AUGUST NEWSLETTER
BUSINESS SUCCESS
Company Growth:
GemPages' business situation in August is being under control. In September, it is forecasted that there will be a slight growth of GemPages because the commission of Shopify App Store has been cut from 20% to 15%.
Thanks to that policy, EcomSolid also has had more positive growth results in comparison to July. It is expected that the publication of EcomSolid on the App Store will help the product mature more fully and strongly.
Target in September:
In the next month, we will set goals for the whole of quarter 4. These goals are ambitious and feasible enough for all teams to strive to complete their tasks while supporting other departments to achieve the goals related to customers and products.
Lesson learned:
Transparency culture plays an important role in transmitting information more clearly and exactly, it helps to save time and avoid misunderstanding. As a result, the company encourages direct communication on board-of-ecomsolid, board-of-gempages groups to discuss and give solutions for product-related issues, rather than private conversation.
The catch-up culture makes a big impact. In the past month, BOD has organized the first catch-up sessions. Regular organization for weekly meetings will increase the interaction between BOD and leaders, helping us solve difficult issues such as working process, human resources, information, policies to ensure timely resolution and overcome weaknesses. Seal Commerce encourages leaders to catch up and review frequently to give necessary support to all team members.
Results - driven culture is one of values each member needs to follow. If you are aggressive in the working process, in your teamwork interactions, and even in yourself, you will overcome all challenges and barriers to achieve common goals!
DEPARTMENT UPDATE
All our teams could do extraordinary things to deal with many challenges in order to achieve commendable feats and impressive milestones in the month.
Here we would like to update each team's activities, embrace a team spirit, encourage others to understand the team's difficulties, cheer on and recognize the team’s achievements. Keep watching!
GEMPAGES
Team Updates:
We have just given a farewell to 4 members and transferred 2 members Minh (Nora) and Long (Dragon Born) to the EcomSolid Headless project. They’re all our key members with high qualification and practical experience in developing big items.
Difficulties:
The shortage of skilled personnel at this time is very challenging to GemPages product team. However, we’re trying our best to reach our goals. The whole team is focusing on completing the feature documentations, sharing product experiences so that we can actively handle the work.
Team’s targets in Sep:
In September, team will concentrate on tackling remaining problems, then resolving customers’ pain points such as:
- New Page Publish Flow
- Page Settings
- Font Manager
- Shop Events Log(Activity Log)
- Accordion New version
- Theme 2.0 compatible
New developed functions:
- Release Sticky Add To Cart: to solve real pain points for customers and reduce pressure on Tech - support team.
- Improve ATOM core: complete ATOM system to be ready to launch 17 ATOM
- Develop Integration API Manager: allow GemPages to bring better experiences in working with partners more speedily, safely with more features.
Team's quote:
“When you die, you’re not aware, only the people around you know it. When you're passionate about every line of code, you don't even know you're bad at coding. However, when we’re aware, we’ll never make that mistake again.” - Ducky Trinh, GemPages developer.
ECOMSOLID THEMES & PAGE BUILDER
Team updates:
In Aug, our team mainly upgrades and fixes bugs in the product. Team still receives feedback from CS & Tech-support, who work directly with customers, to get updates and modifications to the product’s components. In the near future, the team will implement a data- driven approach to have a more accurate view of customer behavior.
Difficulties:
We encountered difficulties while designing the product. All members haven't had a good background about UI/UX yet. We also didn't have a designer who could work specifically for EcomSolid. So, the UI updates were quite bad.
We all have given cross - feedback on interfaces and fixed these. We will still need a designer, especially when we need to update important components that have directly influenced user experience in Editor. Ms.Kiera - Product Design Leader will be directly involved in this stage to ensure better product quality.
Team’s targets in Sep:
We will pay attention to product completion with more updated features for Page Builder users. We will give the best support to customers on the App store to motivate the user growth.
We’re also willing to get feedback from new users and make modifications to satisfy customers with our available products and services.
ECOMSOLID HEADLESS
Team updates:
We are still planning for ideas, strategies, budgets... We will start implementing the project on the first days of September.
Difficulties:
We have planned that each member would be able to make 70% efforts on the new product and 30% efforts on supporting current products. But many members are working on current products such as EcomSolid and GemPages. It seems that dividing a brain into two parts is really difficult and it makes us impossible to fully focus. After all, each member is really expecting a new breakthrough product which can bring a new future to our company.
Team’s targets in Sep:
- Focus on researching new platforms
- Start to develop the database system.
Team's quote:
Your efforts and professional working style will change your personality. The more you dedicate and be professional, the more respect of colleagues you earn.
CUSTOMER SUCCESS
Team updates:
Team continues to develop members, manage quality and participate in product development support. With EcomSolid, we host morning meetings to update knowledge for all members. We have just recruited 3 new members for the ES team, we have also appointed Harry to be an ES Tech-support leader. For GemPages, we have completed the recruitment test for the QA position within our team.
