We spoke to Marc Serra, E-commerce Product Manager at Comercia Global Payments, a CaixaBank Group subsidiary in CaixaBank Payments & Consumer which specialises in delivering payment services to businesses. CaixaBank and its subsidiaries drive innovation in services for customers and also in initiatives such as the People Xperience Hub which hosts webinars and activities about technology and the digital arena for the public at large. The latest innovation projects launched by CaixaBank include Social Commerce, an e-commerce technology solution for small businesses to sell via social media and instant messaging.
Marc, tell us about App Development. How would you describe your professional role? What does a specialist in this digital discipline do?
An App Developer transfers a product’s concept to digital language and the digital environment.
Several skill sets are involved in App Development, from defining the product to be used for the app to its digital programming while respecting the language of each device and the usage scenarios. Once developed or even during the process, it is extremely important to review its usability so that the user experience is not hindered. This work concept involves short-term planning of specific objectives, monitoring them and delivering small functional packages. The team next in line then reviews the code and its functionality.
Your App Development talent has made the difference in rolling out Social Commerce. How have you harnessed its potential during development?
An App Development expert brings their digital talent to all the stages in mobile app production, launch and follow-up.
We have used several tools across the project’s entire lifecycle, from today’s design and feedback tools for working online to the latest breakthroughs in programming. It’s teamwork. Several roles are involved in Social Commerce, each with their own tasks yet with the common goal of launching the project, and it is critical that we keep in touch to transfer inputs quickly and effectively with no hold-ups.
The pandemic is hitting the global economy hard and local traders in particular. How does Social Commerce help small entrepreneurs?
This new CaixaBank service enables small businesses to start selling online with minimum effort and maximum security. It works entirely on a mobile app that allows you to register products and services and share them instantly with potential customers using existing, visible and high-traffic digital channels such as social media.
What is the biggest challenge that developing Social Commerce has posed?
Nowadays the main challenge for any technological project is to slot into the market as quickly as possible and deliver value. You get this value when you seek it out from the earliest stages of product development to launch and then by keeping an eye on how things go, checking how users respond to your proposition and sizing up potential improvements.
Based on the experience gained with the development of Social Commerce, how do you think App Development will help business relationships in the future? Which ones do you think will emerge or evolve and which will fade away?
All industries are going through a digital revolution. Mobile devices are the horizon of the new digital business. Consequently, app development is increasingly common in any business and this is where the talent of App Development professionals will be invaluable to make our services part of the daily lives of thousands of people.
Finally, what would you say to tomorrow’s digital professionals to inspire them to specialise and grow in App Development?
Digital apps are the showcase of companies and organisations and the professional skill sets supporting their development are at the forefront of innovation and digital talent. It is also very rewarding to see how the outcome of your work impacts the lives of so many people by helping them to meet their needs and move forward, especially in the current situation.