[Fashion] - 4 tips to make payments easier and more secure in Europe and the US
For fashion brands, the European and United States markets are strategically very important. But there are some risks when it comes to payments, especially with department stores and e-commerce sites. Anke Glaser, General Manager of Webhelp Payment Services for Central Europe, offers some advice.
1. Fashion brands should make the most of the momentum driven by departments stores and e-commerce sites
Over the last 2 or 3 years – and especially since the health crisis – online sales have really flourished in the fashion industry, both in Europe and in the United States. This growth is mainly due to department stores, which already have a digital strategy, and e-commerce platforms.
This trend is explained by companies investing more and more in digital technology generally – in England, spending on websites and online sales platforms went up by 30% in one year. In the United States, department stores can account for up to 70% of suppliers’ turnover. We can also see this trend in Spain where the leading Spanish department store has made its digital development a major focus in its development strategy.
We therefore recommend taking full advantage of this momentum, driven by departments stores and e-commerce sites, because we think it’s one that is going to last!
However, while digital strategies are undeniably seeing a surge, we remain convinced that the physical component is still vital, and that the crisis will lead to an offering that combines human and digital solutions.
2. Protect yourself against the problem of deductions
Brands have to comply with the conditions imposed by department stores and e-commerce platforms, which generally have very strict rules, at the risk of having to deal with chargebacks. In practice, whichever country you’re in, department stores and platforms rarely make a payment for just one invoice. Usually, they send us a payment advice: a document summarising all the invoices to be paid. Added to these are debit notes or chargebacks that are deducted from the payments. For a brand, it is important to be aware that these practices, which can be for many different reasons, are widespread.
Webhelp Payment Services manages debit notes directly for department stores and platforms. We check them, as agreed with the brand, and if the deductions are not totally justified, we dispute them with the department store or the platform. Our regular contact with the stores and platforms means that we can speed up the processes and so resolve any disputes faster.
Every year, this work by our experts, dedicated exclusively to managing these key accounts, helps our clients’ brands recover substantial amounts of money, as well as giving them a clear overview of the buyer’s current situation.
The benefit: if the Order to Cash process is under control, those involved in distribution generally pay on time.
3. Know how to manage the complexity of accounting documents for department stores and e-commerce platforms and avoid mistakes
Each season, brands receive documents with a lot of items to reconcile, from department stores and platforms. This involves a considerable amount of work for their accountants!
We have developed a specific reconciliation and comparison tool for documents that come from department stores and platforms. It makes the accounts much easier to understand, and means we can analyse the source of chargebacks.
Our dedicated customer platform allows clients to find all the information and all the payments in one place. It is here, for example, that any deductions will be clearly shown. This document provides a good basis for the interaction between us, the brand, and the department store or e-commerce platform.
4. Digitise your data exchanges
The relationship between department stores, platforms, and sellers is also going digital. Implementing this digital process is really useful when it comes to optimising your cash flow with these different stakeholders. Indeed, in addition to the speed of transmission via EDI, it also means that you can check to make sure that invoices have been received, and act promptly if the invoice is rejected or incomplete. This means we can reduce delays to invoice payments, but also lots of chargebacks that might not be due.
We are currently working on setting up EDI with the many department stores and e-platforms so that we can offer our clients simple, unique access, whilst also relieving them of the technical work specific to each buyer. Why not take advantage of it?
With 35 years of experience in fashion and luxury, Webhelp Payment Services can be both a personal advisor and a facilitator, not only for department stores and e-commerce platforms, but also for retail distribution. We are currently working with 400 ready-to-wear brands with a network of 35,000 stores in Europe and the United States.
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WebHEALTH Kilometer Challenge - Mind, Body, Planet
For the second year of many more to come, Webhelpers across the globe reunite for the annual Kilometer Challenge.
The first edition was an immense success in terms of participation and going beyond expectations, coupled with raising funds and awareness.
