Tag: customer relationship management

Next-Generation CRM: Leveraging AI for Dynamic Customization

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Introduction: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems have evolved significantly with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), enabling dynamic customisation and personalised interactions. This article explores how AI is transforming CRM systems into next-generation platforms capable of adapting to the unique needs and preferences of individual customers.

  • AI-Powered Customer Insights:

    • AI algorithms analyse vast amounts of customer data to uncover valuable insights into behaviors, preferences, and trends. By understanding customer needs in real-time, CRM systems can dynamically customise interactions and offerings to enhance customer satisfaction.

  • Predictive Analytics for Anticipatory Service:

    • Predictive analytics algorithms forecast future customer behaviors and preferences based on historical data and patterns. CRM systems leverage this predictive capability to anticipate customer needs and deliver proactive service, such as personalised product recommendations or timely support.

  • Dynamic Content Personalisation:

    • AI-driven content personalisation tailors marketing messages, emails, and promotions to match individual customer interests and preferences. CRM systems dynamically adjust content based on factors like past interactions, demographics, and browsing history, maximising engagement and conversion rates.

  • Intelligent Sales Assistance:

    • AI-powered sales assistants analyse customer interactions, sales history, and market trends to provide real-time guidance to sales representatives. CRM systems equipped with intelligent sales assistance offer personalised recommendations, pricing strategies, and next-best actions to drive sales effectiveness.

  • Automated Customer Support:

    • AI chatbots and virtual assistants provide automated customer support, handling routine inquiries, troubleshooting issues, and escalating complex cases to human agents when necessary. CRM systems integrate AI-driven chatbots to deliver personalised, round-the-clock support, improving response times and customer satisfaction.

  • Adaptive Workflows and Processes:

    • AI algorithms optimise CRM workflows and processes by analysing data patterns and performance metrics. CRM systems dynamically adapt workflows based on changing conditions, such as customer behavior shifts or market trends, ensuring operational efficiency and agility.

  • Predictive Lead Scoring:

    • AI-powered lead scoring models predict the likelihood of conversion for each prospect based on their characteristics and behaviors. CRM systems utilise predictive lead scoring to prioritise high-value leads, optimise sales efforts, and allocate resources effectively.

  • Real-Time Sentiment Analysis:

    • AI algorithms perform real-time sentiment analysis on customer interactions across various channels, including social media, emails, and calls. CRM systems monitor sentiment signals to identify potential issues or opportunities, enabling timely interventions and personalised responses.

  • Continuous Learning and Optimisation:

    • AI-driven CRM systems continuously learn from customer interactions and feedback to improve their performance over time. Through machine learning algorithms, CRM platforms optimise recommendations, predictions, and personalisation strategies, ensuring ongoing relevance and effectiveness.

Conclusion: Next-generation CRM systems leverage AI to deliver dynamic customisation and personalised experiences for customers. By harnessing the power of AI-driven insights, predictive analytics, and automation, CRM platforms empower businesses to build stronger customer relationships, drive sales growth, and stay ahead in today’s competitive landscape.

Mobile CRM Solutions: Empowering Sales and Service Teams On-The-Go

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Mobile Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions have become indispensable tools for modern businesses, empowering sales and service teams to effectively manage customer interactions, streamline processes, and drive productivity while on the move. This article explores the benefits and features of mobile CRM solutions and their impact on enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of sales and service teams in today’s dynamic business environment.

  • Accessibility Anytime, Anywhere:

    • One of the key advantages of mobile CRM solutions is their accessibility from anywhere, at any time. Sales and service representatives can access customer data, update records, and perform tasks directly from their mobile devices, whether they are in the office, on the field, or working remotely.

  • Real-Time Data Updates:

    • Mobile CRM applications enable real-time data synchronisation, ensuring that teams have access to the latest customer information and updates. This eliminates delays in communication and enables informed decision-making based on up-to-date insights and interactions.

  • Improved Productivity and Responsiveness:

    • By having CRM functionalities on their mobile devices, sales and service teams can respond promptly to customer inquiries, manage leads, track sales activities, and resolve service requests in a timely manner. This leads to improved productivity, faster response times, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

  • Enhanced Customer Interactions:

    • Mobile CRM solutions facilitate personalised and data-driven customer interactions. Sales representatives can access customer preferences, purchase history, and communication records on-the-go, allowing them to tailor their engagements, offer relevant solutions, and build stronger relationships with customers.