Good reviews are proof of the stability of our service quality, and the effectiveness of teamwork in supporting each member, in order to provide an excellent experience for customers.
Difficulties:
Team has conducted surveys to collect and record customer evaluations. However, we have had difficulties in supporting tools, so we’re also trying to find appropriate solutions in September. Having stable results, we will easily orient and provide more methods to improve the service quality and bring more value to customers.
Team’s quote:
We always inspire members with “People - Centric” culture. We share and we care for not only customers but also all team members!
Team’s target in Sep:
Firstly, We will train and help new CS agents to get used to and adapt to the new working environment. Secondly, We also continue to improve customer support procedures for EcomSolid (CS & Tech-support). Finally, we will focus on recruitment for GemPages CS Agent and Tech-support.
PRODUCT DESIGN
Team updates:
We’re concentrating on both EcomSolid and GemPages. Our biggest achievement in August was the completion of Dashboard GemPages, version 1.0 and solutions for “Personalized workspace on GemPages”
Difficulties:
We’re working on 2 projects at the same time, so members have to take care of many small tasks with different logic. The remote working mode is also a barrier as it takes a lot of time to discuss together. We all do our best to complete the goals by working over time.
Team’s targets in Sep:
Team will focus on gradually changing the appearance of GemPages with the newer UI Kit, while optimizing the Editor.
Team’ quote:
“I would like to propose a lot of new things to GemPages” (Hank), “I realize that the current status of the files on GemPages…” (Neo). These ideas show the spirit of thinking about product improvement and the spirit of observing the existing phenomena for timely repair of the 2 members. This is the working style that our team is fostering!
UI/ ECOMMERCE DESIGN
Team updates:
Team published 3 templates for EcomSolid and GemPages, and designed 16 banners for the Marketing team. We also developed UI versions for 10 pages in EcomSolid Themes & Page Builder. Moreover, we completed GemPages’s brand guideline.
Difficulties:
Many tasks need to be solved and we consider urgent tasks as our first priority. However, our team is still relentlessly developing member’s professional competence, helping them to improve their level by sticking to the framework, reviewing closely every day and navigating members to experience a wide range of tasks
Team’s targets in Sep:
The team plans to produce 3 new templates and standardize 5 style sections of EcomSolid hero banners, as well as publish 3 templates for GemPages. At the same time, we will complete other tasks such as finalizing GemPages website, editing Seal Commerce website, designing a large number of banners for communication and recruitment.
Team’ quote:
“I am so lucky to apply successfully to Seal Commerce, because it is a workplace where all employees want to experience: an enthusiastic leader, energetic team members and managers who always consider that empathy comes first…” - Seb, UI/ UX designer
“ I remembered that it took exactly 1 hour 30 minutes for the interview to apply in Seal Commerce. It means that the working procedure and working style is quite meticulous and professional. I like the working environment like that” - Leo, UI/ UX designer
MARKETING TEAM
Team updates:
Mr. Wes Nguyen(Xuan Tung), our PR & Social Media manager will join Seal Commerce on Monday 6th! I hope that everyone will welcome him. He is the first Vietnamese boy from a 100% female team (except me) Congrats.
For one week, we have set up a Daily Scrum everyday at 9 a.m to prepare for launching EcomSolid under Vincent's advice in order to be in time for the launch and reduce blockages.
Difficulties:
People don't tend to be precise in their message and forget to make a summary on Slack sometimes. The physical meeting seems essential even if I am not a big fan. However, the daily scrum works! Thanks Vincent!
Team’s targets in Sep:
The launch date for EcomSolid is scheduled for Thursday, September 16 at 10am. We have a communication plan with 3 stages: pre- launch, launch and post- launch. It is a detailed plan that includes brand strategy; content management on home page, feature, pricing; help center; posts on Facebook page, Community, Twitter, push up Affiliate Marketing...We believe that everything will go smoothly and we will launch EcomSolid successfully on Shopify App Store
Team’s quote:
A lot of things I can talk about our current marketing team. If I can only say 3 adjectives to describe the team, they would be supportive, creative, and enthusiastic - Vinnie Tran
HR TEAM
Team updates:
In August, we organized several meetings & internal events about Company Vision, Mission & Core Values. It’s just the beginning of our journey to build a healthy corporate culture.
Our Talent Acquisition Team successfully hired & onboarded 2 content executives for the Marketing team, 2 UI Designers for the Design team, 3 CS Agents for the CS team & a Tester Leader for the Development Team. Our team is dedicated to delivering the human resources for the 4th Quarter Roadmap & Going Headless Strategy.
The Employer Branding team has launched the first episode of our corporate newsletters. This marked the beginning of building internal communication channels, where we celebrate the successes, difficulties or even lessons we have learned together on the journey to build Seal Commerce from the very first days.