This September we’ve not only set the bar higher, with close to 1500 passionate game-changers taking on the challenge of covering 150.000 kilometers in 30 days, but we again do so for a cause worth making an impact for.
Doing more for the environment with our Kilometer Challenge
As a purpose-driven company, our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy is key in bringing our vision of making business more human, come to life. Throughout the year, many of our teams engage in activities around our four pillars of People, Planet, Progress, and Philanthropy, while as a business we continuously invest in initiatives to make a positive contribution.
For this year’s Kilometer Challenge, we’re encouraging our participants to not only work on their mind and body, but also take care of our planet, by plogging their kilometers.
The term plogging comes from Sweden’s Ploka and jogging, where people were keen to make a difference by combining their jogging with picking up litter: particularly waste that can’t degrade naturally and poses a threat to the environment such as plastics and metals. Although consciousness and the threat of waste and plastics has particularly been rising across the world, we still have a long way to go. According to the UN, in just one lifetime the amount of plastics produced has exploded massively, with over 56% of the volume produced in the 21st century. While some plastics are used for long periods of time, about 40% of products are discarded within a month leading to about 300 tons of plastic waste yearly, of which only 10% is recycled today, more than half ends up as waste in landfills or nature.
At Webhelp we regularly undertake actions to make a positive impact, beyond our recycling efforts and reduction of plastic consumption. Over the past summer, our WebHEALTH running club which reunites running enthusiasts from all over the Webhelp world, plogged their way through Plastic Free July. On World Environment Day, 25 Algerian Webhelp volunteers paired up with an association for kids with Down syndrome to plant trees and clean over 1000m2 of forest. And with the Kilometer Challenge we are stepping up our efforts to make a positive impact for our planet.
We’re strong believers that even the smallest effort can have a snowball effect, so we’re calling our Kilometer Challenge participants, but also our supporters and partners to raise awareness and take action. Alone we can do a lot, together we can do so much more!
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Webhelp installs community defibrillator in Dunoon
Webhelp has installed a community defibrillator in Dunoon as part of an initiative to install Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) on all of its UK sites.
The crucial piece of life-saving equipment has been made available in the event of an emergency outside Webhelp’s Caledonia House office which is next to Sandbank Primary School. Anthony Sinclair, Director of Resilience and Property, explains:
“As a business focused on putting our people first, our health and safety strategy isn’t just about protecting our colleagues, but the communities we’re part of as well. To help safeguard our colleagues and indeed the communities where we work, Webhelp is installing AEDs at a number of our UK sites, including one in Dunoon which comes with paediatric pads. All of the sites were chosen where there are currently no AEDs registered on the national circuit near these locations, so by installing publically accessible AEDs on the exterior of our buildings, we feel we can help make a difference the wider community.”
Installation of the Dunoon defibrillator was complete on 31st of August 2021 and joining the free training on the day, delivered by Webhelp’s Health and Safety Manager, Craig Rooney, were first aiders from Sandbank Primary School. Head Teacher, Jamie Houston commented:
“When we were contacted by Craig, we didn’t hesitate to get involved. We are delighted that this life-saving equipment has been made available to us. We can’t thank Craig and the Webhelp team enough for the training provided.”
The Caledonia House defibrillator comes with an additional set of Paediatric Pads designed for use on children between one and eight years old, or under 25kg/55lbs in weight is registered with the Scottish Ambulance Service and will be available 24/7 meaning even when the Webhelp building is closed, it will be accessible.
According to the British Heart Foundation, around 30,000 people in Britain every year suffer from sudden cardiac arrest in the community, and when an AED is used within 3-5 minutes of a cardiac arrest, the survival rate increases significantly from 7% to 64%.
As part of Webhelp’s Health and Safety strategy, refresher defibrillator training is underway with trained first aiders across their UK sites.
