Sal Visca Of Vertex On 5 Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective C-Level Leader Of A Retail Tech Company

An Interview With Kieran Powell

Agility and ability to anticipate and adapt. As a C-level executive, I’ve learned that anticipating (and embracing) change is essential. Being able to predict and prepare for upcoming trends that could affect your business is pivotal.

The retail industry is undergoing a seismic shift, largely driven by technology. From e-commerce to AI-driven customer experiences, technology is redefining how consumers interact with retail brands. This rapid transformation presents unique challenges and opportunities for C-level leaders in the retail tech space. Effective leadership is more critical than ever to navigate these changes, drive innovation, and maintain a competitive edge. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Sal Visca.

As Chief Technology Officer, Sal leads the company’s technology strategy, software engineering and innovation roadmap to accelerate growth. He joined Vertex in 2021 after 30 years of technology and executive management expertise transforming and operating large-scale cloud software businesses.

Sal spent his early career at IBM as a software engineer, architect and then in executive roles developing the company’s e-commerce and middleware products. He has also held Chief Technology Officer roles at Elastic Path Software, Business Objects and SAP. He holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in computer science from Western University.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

I’ve been involved in the technology industry for well over three decades. Early on in my career, I was deeply captivated not just by how customers, but also people in general, utilized software and how it essentially transformed their operational practices.

Professionally, I started out as an engineer, gaining extensive technical knowledge. Yet, I found myself continually attracted to the real-world effects of the software creations I was a part of. My interest quickly steered toward the connection with customers and understanding their interaction with technology.

I began my journey by rigorously testing software for quality, performance and scalability, but soon realized that observing from an external perspective was a critical aspect to consider, rather than solely focusing on the technical impressiveness of the software. This shift in outlook, I believe, played a significant role in guiding me onto the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) career path. I approach the position today with this perspective: being a business-oriented technology leader with great respect for the enabling and transformative potential of technology. A phrase that has stayed with me throughout my CTO career is about enabling the “Art of the Possible” through technology.

However, to me, it’s never been just about technology for its own sake, but rather what technology can make possible. I frequently mention that ‘technology agility enables business agility’, which has been a guiding mantra throughout my career. Over the years, I’ve helped build numerous software solutions that have enabled organizations to run their businesses, adapt quickly, pivot as needed and achieve their objectives in an efficient manner. This has always been a key motivation for me and continues to inspire me daily.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Well, maybe not so funny, but as I look back at my entire career, from a business/technology perspective, most of my mistakes that stand out were related to being too early to market with technology that I thought was very cool. I’ve always been fascinated by what technology can do and I was an early proponent of things like mobile technologies, Software-as-a-Service, Cloud Computing, Omnichannel commerce, blockchain, AI (even decades ago), etc. In a couple of startups I worked at, we built software that was ahead of its time — not because it was revolutionary, but because it was a technology looking for a problem that hadn’t fully transpired yet. People were not ready to change the way they had been doing things and weren’t ready for disruption.

I don’t say this with a sense of pride, but we got too excited by architectural elegance and advanced technologies. Eventually we realized, quite painfully, that it can take considerable time for users to adapt and become ready for new software and approaches. I understand that having an excellent technical product in itself won’t automatically get market traction if it doesn’t gain customer adoption. Users need time to absorb and understand the potential of what technology can offer.

In my enthusiasm for the elegance of the technology that I was developing, I often overlooked the human element — the need for individuals to assimilate and prepare for new developments. Reflecting on these early mistakes, I’ve come to understand that it’s not solely the merits of the technology that drives success; it’s also about helping users understand how to become ready for it and how to adapt to new technologies.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Like most contemporary companies, we are driving new initiatives which revolve around the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and more precisely, aspects related to Machine Learning (ML), Large Language Models (LLMs)and Generative AI (GenAI).

The key goal behind these AI initiatives, particularly GenAI, is to make our software more intuitive, powerful and productive for our users. We hope this will enable our customers to focus more on their areas of expertise and not get encumbered by the minutiae necessary to operate the software. AI introduces automation possibilities which can greatly assist and amplify the productivity and efficiency of human operators — and that’s a vision we’re extremely passionate about bringing to life.

