October 3rd, 2018

Ally Commerce Recognized for Continued Growth and Innovation

Hand-Selected to Join the Cohort of High Growth Companies in ‘Backed By ATL’

ATLANTA, October 3, 2018 – Ally Commerce, an Atlanta-based eCommerce as a Service solution provider for brand manufacturers selling direct to consumer, announced today that it is among an elite group of eight companies selected to join the 2019 Backed by ATL cohort. Powered by the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Backed by ATL helps accelerate middle market, scaling tech companies to their full potential by harnessing the region’s innovation ecosystem. One of metro Atlanta’s fastest growing tech companies, Ally Commerce was chosen for its potential to grow and create jobs, committed and engaged senior leadership, and alignment with the city’s strategic focus on high growth industries.

This recent achievement is one of several over the last few months for Ally Commerce, demonstrating the company’s growth and innovation as a leader in the direct to consumer market. Over the last three years, Ally Commerce has increased revenue by almost 1500 percent. In August, Ally was ranked No. 348 on the 37^th annual Inc. 500 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies, and honored as the sixth fastest-growing technology company at the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2018 Pacesetter Awards.

“This selection combined with other recent recognition of our growth demonstrates the hard work our team has invested in positively impacting brand manufacturers and the eCommerce industry at large,” said Jeff Cashman, chief executive officer of Ally Commerce. “We look forward to continued growth with plans to double our team in the next year and further invest in building our SaaS technology platform to fuel direct to consumer eCommerce and accelerate profitable growth for brand manufacturers.”

Other companies selected for the Backed by ATL cohort include First Performance Global, MaxEx, PrimeRevenue, QGenda, Rubicon Global, Skillshot (a subsidiary of Hi-Rez Studios) and Terminus.

“We recognized middle market, scaling companies over-index on economic impact and have made a commitment to support high growth tech companies that contribute to the overall health of metro Atlanta’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem,” said Hala Moddelmog, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “In fact, middle market companies were responsible for more than half of the 51.8 million new jobs created between 2011 to 2017 in the U.S. These next generation companies drive economic development and are crucial in ensuring financial vitality for the region for years to come.”

Since its launch in September 2017, Backed by ATL has spent more than 500 hours of in-person sessions with its inaugural companies and made more than 100 connections for partnerships and customer and service relationships. The inaugural Backed by ATL companies have expanded in metro Atlanta by creating more than 500 direct jobs, 935 indirect/induced jobs and generated $270 million in total economic output.

For more information about Backed By ATL, visit https://www.metroatlantachamber.com/innovation-entrepreneurship/backed-by-atl.

About Ally Commerce

Ally Commerce is a complete eCommerce as a Service solution for brand manufacturers selling direct to consumers online. Our agile and scalable proprietary cloud-based technology and unmatched industry expertise drive profitable growth across all channels—ensuring that stores, orders, inventory and fulfillment work seamlessly together—with no integration required. For more information, please visit www.allycommerce.com.

Dave Kart

Posted in Ally News, Team Ally

July 27th, 2018

Behind the Scenes With Ally Commerce: Meet Rob

At Ally, our mission is to drive outcomes for our clients. eCommerce is complex and constantly changing, so we rely on a fast-paced, innovative culture to make it happen. We want to help you get to know the people behind your eCommerce engine, so today, we’re taking you behind-the-scenes with Rob DePaola.

Meet Rob: Q&A Lightning Round

Rob DePaola
Customer Service Manager at Ally

Tell us a bit about your background and how you got started with Ally.

At my previous position, I managed a customer service team that provided support for multiple brand manufacturers in the tech space. When Ally contacted me, it seemed fortuitous because there was so much overlap between my skill set and what they were looking for. Once I learned more about the company and what they did, I couldn’t wait to come aboard and help build out the customer service team.

Walk us through a typical day in the life as Customer Service Manager at Ally. What are the core components of what you do?

Our customer service team provides email, phone and chat support for our clients. Our typical day consists of handling these inquiries quickly and efficiently, while really listening to what the customer is communicating to us. We are constantly gathering data on what people are contacting us about, and then synthesizing that information and sharing it with the client to help them continuously improve their customer experience.

“It’s fast-paced and intense, but we have fun. There’s no shortage of Nerf guns, footballs and hoverboards in our workspace.”

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

At the end of the day, I really like helping people out. It’s easy to lose site of that in the customer service world. These people aren’t calling us just to say hi. They really need help with an issue. My job is to make sure my team is prepared to get to the heart of the issue and help. The team likes the difficult inquiries that give them an opportunity to go the extra mile and blow the customer away.

And the most challenging?

eCommerce is so dynamic. The rate of change is really incredible, and I have to make sure my team is up to speed. If a customer calls and references a sale from three weeks ago, my team needs to be able to speak intelligently on the situation. For me, that means working closely with Account Management to stay up-to-date on changes, and then putting that information at my team’s fingertips so they can solve issues quickly.

How does a quality customer service department fit into the eCommerce equation?

When you hear someone talking about whether a company is good or bad, a lot of times, they are basing that opinion on a single customer service interaction that they had. Customer services is the face of the brand. That’s a lot of responsibility, but it’s also an incredible opportunity to make an impact.

“I might be biased, but I think customer service is the MOST important part of the eCommerce equation.”

What does a highly functioning customer service department look like?

You want to have processes built for everything, but also want really sharp reps who are willing to think outside the box when necessary. No matter how much you plan, you’ll always have customers call in with use cases you’ve never seen before. Customer service teams need people who can recognize this and know when to push for a solution that exceeds the customer’s expectation.

