


Impact of an Updated Product Taxonomy

• >20% increase in SEO travel traffic• >20% increase in SEO page entries• >40% increase in product search click-through (CTR)• >40% increase in product detail page conversions• >20% increase in website usability customer satisfaction• Radically increase the pace of item on-boarding• Reduce or eliminate on-boarding backlog


Questions?


Information Architects for the Digital Age

Specializing in making information more findable, useable, and valuable to drive digital commerce innovation, enhance customer experience, and improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.

.

Earley Information Science

Founded – 1994 Headquarters – Boston, MA

www.earley.com

Paul WlodarczykVP, Practice Leader

[email protected]

eis_b2bonline_paulwlodarczyk_world-class-product-data_2015-04-27

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