Webhelp Romania names a new Chief Executive Officer
Bucharest, September 1st 2021
Răzvan Pătrunoiu has been appointed country managing director of the local subsidiary of Webhelp. From his current position, Răzvan will manage Webhelp’s four offices in Romania, with a team of 2300 people across Bucharest, Ploiesti, Galati and Iasi. He is taking over from Raluca Leonte, who held the position since March 2017, and has moved on to the position of Head of Global Delivery and Transformation for Webhelp, joining the group’s executive committee.
“I am excited to join such a great company. Webhelp has been very successful in changing the rules of the game for customer journeys, driven by our vision of making business more human, and I am certainly looking forward to developing Webhelp Romania further.”, said Pătrunoiu.
Pătrunoiu, 44, has over 20 years of experience in various industries, such as electronic goods, BPO, private equity and FMCG, telecommunications industry and oversaw operations as Managing Director of Samsung Electronics SSC Europe, Ascenta Management, Accenture Romania and Tchibo Romania.
Ludovic Lempire, Co-CEO of Webhelp’s French region of which Romania is part, said;
“We’re very happy to welcome Răzvan to the Webhelp family. Solution oriented, a strategic thinker, eager to tackle new challenges, and a strong believer in empowering people, there’s a natural fit with our game-changers, people-first mindset. Răzvan drove significant growth for the multinational companies he managed, designing and implementing successful solutions and we’re excited about building the future at Webhelp Romania together, combining his experience and the great achievements of Raluca and her teams over the past years.”
Razvan holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a major in Finance and Banking.
About Webhelp
Webhelp designs, delivers, and optimizes unforgettable human experiences for today’s digital world – creating game-changing customer journeys. From sales to service, content moderation to credit management, Webhelp is an end-to-end partner across all B2C and B2B customer journeys. Its more than 90,000 passionate employees across more than 50 countries thrive on making a difference for the world’s most exciting brands. Webhelp is currently owned by its management and Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (Euronext: GBLB), a leading global investment holding, as of November 2019.
Founded in 2000, Webhelp Romania is the first multilingual hub with 24 languages used across its +60 operational projects and the first digital hub within the Group. Webhelp Romania ended 2020 with a turnover of 126.484.237 lei.
Press contact
Iulia Becheanu
Manager Comunicare Webhelp România<<<
M : +40 (0)7 51 18 70 16
iulia.becheanu@webhelp.com
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Webhelp to host talk at Retail Week’s Consumer Week 2022
We are delighted to confirm we are taking part in a fireside chat for Retail Week’s Consumer Week 2022.
Running from September 13 to 17, Consumer Week 2022 will allow retailers and brands to access exclusive strategic insights across free virtual masterclasses, exclusive consumer research and free online content to identify and influence tomorrow’s shopper.
Webhelp UK’s Chief Customer Solutions Officer, Helen Murray, will host a discussion with Bloom & Wild CEO, Aron Gelbard, to discuss direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales and how retailers can make their offerings stand out to shoppers in a crowded market.
In the chat, Helen – who is responsible for leading Webhelp UK’s business development function and the delivery of client differentiation through enhanced customer experience – will share insight on listening to customers and how maintaining a focus on customer experience is key to delivering sustainable growth.
Helen will also explore how partnerships can support brands to deliver brilliant customer experiences, exceptional brand advocacy and loyalty, all at scale.
Aron will share Bloom & Wild’s customer centric strategy for consistent growth, the changing DTC market and what to expect in the future as well as key learnings retailers can take from their journey.
Helen said: “I’m delighted to be taking part in Retail Week’s Consumer Week 2022 and to have the chance to hear first-hand from retailers about the challenges and opportunities they face in their interactions with shoppers as the sector continues to evolve.
“I’m particularly excited to host Bloom & Wild’s CEO for a fireside chat. We’ll discuss the importance of listening to the customer and the positive impact this can have on customer experience, alongside understanding more about Bloom & Wild’s customer-focused approach to achieving consistent growth.”