The retail industry has seen a significant shift towards digital and e-commerce solutions. How have you adapted your business strategy to this digital transformation, and what challenges did you face in this transition?

In response to the digital shift in retail, we’ve continually adapted our business strategy to always provide compelling value to our customers. Recognizing quickly the importance of omnichannel commerce, I was one of the early champions and evangelists for seamless customer interactions across all buying channels. All of this leading to the development of ‘headless commerce’ during my early career. This innovative approach, separating front-end and back-end elements in e-commerce, enabled flexibility while maintaining consistency across all interfaces for end customers (even if the back-end systems remained siloed and disparate).

At Vertex, we’ve built on this foundation to offer holistic customer journey strategies. Regardless of where customers initiate their interactions — whether B2C, B2B, in-store, online or elsewhere — we’re dedicated to delivering consistent, integrated shopping experiences. However, our path to digital transformation hasn’t been without challenges. Integrating with diverse ERP, procurement and other “systems of record” posed a significant hurdle, demanding expertise and efficient solutions to help ensure a seamless integration for our customers.

Moreover, navigating the complexities of taxation, remittance and compliance across multiple channels presented further obstacles. Our solution manages these complexities, helping ensure compliance and reducing friction for retailers and suppliers. Today, we remain committed to remaining at the leading-edge of technology and innovation to provide true business value to retailers with streamlined operations and enhanced customer experiences.

Can you share a particular innovation your company has implemented to improve customer engagement and satisfaction? How did this innovation impact your business?

In recent years, our company has made strides in revolutionizing the way we engage with customers and enhance their satisfaction with our solutions. As an organization heavily involved in the retail industry, our focus has always been on understanding how a business sells products, whether it’s through online B2C and B2B e-commerce channels, retail stores or marketplaces.

This concept of omnichannel sales is something I have passionately pursued in my career. When I joined Vertex three years ago, we were initially focusing on how organizations sell products through their ERP systems. However, as we expanded into e-commerce and online, multi-vendor marketplaces, it became clear we needed to have a unified view of the customer journey to fully enable commerce, irrespective of the channel.

The goal has been to simplify the process by taking the friction out of taxation, remittance and compliance so companies don’t have to grapple as much with these complexities. However, one significant challenge was that the back-end systems supporting these different channels are often drastically different from each other.

Many companies on their digital transformation quest have been trying to integrate these systems. Whether it’s an ERP handling an invoice, a B2B transaction or a retailer selling products through wholesale and directly to consumers, the back-end systems for inventory management, warehouse management, supply chain, fulfilment and other back-office functions are all very distinct.

Our customers often find it complicated to figure out how their products should be taxed differently in each channel, considering factors like bulk pricing, varying taxation and multiple geographies. From the standpoint of ultimate customer experience, however, end-users mustn’t be confronted with the complexities of interacting with different parts of an organization or distinct software systems.

To achieve this, we’ve dedicated our efforts to be an integral part of the digital transformation effort, striving to weave together how sales and use tax, value-added tax (VAT), import and excise taxes, customs and duties, exemptions, etc. are managed in all these back-office systems. All the while, ensuring our customers and their suppliers and users can remain compliant with complex local, state and federal tax regimes.

Leading a retail tech company often means keeping up with rapid technological changes and market trends. How do you stay ahead of these trends, and what practices do you follow to ensure your team remains agile and innovative?

Leading a retail tech company requires a continuous focus on the future, staying abreast of the rapid changes in technology and market trends.

We have a dedicated team focused on emerging technology and the ‘art of the possible’. This specifically means exploring what technology can do and how it can disrupt what we’re currently practicing. Technology is revolutionizing everything around us and it’s my job as the Chief Technology Officer to “see around corners”, to predict and prepare for the upcoming seismic changes, especially as companies increasingly become digitally connected.

