An effective means of increasing revenue and profit margin across many categories, the benefits of product customization go deep. However, implementing a product customization platform seems like a daunting task for any organization. The complexity is vast: it includes new e-commerce integration, requiring consensus across multiple teams. It also requires supply chain evaluation (like adding a new embellishment partner, or opening discussions with your current factories). And, of course, your merchandise team needs to evaluate the “right” products, and on-brand customization options. That’s why choosing an external partner to collaborate with, and help you navigate a successful launch, is critical.
After implementing dozens of custom solutions at a 100% success rate over eight years, Spectrum developed a thorough discovery process to replicate that success for our clients — every time. Our Ready Assessment Phase is designed to facilitate our clients successfully planning and preparing their organizations for launching a scalable, revenue-driving product customization platform.
Spectrum’s Ready Assessment Phases consist of cross-team consensus building (COHESION), future-proofing (SCALABILITY), 3D garment appearance and configuration rules (GUARDRAILS), and factory integration (FAST PRODUCTION). It’s a two-phase process, including:
- Ready Assessment Kick-Off: Here we review the statement of work, clarify teams and roles, and review the final solution — including revenue projections and planning documentation.
- Ready Assessment Working Session: A one-day collaborative session of team members vital to the project’s success, that focuses in four key areas:
- Product Evaluation. What category(s) and product(s) make the most sense for customization? From popularity, product velocity, new releases, product styling to ease of embellishment, the Spectrum team is well-versed in helping navigate these decisions as well as ROI modeling.
- Future-Proofing. Our team will work with you to launch a compelling custom products experience today, while also strategizing and building to meet your brand’s long-term customization needs. Throughout the Ready Assessment, we’ll be exploring custom trends, technology advancements, and additional features to consider after the initial launch, keeping your customers excited about your next innovation within product customization.
- Systems Integration. A Spectrum technical resource as well a factory integration team will be assigned to help your team shape the systems architecture (e-commerce and in-retail), 3rd party integrations, as well as factory-ready file delivery to the embellisher. No stone is left unturned, ensuring the end-to-end solution is well-defined.
- Marketing We’ll be evaluating customer profiles, experience paths, landing pages and KPIs to help inform how marketing can take advantage of product customization.
For our Ready Assessment to be as effective as possible, we ask our clients to take an active role in the process, providing feedback and input in key areas, including:
- Providing a sample product list of each intended product with configuration ideas as well as potential rules
- Identify a single stakeholder who will lead and be responsible for feedback consolidation
- Setting aside time for key departments to be interviewed by the Spectrum team for 1-3 hours to learn, collaborate and THINK about not just today’s needs, but tomorrow’s vision on the role custom products play in the brand’s long-term growth.
If you would like to hear more about Spectrum’s 3D product customization solution, implemented by brands such as JBL, Chapstick, Trek, Levi Strauss &Co., Keurig, Carhartt and others, we’d be happy to walk you through a demo.
After implementing dozens of custom solutions at a 100% success rate over eight years, Spectrum developed a thorough discovery process to replicate that success for our clients —