Team's targets in Sep:
We will launch the Incentive Program & Contest in the 4th Quarter. Introducing Headless Commerce Strategy is also one of our key important tasks. The last but not least, we will evaluate our Employer Branding Health & prepare for the External Communication Strategy
Difficulties:
The biggest difficulties for us in building a foundation of corporate culture are identifying our existing culture and our wish culture. We had a lot of meetings with the CEO & BOD to identify the basic assumptions, the beliefs of leadership and the core values of our company. It was hard to capture the true culture of our company and put it into words. But we went ahead and did it anyway in our EEE culture beliefs & 6 core human values. We’ll make it happen in our company, in any way.
Team’s quote:
When I’m looking for an ideal working environment, I always try to find one that fosters positive, professional working relationships, and mutual respect. After 2 months working at Seal Commerce, I strongly believe that I’ve made the right decision. I can do what I love and love what I do here” - Lucy, HR executive
TEAM SPOTLIGHT
Nora (Minh) is our great initiator!
To control and secure the GemPages system, handlers must have a deep understanding and the ability to quickly and safely resolve issues. In the role as GemPages' Back-end leader, Nora has developed his excellent execution and problem-solving competence during the period working with CoBalt. Nobody but Nora could handle these problems so effectively.
Due to the difference in timezone, Nora and the security team (Vincent Luan, Long DragonBorn) frequently have to work overtime with late meetings at midnight, but they always dedicate themselves to their work.
DragonBorn (Long) is our outstanding executor!
DragonBorn works as a Back-end developer with responsibility for the maintenance and development of the GemPages system.
In addition, he also actively learns some operating and monitoring tools to supervise and fix system errors.
The improvement of the system needs to be re-tested very carefully and continuously to avoid affecting customers. He and the team have made efforts together, even working overtime to check and supervise day by day, to ensure the improvement and execution is correct, no errors occur.
Sandy (Thoa) is our extremely enthusiastic member!
Recently, we have new members joining the HTML Templates team. Sandy has acted as a coach who enthusiastically guides, answers questions, arranges work, so that all new ones can catch up quickly and ensure work quality. Besides, Sandy still has to code section and handling support tasks. Sandy has scheduled each task very well & performed her best dedication to the product.
As a result, the team of 3 HTML Templates members has adapted to the work very well and completed the committed templates during the training period.
Anna, Nina, Cherry are excellent EcomSolid warriors!
Due to the lack of manpower and the heavy workload, they had to work under high pressure to fulfill customer’s needs. The conditions and working space at home during work from home period causes big obstacles in the process of taking care of customers. However, Anna, Nina, and Cherry have cooperated closely to overcome difficulties and successfully complete the task. Many thanks to the team for always considering customer - centric culture first and doing their best to provide the top-notch service!
Seb (Anh Tuan) is a multi-tasking member!
Seb is a perfectionist at work with a strong fighting spirit. Seb is one of the active and friendly members. He is very enthusiastic to help colleagues to face difficulties. Although he is quite busy with his own tasks, Seb is always willing to support a variety of work items in the team. Having a positive and enthusiastic spirit, along with his advantages in content, Seb still spends time supporting Leo in reviewing content for the template. About professional tasks, Seb pays attention to details, he is eager to refer to various resources, and always completes tasks on time.
Leo (Thanh Sang) is a flexible & aggressive member!
Leo has approached work quickly and solved work flexibly. He has actively researched templates flexibly, without being stereotyped with guided steps in the process.
Leo has a progressive attitude and strong fighting ability. In particular, Leo always has a high responsibility, with an aggressive working style. Once Leo commits to the goal, he will only receive feedback and process it within the suggested timeframe. He has been successfully completing all the undertaken projects in both quality and quantity.
Hank (Hiep) is our very hard working member!
Hank is charged with building new UI/UX for GamePages Dashboard and building UI Kit for EcomSolid. These are the first 2 big tasks that Hank is responsible for. The working procedure of each team is different, making Hank change constantly. Therefore, his first presentation has been quite confusing and hard to express ideas clearly. Although his proposed solutions have not been comprehensive yet, Hank is quite creative and active in researching and testing animations for dashboards.
Mia (My) is a real challenge taker!
This is a big challenge for her as she has to deal with a technical team that she is not used to. Due to the lack of resources such as data, brand identity,...Mia has to work hard in the evenings, weekends and do a lot of meetings with the teams to understand the essence of the product and find the right angles. Currently, she is still going in the right direction, we believe that her total determination will help Mia overcome the challenges to reach her goals. Let’s wish her good luck!
Julia (Duyen) is our extremely dedicated member!
Julia, created the Content Marketing Plan for our entire Employer Branding strategy. August was also a remarkable time when Julia has been working with partners from all departments to release our first episode of Company Newsletter
Thanks to her dedication & experience, as well as the support from all HR members, she has helped prepare data with the Recruitment team for Employer Branding. The next few months we’ll wait for communication activities & branding growth from the EB team. Let's give kudos to her!
THE END
We have gone through all challenges in August with some lessons about Transparency culture, Catch-up culture and Results-driven culture. These are core values leading us to success. September will be a month of the most effort dedication to launch EcomSolid as well as prepare for the next goals in the final quarter of this year. Stay Stronger and Go Ahead!
