CIOReview | | 9 JULY 20232) Business First, Technology AfterEvery one of us is passionate for technology, and every day we are engaged by new incredible supplier able to offer new digital capabilities. So it is recurrent to be driven by technology, to trust the supplier will create value as he has done with other customers. But this is like to think is possible to understand how book has started reading only the end.It is critical to stay focused on business objectives, and customer needs to be answered. The technology need to be scouted as a precise answer. You will always find some digital solution offering more, and is good, but is critical to respect the core objective to avoid just implementing a nice thing, a "me too" solution, out of vision unable to create value in medium-term.Then...the technology alone is never the solution. It is needed to think of other layers like processes and organizational model. The tech, processes, organization level of maturity need to come together.3) Tracking Is Not Enough, It Needs A Generated Value GapWith the building blocks in your hand, you will have the "bread" to imagine solutions and ideas to be tested. That imply careful result assessment. In doing this it is essential to confuse an A/B testing approach with a commitment in assessing the value gap generated.An A/B test approach will always have a winner and a loser. It is easy and comfortable for everybody, you already know there is one will have to be implemented at the end of the test. But what about both of them do not create value? And is not reading a tracking, even with the most evolved attribution model that you will learn it. The reality is far more complex, mad of seasonality, external factors, synergy effects, underneath phenomena. An A/B test may give completely different results if repeated.Here the reason on is to assess the success of a pilot with control groups. Thinking observation period able to observe effects in different business scenario. A control group is a sample that is not exposed to your stimulus, but it is to all the other of the context. It is the only way to read a Net Value generated (or destroyed). But once again, a control group has a cost of time and investments, plus need specific internal skills (you cannot ask to the supplier to do it). So....it must be a religion of a CRM director, and the way any kind of result will be reported to take final decisions.4) UNLEASH THE MARKETING AUTOMATIONThe marketing automation is probably the most powerful way to unleash value on the customer journey with the CRM. To do it is needed an orchestrator real time integrated with the CRM. The marketing automation is based on the design of multi-channel work-flows based on triggers and analytics. Every work-flow is a use case, and every use case is to be considered as complex solution to be kept maintained and evolved in the time with a released approach, the same way you may plan new systems enhancements. A work-flow is made of digital solutions and processes to be constantly monitored, are need skilled people always in touch with IT.The marketing automation follow the vision of the building blocks along the customer journey, it is a wallet of solutions to be built year after year following a shared road map.5) Personalization At The Service Of The CustomerThe personalization is the most exciting challenge for the CRM and it deserves a dedicated topic. Here I want to underline once again the importance to do not be driven by technology and think of the personalization as a way to answer customer needs. The basic approach implementing the personalization is to work on use cases that may simplify the customer choices, offer a relevant service/answer. In doing this you may have advanced models based on personal and behavioural information, but what is making the difference is the possibility to associate specific contents and services. In designing a use case based on the personalization is key to re-think business processes managing contents and service. The technology alone can help till a certain limit, pushing to solutions too simple to make the difference. It is important to not be driven by technology and think of the personalization as a way to answer customer needsMarco Ottaviani
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