As brands move towards a DTC selling strategy, how can they expect their customer service function to evolve?

Many of our clients are new to DTC and have never dealt with support for front-line type inquiries. In other words, they don’t really know the types of questions their customers will be asking when they call or write in. Building out a direct to consumer customer service department gives brands new visibility and insights into their customers. It’s incredibly valuable for our clients.

How has the evolution of eCommerce affected the customer service space most?

Time is such a huge factor. Now more than ever before, customer service departments need to resolve issues quickly. If a customer is actually taking time out of their schedule to call or email, they really need help, and we can’t take up any more of their time than necessary. This translates in so many ways: responding with shorter emails that can be read on mobile, having shorter greetings when they call on our customer service line, etc. Customers’ expectations are sky high and expect every point of the eCommerce transaction to go smoothly.

How does Ally approach customer service differently?

Customer service has a really bad rep. People assume it will take them 30-45 minutes to talk to a rep that may or may not be able to help them. At Ally, we’re completely turning that assumption on its head. If you call us, there’s a 99% chance that you will get directly through to a representative without waiting on hold, and our average call time is 2.5 minutes. We resolve issues quickly and don’t use any phone scripts. A natural conversation provides the best customer experience.

Want to learn more about working with Ally? Get in touch today.

Dave Kart

Posted in Customer Service, Team Ally

July 19th, 2018

Glassdoor | 20 Top Companies for Career Opportunities Hiring Now

Every time you take a new job, there’s an important question to consider: Am I building a career with this company?

While some hiring departments are just looking for someone to get the job done, at other companies, providing help for employees level up within the company is a top focus. These companies provide their employees with the skills, network, and opportunity to both flourish within the company, but also to leave the company with much better career prospects. Using ratings data from thousands of employees, Glassdoor is able to determine exactly how much a company can help you level up in your search for career opportunities. We’ve found that the services and support that these 20 companies provide to their employees to reach new heights in their career are simply top-notch. And best of all: they’re all hiring!

Dave Kart

Posted in Ally News, Team Ally

June 5th, 2018

Ally Commerce Names Veteran Technology Executive Jeff Cashman CEO

ATLANTA, June 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ –— Ally Commerce, today announced the appointment of veteran technology executive Jeff Cashman as Chief Executive Officer and board member.

Headquartered in Atlanta and backed by global logistics leader and strategic investor UPS, Ally Commerce is a complete eCommerce-as-a-service solution for brand manufacturers selling direct-to-consumers online.

“Jeff is a veteran business leader, and his proven ability to lead top performing teams, combined with his vast understanding of the industry, makes him the perfect choice to take the reins at Ally Commerce,” said Bob Anclien, Chairman, Ally Commerce.

Cashman has spent more than 30 years as a leader at world-class technology companies. Before joining Ally Commerce, Cashman spent more than 13 years as a senior executive for Manhattan Associates helping advance the company’s growth strategy and serving a pivotal role in more than doubling the company’s revenue and building a market valuation of more than $3 billion.

“I am excited to join Ally Commerce at this pivotal point in the company’s history,” said Cashman. “As I have gotten to know Ally Commerce over the past few months, I recognize that it has two key ingredients for success: great people and a great market opportunity.”

About Ally Commerce

Ally Commerce is a complete eCommerce-as-a-service solution for brand manufacturers selling direct-to-consumers online. Our agile and scalable proprietary cloud-based technology and unmatched industry expertise drive profitable growth across all channels: ensuring stores, orders, inventory and fulfillment work seamlessly together —with no integration required. For more information, please visit www.allycommerce.com.

Contact:
Dave Kart
(678) 984-3225
dave.kart@allycommerce.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ally-commerce-names-veteran-technology-executive-jeff-cashman-ceo-300659563.html

Team Ally

Posted in Ally News, Team Ally

May 3rd, 2018

Atlanta Business Chronicle | Winners of the 2018 Pacesetter Awards

The results are in for the 2018 Pacesetter Awards list.

To qualify, a business must be based in the 20-county metro area and not be a subsidiary of another company. It also must have been established in the first quarter of 2015 or earlier, experienced a two-year growth in sales of more than 50 percent, and garnered revenue between $1 million and $300 million in 2017.

Dave Kart

Posted in Ally News, Team Ally

April 16th, 2018

Behind the Scenes With Ally Commerce: Meet Craig

At Ally, our mission is to drive outcomes for our clients. eCommerce is complex and constantly changing, so we rely on a fast-paced, innovative culture to make it happen. We want to help you get to know the people behind your eCommerce engine, so today, we’re taking you behind-the-scenes with Craig Haynor.

Dave Kart

Posted in eCommerce Technology, Team Ally

December 1st, 2017

Venture Atlanta | From the VA Stage to eCommerce Superstars: Meet Ally Commerce

For the past ten years, Venture Atlanta has had the unique opportunity to connect some of the most promising companies in the Southeast with the capital they need to grow. But what happens, you might ask,afterthe pitch? In this series, we’re taking you behind-the-scenes with the people who graced the VA stage to tell their storiesfromthentonow.

Dave Kart

Posted in Ally News, eCommerce Technology, Team Ally

For the past ten years, Venture Atlanta has had the unique opportunity to connect some of the most promising companies in the Southeast with the capital they need to grow. But what happens, you might ask,afterthe pitch? In this series, we’re taking you behind-the-scenes with the people who graced the VA stage to tell their storiesfromthentonow.

Dave Kart