The fireside chat, ‘Tapping into the DTC opportunity: Learning from a retail disruptor’, will be available to view from September 16 and will include questions from registrants throughout.
To register your place, visit retail-week.com/consumer-week.
Polyglot translation AI improves CX and optimizes performance
Webhelp’s proprietary machine translation solution equips advisors to deliver high-quality CX with up to +35 NPS improvement and up to 50% optimized performance
Webhelp continues to develop its proprietary technology platform with the recent addition of AI-fueled, people-powered translation technology. Polyglot empowers advisors to deliver high-quality messages in the customer’s native language.
Polyglot is supported by a hub of language experts who verify complex responses to guarantee quality and consistency. Over time, the AI engine continuously improves by adopting the client’s industry and business vocabulary while learning from feedback from our experts. Thanks to this human-tech combination, customers receive almost instant, relevant responses through chat, email, and social media channels.
As technology enablement is a strategic priority for Webhelp, solutions like Polyglot are essential to delivering high-quality CX at scale. Polyglot’s AI removes pressure on multilingual teammates, freeing up time to focus on actions that deliver value to customers and ensure the best talent is available when needed.
Polyglot has been integrated into existing operations to support numerous prominent Webhelp clients. Showing an average of +35 NPS enhancement in their multilingual customer experience, with an average 76% first-time response improvement that also delivers cost savings.
Emmanuel Saubat-Lalanne, Webhelp Group Technology Solutions Manager said:
“Whether a brand is looking to scale into new markets or increase customer support for rare and long-tail languages, maintaining quality CX in the customers’ native language will be key to sustaining growth. While supporting this key quality, Polyglot boosts productivity and supports quick service as a standard. Our integrated dashboards ensure our clients have oversight on their multilingual communication and efficient management across the business. By optimizing channels and resources, we’ve even seen that this smooth and consistent system helps manage absenteeism and attrition.”
Polyglot was developed to facilitate high-quality multilingual interactions by supporting Webhelpers with market-leading translation engines and machine-learning algorithms.
Delivering average efficiency savings of 50%, Polyglot gives advisors more time to focus on value-added work for customers, leading to a higher-quality customer and employee experience.
To read more about how Polyglot can be integrated into omnichannel operations to deliver a consistent, multilingual customer experience at scale, head to the page on our website.
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Lighting our way to “Our greener future”
As part of our on-going aim to reduce energy consumption and in line with our Greenhelp targets, we are thrilled to see our Derby site switching to 100% LED lighting. The project will see the site using 100% energy efficient lights, which will considerably reduce consumption and continuously improve energy management across our estate.
Advantages of LED Lights:
- 25% – 80% less energy consumption
- 3 – 5 times longer lifespan
- Negligible heat emissions
It’s amazing to learn how much we are cutting down on our carbon footprint as an organisation by just replacing the lights at Derby and we can continue to further reduce this with your support. If a light is turned on and no one is there – you could turn it off and make a great impact to our carbon footprint.
Installation of the LED lights began on Monday 2nd of August. While the project was greenlit way back at the beginning of 2020, the onset of Covid-19 delayed plans so it’s fantastic to see a return to action on our green initiatives.
With our Falkirk and Glasgow Hope Street sites almost at 100% LED lighting, we will be looking to upgrade more sites around the region to this more efficient and environmentally friendly option.
Webhelp UK is progressing on our journey to improve our environmental performance. We are truly committed to “Our Greener Future” and this initiative is a positive step towards enhancing our environment.
Webhelp’s internal trainer development program validated by City & Guilds
Our Operational Learning & Development team always aim to deliver the highest level of service for our colleagues across the region, so that means making sure our trainers are supported to be the best they can be.
Based on feedback from our annual survey Your Call, the L&D team were inspired to develop an internal trainer development program that offers a 9 to 12 month evidence led, blended-learning model to enable our trainers to become learning professionals, honing their skills and delivery. Now after collaborating with the City & Guilds Group, a global leader in skills development, the program has been validated. This now means that our colleagues who train others as part of their role, can work towards a professional qualification accredited by the City & Guilds.
