Emily began her Zedonk experience back in 2014, initially working in international sales and merchandising for a British-based fashion brand. Being one of many daily Zedonk users, she now spearheads our growing Client Success team, sharing her acquired industry knowledge and providing invaluable support to new brands every day.
Can you describe your typical day as Head of Client Success?
We kick-off the week with a CS team check-in, running through our priorities, projects, and tasks for the week. Discussing and planning upcoming webinars and reviewing the key success metrics, recent onboardings and any concerns.
The core of our job is communicating with clients, both through our help desk and on training calls, so this is key to our day-to-day. We work closely with the Product team, reporting on client usage and discussing upcoming developments and deployments.
We also collaborate closely with the Business Development team, to ensure a smooth and efficient handover process. Our job in Client Success is to create a mutually beneficial relationship between the company and our clients, ensuring that each brand achieves their desired outcomes.
Client Success is the largest and fastest growing team here at Zedonk. We are particularly dedicated to team development, diversification of projects and management – all of which have been a central focus for this past year.
Can you remember the first time you used Zedonk?
I can! It was in 2014, I had just made the move into the fashion industry and I was not super tech-savvy. Following a brief handover of Zedonk, I had to plug in all the brand’s wholesale orders for that season. I remember feeling relieved at how intuitive it was, as I had no previous experience with ERP systems.
The system looks very different now, whilst it has certainly come a huge way in its modular offering and sophistication, Zedonk remains true to its core; intuitive and logical, which is one of the things that makes it so accessible to users of all levels.
How has your perspective changed from being a user to our Head of Client Success?
I loved Zedonk as a user, it played a key role in my day-to-day life, however I now understand that there are many ways I could have been more efficient, by exploring Zedonk further and asking more questions!
The system has evolved and developed so much since then. Client Success have worked hard to improve our assets, so that clients can self-serve and explore our offering through Zedonkopedia and our numerous on-demand webinars.
Working “this side” has certainly provided a more holistic view of the fashion industry, which is one of the many things that makes our job so interesting. Witnessing hundreds of brands utilising the system in a variety of ways provides a well-rounded and unique perspective on the fashion industry today.
Can you give an example of when Zedonk saved the day?
Once as a user, I remember working late with an incredibly tight deadline to get all our prices in Zedonk – in the whirlwind that is – the night before market. I don’t know if this is ever not a race against the clock!
We had all our price lists across multiple currencies in a spreadsheet, which I was prepared to manually enter, for 300+ products, at silly o’clock. Feeling despondent yet eager for a quick solution, I noticed a little dropdown in product costings, which I hadn’t seen before.
Intrigued, I clicked through and stumbled upon the “Data Import” feature. With no prior knowledge of this functionality, but in my tired malaise, I decided to test the excel import…. which was a success! It took me no more than five minutes, saving me countless hours of manual data entry. It even meant that I managed to get some sleep the night before heading off to Paris – I’m sure many can resonate with this rarity, hence being so memorable!
It proved to me then that Zedonk did so much more than I was aware of and sparked my curiosity to find more ways to improve efficiency by using the system.
What is your proudest Zedonk moment to date?
It’s not a fixed moment per-se, but I’m most proud of the evolution, development, and expansion of the Client Success team, having added five members to the team in the last year alone. I’m proud of the wonderful team we have in place, who each bring so much to the company and our clients. I am really excited for what the future brings for Client Success at Zedonk.
Can you tell us the best thing about working for Zedonk?
One of the best things is working for a company and with a product that is constantly enhancing, evolving, and expanding. It’s exciting being part of a team that is so agile in its response to the shifts and demands of the industry we cater for. There’s always lots to plan, create and achieve, which means it’s never boring and no two days are the same!
How has the fashion industry’s relationship with technology changed in the time you’ve been using the system?
The fashion industry has changed significantly in the decade that I’ve been using the system! Previously it was lagging in its uptake of technology – certainly that was my experience when working in-house.
Without doubt, the pandemic caused the most revolutionary shift in fashion’s relationship with technology. Brands had to rethink their strategy and the way they present collections, with shows and showrooms being limited or entirely cancelled.
For a period, we witnessed a transference from the former in-person buying appointments to running showrooms virtually, and therefore greater investment and adoptions of B2B platforms.
Additionally, many brands launched their own e-commerce sites, shifting their business model to be more reliant on B2C. The lasting effect of this paved the way for brands investing more in their tech stack, therefore strengthening, and advancing their relationship with the world of technology.
Do you have any top-tips that you could share with Zedonkers present and future?
My top-tip would be: if you’re curious about whether you’re making the most of your system or questioning if Zedonk has a certain functionality, please reach out to us!
The Client Success team is always on hand to answer any questions, train and guide you. You’ll always be speaking to an actual person and often you’ll find out that the system does what you need and more!
You may even discover we have a module, function, or integration that you didn’t know about. It’s in the name, Client Success is dedicated to just that – don’t be a stranger!
Could you describe Zedonk in three words?
Intuitive, Supportive, Valuable.
From the experiences you’ve shared, how would you like the system to develop in the next 18 years?
I’d like to see the system continually advancing, whilst still remaining an integral component of our clients’ decision-making and daily operations. We’re constantly developing new functionalities, leveraging new technology to empower our clients in reaching their potential.