  • Efficient Task Management:

    • Mobile CRM applications streamline task management for sales and service teams. Team members can create tasks, set reminders, schedule appointments, and track progress on their mobile devices, ensuring that important activities are not overlooked and deadlines are met efficiently.

  • Location-Based Services:

    • Some mobile CRM solutions offer location-based services, such as geotagging customer visits, mapping routes for field visits, and providing navigation assistance. This functionality optimises field operations, reduces travel time, and maximises the effectiveness of customer engagements during on-site visits.

  • Data Security and Compliance:

    • Mobile CRM platforms prioritise data security and compliance with industry regulations. They incorporate features like encrypted data transmission, user authentication, access controls, and remote data wipe capabilities to safeguard sensitive customer information and maintain regulatory compliance standards.

  • Integration with Other Systems:

    • Mobile CRM solutions seamlessly integrate with other business systems such as ERP, marketing automation, and collaboration tools. This integration ensures data consistency across platforms, improves workflow efficiency, and enables a unified view of customer interactions and business processes.

Conclusion: Mobile CRM solutions play a pivotal role in empowering sales and service teams by providing them with the tools and capabilities to manage customer relationships effectively on-the-go. From real-time data access and improved productivity to enhanced customer interactions and efficient task management, mobile CRM solutions contribute significantly to driving business growth, increasing customer satisfaction, and staying competitive in today’s mobile-centric business landscape. Investing in a robust mobile CRM strategy can yield substantial benefits for organisations looking to empower their teams and deliver exceptional customer experiences across channels.

Mobile CRM: Managing Customer Relationships on the Go

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In today’s dynamic business landscape, customer relationship management (CRM) has evolved beyond traditional office settings. The advent of mobile CRM brings the power of managing customer relationships directly to the fingertips of sales teams, customer support representatives, and business professionals on the go. This article explores the benefits, features, and considerations of mobile CRM, highlighting its role in enhancing customer engagement and overall business efficiency.

1. Benefits of Mobile CRM:

  • Real-Time Access: Mobile CRM provides real-time access to customer data, allowing teams to stay informed about leads, opportunities, and customer interactions regardless of their location.
  • Improved Productivity: Sales representatives and field service personnel can update and access CRM data on the go, streamlining workflows and increasing overall productivity.
  • Enhanced Customer Engagement: With instant access to customer information, mobile CRM enables personalised interactions, empowering teams to address customer needs promptly and efficiently.

2. Key Features of Mobile CRM:

  • Access to Customer Data: Mobile CRM applications provide a comprehensive view of customer profiles, purchase history, and communication logs, enabling informed and personalised interactions.
  • Task and Calendar Management: Users can manage tasks, appointments, and follow-ups seamlessly, ensuring that critical activities are not overlooked, even when away from the office.
  • Lead and Opportunity Tracking: Sales teams can update lead statuses, track opportunities, and input real-time data during client meetings, keeping the sales pipeline up to date.
  • Communication Tools: Integrated communication features, such as email and call logging, facilitate efficient communication with customers, ensuring that all interactions are documented within the CRM system.
  • Offline Access: Mobile CRM solutions often include offline capabilities, allowing users to access and update information even when connectivity is limited, ensuring uninterrupted productivity.

3. Considerations for Mobile CRM Implementation:

  • User Adoption: Successful implementation requires ensuring that the mobile CRM solution aligns with the workflow preferences of users. Training and support are crucial for encouraging widespread adoption.
  • Security Measures: Mobile CRM platforms must prioritise data security. This includes secure data transmission, user authentication, and the ability to remotely wipe data from lost or stolen devices.
  • Integration with Existing Systems: Seamless integration with existing CRM systems, databases, and enterprise applications is essential to ensure a unified and cohesive customer data ecosystem.
  • Customisation: The ability to customise mobile CRM interfaces to match specific business processes and industry requirements is crucial for maximising usability and efficiency.
  • Scalability: A scalable mobile CRM solution accommodates business growth and evolving needs, ensuring that the platform remains effective as the organisation expands.