Declan Hogan, Director of Learning & Development, commented:
“Our front-line facilitators are central to our operational learning strategy on our journey to 2024. This program challenges our people to enhance the way they look at designing and creating learning content, expand their skills into facilitation/coaching skills and embedding practices. Learning stakeholder management skills to partner the Operations to deliver key objectives is also a key part of their learning journey. I am excited and proud of the gifted Operational L&D team that scoped this program and look forward to seeing the success over the next 18-24 months”
Our first cohort of pioneers have already started their journey and we will keep you updated on their progress.
Sam Egerton UK Sales manager, City and Guilds:
“City & Guilds has been at the forefront of skills development for over 140 years, and we are proud to provide assurance to Webhelp’s Trainer Development programme. To gain City & Guilds assurance is an extremely rigorous process and Webhelp operational Learning did so really quickly and seamlessly, this demonstrates the quality of the programme the front-line facilitators will be working towards. We look forward to seeing all the learners progressing and proudly sharing their Digital Credentials once they have completed their programmes of learning”
Webhelp expands operations in Mexico
Webhelp, a leading global customer experience and business solutions provider, is expanding its operations in Mexico. Built on a strong people-first working culture, Webhelp has a diverse global workforce of over 80,000 passionate game-changers. Since opening its multilingual hub in Mexico in 2020 the business has welcomed 285 colleagues to deliver Technical Helpdesk Services in Monterrey, Mexico.
Webhelp is looking to onboard a mix of customer service and service desk advisors, team leaders and operational managers. Those joining will become an integral part of an exciting partnership in enriching the customer experience and providing business solutions for our clients. To apply, visit the careers section of www.webhelp.com
Rogelio Aguirre, Head of Service Operations in Monterrey, saying:
Here in Mexico we are very happy to continue the success that Webhelp has shown around the world. We are excited to implement industry best practices as we continue delivering a world class service through putting people first, which is one of our main pillars as an organizational culture. Investing in our colleagues and making business more human leads to a better customer experience.
Externally credited and with multiple global award wins, Webhelp people are known as being some of the best in the industry. Driven by a unique vision and company culture of making business more human, the expansion into Mexico marks a number of recent additions to Webhelp’s strong best-shoring network.
Partner to some of the world’s most exciting brands, Webhelp will utilize its 20 years of expertise and global way of working to further drive the strong success of the CX industry in Mexico while creating job opportunities for talented Mexicans in this field with Global Executive Director of ITO Andy Webster explaining:
As a business we set ourselves apart by being passionate about the local communities in which we’re based and we’re extremely excited to have a Mexican hub. There are many benefits to operating from here, not only are we further diversifying our business, but we’re able to bring a wealth of knowledge and highly qualified specialists based in Mexico to our growing list of clients around the world.
We thrive on making a difference in the lives of people and businesses by bringing together passionate, fun-loving people and giving them the freedom and tools they need to look after our clients’ customers as if they were their own. Our teams look forward to connecting with our new colleagues in Mexico and making sure they feel part of the Webhelp family.
Note to Editors:
For more information please contact:
- Barbara Thoemke | Barbara.Thoemke@webhelp.com
For Spanish inquiries, please contact:
- Nuria Trujillo | Nuria.Trujillo@webhelp.com
5 Mistakes start-ups should avoid when building their B2B sales engine
When creating a B2B startup, a solid sales strategy is obviously a critical success factor.
Rushing to build your B2B sales strategy or missing some key processes in your sales team training or target identification processes could undermine your initial efforts to build your product and promote it.
Whether you’re looking to acquire your first customers or to improve your sales operations in a period of strong growth, here are some mistakes to avoid when establishing your B2B sales engine, picked by our expert Julie Cadalen