If you’re planning a new store launch on BigCommerce or a migration to BigCommerce, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed. There’s a lot to keep track of and do – products, content, design, settings and more. You may be hiring a developer or doing it yourself. Either way, BigCommerce consultants can be a tremendous help in making your launch go smoothly, reducing stress and minimizing launch delays. Let’s look at what they do and why you should consider hiring one for your project.
What Services Do BigCommerce Consultants Provide?
BigCommerce consultants are experts in the platform who can advise you throughout your store launch. If you’re migrating from another platform, they can help you “translate” what you were previously doing to how you’ll do things on BigCommerce. For example, they can help you evaluate and configure comparable apps, or help you customize your order statuses to mirror what you had on your old platform.
While Enterprise merchants often have access to a training package provided by BigCommerce, your consultant can likely offer more personalized training. In addition, they’ll be providing ad hoc “how to” advice throughout your project, not just a generic training session when you actually launch. This ongoing expertise can help you complete your launch or migration tasks more quickly, since you won’t have to spend time reading support articles or watching instructional videos.
A BigCommerce consultant also brings stability to your project. They can be a point of continuity, keeping track of outstanding tasks if you change agencies or Implementation Managers. They will act as a liaison to your development agency and Bigcommerce reps, being an active participant in your project status calls. Consultants are also available for strategy and brainstorming sessions which aren’t typically in the scope of work for a website developer. Most of all, BigCommerce consultants have been through many launches in the past. They can troubleshoot problems almost before they happen. And they can provide reassurance and confidence when you feel stressed or overwhelmed.
How Do BigCommerce Consultants Differ From Developers?
When you hire a BigCommerce developer, they’ll give you a scope of work with a list of tasks and associated time involved. This may include designing your new website, creating custom functionality, importing your products, and connecting your POS or ERP system. They’re focused on doing things and getting them done in the time frame they’ve promised. They’re not typically available for discussing things. But most new BigCommerce merchants have a lot of questions, and need help with the tasks on their plate for launch. That’s where a consultant comes in.
If you select the right BigCommerce consultant, you’ll also have someone in your corner who specializes in BigCommerce. Many developers work with multiple platforms. So while they may have experience with BigCommerce, they may not have the depth or breadth of expertise that a consultant will. This again can save you valuable time and money, helping you avoid delays or going over budget.
Doesn’t BigCommerce Provide Support?
BigCommerce offers a wide variety of support, most of it self-service. This includes their support articles and instructional videos, as well as an online community where merchants and BigCommerce partners can share and answer questions. You can also email or call tech support, who can answer general questions about the platform and help troubleshoot issues you might have. All of these options are great (and better than what many competing platforms offer). But they aren’t a consistent and reliable source of support that understands your specific business objectives and requirements.
If you’re on an Enterprise Plan, you may also have an implementation specialist provided by BigCommerce. However, that person’s role is to oversee the project, make recommendations and coordinate with your development agency. While they provide a very valuable service, they are fairly high level in their involvement. For example, they may be able to tell you which shipping apps are most popular, but they’re not going to install them, test them and then recommend the best one based on your specific needs.
Are BigCommerce Consultants Worth the Cost?
While hiring a BigCommerce consultant means an additional cost for your project, the value they bring is well worth the price. Even if you have a great developer building your website and a dedicated BigCommerce account manager, neither is fully focused on you and your business, and both have limitations on the support they can provide. On the other hand, BigCommerce consultants are not only an ongoing source of support, but they can jump in and help when a task doesn’t fall into anyone else’s scope of work.
It’s also important to consider the negative financial impact if your project takes longer than expected or goes over budget. BigCommerce consultants can help you minimize launch delays and creeping project costs, marking them well worth their cost.
Conclusion
BigCommerce consultants can be a valuable, if not essential, tool in your website launch toolbox. Not only can they provide platform expertise and support, they provide stability and continuity for your project. If you’re planning a new e-commerce store or migration, learn more about my BigCommerce consulting services and contact me for a quote.