Innovation for us is not just about making linear, incremental improvements to our existing software but also about introducing transformative, leapfrog technology approaches that can revolutionize our operations and services. Our emerging technology team actively investigates potentials that digitization and connectivity offer, such as blockchain, digital transactions, payments, and especially AI given it’s profound potential.

However, while technology often enables these transformative changes, it’s equally critical to understand whether the people and systems are ready to undergo such shifts. That’s the essence of digital transformation — and it often lags behind what’s technologically feasible. Thus, our responsibility involves finding and addressing the gap between what’s possible and what the market and its users can adopt comfortably and effectively.

As we build our products, we strive to ensure there is a balance between incremental innovation and long-term disruptive innovations. It’s indeed a balancing act and something that needs careful management. But I firmly believe this approach has allowed us not just to keep pace with the rapid technological strides but also stay ahead of the curve.

In an industry increasingly dominated by technology, how do you balance the use of tech solutions with the need for a human touch in customer service and team management?

Balancing technological advancements with the essence of human touch in customer service and team management is a complex yet integral part of operating in an increasingly tech-dominated industry.

Technological innovation is rapid and potent, offering countless possibilities for efficiency and simplification. However, we need to remember that just because something is technically possible doesn’t mean it should be implemented without thorough consideration. The adoption of technology and the consequential changes it brings consistently lag behind innovation, and for a good reason. It takes time for societies and people to evolve, accept and adapt to these changes.

The human factor also plays a significant role here. While technology, especially AI, brings about remarkable efficiencies, it also brings with it concern over job security. The potential of AI and other advanced software to do most of the work and minimize human involvement can trigger fears about jobs being marginalized or lost. This, in turn, hints at some profound philosophical debates about the capabilities of software versus the necessity for human involvement.

While there are strongly-held viewpoints on both extremes — those who view technology as an existential threat and those who see it as a massive opportunity — our position lies somewhere in between. We believe in the promise of technology and its capacity to improve processes and systems, but we also firmly stand by the idea that the human element is irreplaceable. We prioritize careful and responsible strides in harnessing technology, while striving to ensure the human touch remains a cornerstone of our customer service and team management. Ultimately, it comes down to empathy for our customers — understanding and supporting them wherever they are in their journey.

Based on your experience and success, what are the “5 Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective C-Level Leader Of A Retail Tech Company?” How have these 5 things impacted your work or your career?

Based on my experience, here are the “5 Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective C-Level Leader Of A Retail Tech Company”:

1. Customer-Centricity. Basically, a level of understanding of your customers. In the age of disintermediated retail and multi-brand marketplaces, understanding your consumer becomes more challenging than ever. Stay focused on making your customers happy, and all other decisions become clearer.

2. Agility and ability to anticipate and adapt. As a C-level executive, I’ve learned that anticipating (and embracing) change is essential. Being able to predict and prepare for upcoming trends that could affect your business is pivotal.

3. Technological capabilities. Employing the best of technology is vital in a tech retail company. Technology, if rightly harnessed, can empower our teams to operate much more efficiently to deliver excellent customer experiences.

4. Leadership. Knowing how to lead in a data-driven organization that utilizes telemetry and insights to make decisions, constantly adapting processes to increase efficiency, and understanding customer sentiment and retention.

5. Workforce management. Understanding the expectations of the new generation of workers and keeping them motivated is essential. In our organization, we’ve built an environment that thrives on innovation and encourages young minds to bring fresh ideas to the table.

The impact of these tenets on my work and career is profound. They have shaped my understanding of the retail tech industry, guided decision-making and helped drive the success of our organization and our customers.

Looking ahead, what do you believe are the key trends that will shape the future of the retail tech industry? How are you preparing your company to adapt to these trends, and what role do you see your leadership playing in this adaptation?

Looking ahead, I believe key trends that will shape the future of the retail tech industry include:

1. Omnichannel Experience. Omnichannel has emerged as an integral part of retail, and this trend will continue to dominate. With the acceleration of mobile and social commerce, we have seen a significant shift in consumer shopping habits. Customers now want seamless and integrated shopping experiences across multiple channels such as traditional and pop-up stores, mobile, social media and online. Being where the customers are and meeting their needs across different channels is critical.

