The Trials And Tribulations of Hiring A Ecommerce Coordinator

The challenge

To start, let us take a look at what an ecommerce coordinator is and why you need one. He/she is the point of contact between your team members and the outside world – they are responsible for managing all communication between customers, suppliers, and the rest of your team.

Hiring an e-commerce coordinator is one of the biggest challenges for small and mid-sized businesses. Unlike a bookkeeper, who needs to be up and running right away, it takes time to train someone new to replace the coordinator on your team.

What's more frustrating is that you cannot just hire someone from a list. It requires special skills and the ability to manage people. If you can't find the right person for your team, then you are in trouble – literally!

You might LOSE customers.

You might LOSE product sales.

You might LOSE clients and suppliers.

While you are trying to solve those problems, your competitors are moving up.  And you are stuck in the past! This is why it's so important to find your perfect e-commerce coordinator or risk the failure of your business.

Our Tips and Suggestions When Hiring An Ecommerce Coordinator

1. Before you begin your search, take some time to think about what you are looking for and why. Write down the qualities of your dream e-commerce coordinator. Don’t just think about their skills and experience but also their attitude, work ethic, and personality.

Break down the skills and experience you need in your ecommerce coordinator into the following areas:

The day-to-day management of your team

Their duties include conducting weekly meetings, managing multiple projects, creating effective action plans, and providing leadership for projects.

The job itself requires a lot of management skills. They will need to work with multiple people, so they must be effective leaders.

Productivity and efficiency

An eCommerce coordinator will work with your team and your clients. They need to lead by example. They must follow through on their work, complete tasks promptly, and be a role model for the rest of the team.

Customer service

You want an ecommerce coordinator that can communicate well, listen, and build positive impressions with clients.  Also, you are looking for someone who will represent your company well and stay on top of customer support issues.

2. Articulate your goal and set proper expectations.

What is the goal of the position? Be clear about what you want to achieve with your new ecommerce assistant.

Don’t just state that your goal is to fill a position, and you will find someone. Instead, state what you expect from this new team member. Be specific in describing exactly what it is that you want to achieve with this individual.

3. Avoid hiring your friends or even relatives.

It might seem like the easy solution to your hiring needs. However, if you had to choose between hiring family or friends over a stranger?

The choice is obvious – you will choose the stranger. Even mentoring a friend can be risky because you might sacrifice the quality of work you would for someone else’s benefit.  

4. Opt for the best person, not the cheapest.

Looking for a bargain when you hire an ecommerce assistant will only set you up for failure.

You might find someone who is highly qualified and experienced, but they are also costly. When they leave your company or worse, you will be stuck with a significant gap in your team and company resources when you need to replace them.

Conclusion

Your ecommerce coordinator will require specialized training and management. Thus, when you hire one, they must understand the challenges and expectations of your marketing firm.

It might seem like a lot of work, but knowing what you want and where you are headed will help you avoid many problems that can plague an unorganized hiring process. 

So take your time. Think about what you want your ecommerce agency to become and what you are doing to make that happen. Think about how your team currently works. Then think about the type of person you need to fit into that environment.

This is not a time to panic or be desperate. Instead, this is a time to talk about the future of your business and what it will look like in the future.