2. In-store Analytics. Just like online experiences are highly instrumented to understand customer journeys through the online shopping experience, similar concepts are being applied in physical retail stores to aid in understanding foot traffic, customer behavior and dwell time in different store sections. While it may not necessarily identify the specific individual, the ability to track repeat visits or dwell time helps retailers understand consumer interest and behavior.

3. Deeper data insights. Utilizing the power of data warehouses, data lakes, data lakehouses, and AI to anticipate customer intent, understand sentiment trends, merchandise and personalize more effectively, create more compelling personalized promotions, drive higher Customer Lifetime Value (CLV / LTV), lower customer churn, and improve Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC).

4. Highly engaging, low-friction customer experiences. Taking the friction out of the buying experience. For us, tax should operate in the shadow of the transaction and not get in the way. Global and cross-border commerce often comes with complex import, excise and customs and duties taxes which can be strong points of friction in the shopping experience that must be managed carefully.

5. Global Tax Compliance: As retailers expand globally, tax is a significant consideration for operating in different countries and jurisdictions. As transactions span jurisdictional borders, taxability, e-invoicing and compliance rules can become very complex. Organizations need solutions to help them ensure proper taxation occurs on all products. It should also be able to consider various factors, like where products are made, which supply chains are used, warehouse locations, delivery and fulfillment, purchasers, consumption locations, applying exemptions correctly, and ensuring taxes are collected and remitted accurately and promptly. The software should provide reconciliation capabilities, identify anomalies and discrepancies, assist in self-audits, pre-audit and audit processes.

As a company, we’re preparing to adapt to these trends by continually evolving our software to provide comprehensive services to retailers. We aim to enhance our solutions to enable businesses to sell their products anywhere and everywhere with efficient tax determination in all channels while helping organizations in all the tax processes to remain compliant in the jurisdictions they operate in.

The transition to this digitally enhanced retail landscape requires open-minded leadership that embraces change and encourages innovation. As a leader, my role is to steer our company in this new direction, encourage our team to adopt and adapt to new technologies and foster a culture of continuous learning. By staying at the forefront of technology and industry trends and being proactive in our approach to integrating these technologies, I believe we can continue to provide value to our retail customers and maintain our competitive edge in the retail tech industry.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

If I had the opportunity to start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, it would undoubtedly be related to sustainability, particularly focusing on the carbon footprint of our current e-commerce practices.

In this new age of convenience, we’re able to push a button and have individual items delivered to our doorsteps (and reverse logistics of returning the products), but we must consider and grapple with the environmental impact this creates. The advent of this ‘one-click’ culture, while distinctly convenient, has led to an increase of transportation activities, contributing significantly to global carbon emissions. This is further complicated by the tons of packaging material used, much of which ends up in recycling or landfill.

For example, governments often use excise and “sin” taxes as strong influencers to deter certain behaviors (eg: tobacco, alcohol, inefficient energy consumption, etc) while increasing revenues to apply to social causes (eg: environmental and sustainable developments, alternatives fuels, etc).

So, my movement would highlight social responsibility and encourage consciousness and conversations around the true cost of this convenience. It’s important for us to start seeing beyond just the convenience and ease that these services offer and to reckon with the environmental implications of their use.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Readers can follow my work through Vertex social media channels, LinkedIn and Twitter. Additionally, our blogs feature thought leadership from several other experts on a variety of topics including retail, sales tax holidays and indirect tax compliance complexities.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

About The Interviewer: Kieran Powell is the EVP of Channel V Media a New York City Public Relations agency with a global network of agency partners in over 30 countries. Kieran has advised more than 150 companies in the Technology, B2B, Retail and Financial sectors. Prior to taking over business operations at Channel V Media, Kieran held roles at Merrill Lynch, PwC and Ernst & Young. Get in touch with Kieran to discuss how marketing and public relations can be leveraged to achieve concrete business goals.