4. Industry-Specific Applications:

  • Sales and Marketing: Mobile CRM empowers sales teams to manage leads, track sales activities, and access marketing collateral on the go, fostering a more agile and responsive sales process.
  • Field Service: For industries with field service teams, mobile CRM facilitates efficient scheduling, task management, and real-time communication, improving service delivery and customer satisfaction.
  • Healthcare: In healthcare, mobile CRM solutions enable medical professionals to access patient records, schedule appointments, and collaborate on patient care plans from mobile devices securely.
  • Retail: Retail businesses benefit from mobile CRM for inventory management, order processing, and personalised customer interactions on the shop floor, enhancing the overall retail experience.

5. Future Trends in Mobile CRM:

  • Artificial Intelligence Integration: AI-driven features, such as predictive analytics and intelligent insights, will enhance the capabilities of mobile CRM, providing users with data-driven recommendations.
  • Voice-Activated Assistants: Integration with voice-activated assistants allows users to perform CRM-related tasks hands-free, improving accessibility and user experience.
  • Augmented Reality (AR): AR features may be incorporated for enhanced visualisation of data, enabling users to interact with 3D models, maps, and visual representations of customer information.

Conclusion: Empowering Business Mobility

Mobile CRM is a game-changer in modern business operations, empowering professionals to manage customer relationships with flexibility and efficiency. By providing real-time access to critical data, enhancing communication, and supporting productivity on the go, mobile CRM contributes to a more agile and customer-centric approach. As technology continues to evolve, businesses adopting mobile CRM solutions position themselves to stay ahead in the competitive landscape, driving customer satisfaction and business success.

How to customise your CRM to meet your business needs: Tips for successful development.

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As your business grows, your customer relationship management (CRM) needs will evolve as well. To ensure that your CRM system meets your business needs, it’s important to customise it. Customisation can help you automate tasks, streamline workflows, and improve customer satisfaction. In this blog, we will discuss some tips for successful CRM development and how to use keywords and metadata to optimise your efforts.

Define your business requirements: The first step in customising your CRM system is to define your business requirements. This involves identifying the key features and functionality that you need to manage your customers effectively. Some important features to consider include contact management, lead management, opportunity tracking, and sales forecasting.

Identify your customisation options: Once you’ve defined your business requirements, the next step is to identify the customisation options available to you. Depending on your CRM system, you may have different customisation options such as custom fields, custom objects, and custom workflows.

Develop a customisation plan: After identifying your customisation options, the next step is to develop a customisation plan. This involves creating a roadmap that outlines the specific customisations you want to make and how they will be implemented.

Test your customisations: Once you’ve made your customisations, it’s important to test them thoroughly. This will help you identify any issues or bugs before they impact your customers.

Train your team: Finally, it’s important to train your team on how to use the customised CRM system. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the system is being used effectively.

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The challenges and best practices for successful CRM implementation

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Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a business strategy designed to manage interactions with customers and improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. Implementing a CRM system can bring significant benefits to a business, including increased sales and revenue, improved customer satisfaction and loyalty, and more efficient operations. However, implementing a CRM system can also be challenging and requires careful planning and execution to ensure success.

The challenges and best practices for successful CRM implementation

One of the main challenges of CRM implementation is selecting the right system for the business. With many different CRM systems available, it can be difficult to determine which one will best meet the needs of the business. Some factors to consider when selecting a CRM system include the size of the business, the type of customers the business serves, and the budget for the system.

Another challenge is data migration. When implementing a CRM system, it is necessary to transfer all of the existing customer data into the new system. This can be a complex and time-consuming process, and if not done correctly, it can lead to data loss or corruption. To minimise the risk of data loss, it is important to have a well-planned data migration process and to use a trusted and experienced data migration partner.

Integration with existing systems is another common challenge. Many businesses use a variety of different systems to manage different aspects of their operations, such as accounting, marketing, and customer service. To ensure that the CRM system integrates smoothly with these other systems, it is important to choose a CRM system that is designed to work with the other systems used by the business.

Another challenge is ensuring that the CRM system is properly configured and customised to meet the specific needs of the business. This includes setting up the system to store and retrieve the right data, and configuring the system to work with the other systems used by the business. To ensure that the system is configured and customised correctly, it is important to work with experienced CRM consultants and developers.

Despite these challenges, there are best practices that can help to ensure the successful implementation of a CRM system. One of the key best practices is to involve all stakeholders in the planning and implementation process. This includes employees, customers, and partners, as well as IT and marketing teams.

Another best practice is to start small and then scale up. This can help to minimise the risks associated with a large and complex CRM implementation project. For example, businesses can start by implementing the CRM system for a specific department or business unit, and then gradually expand the implementation to other departments and business units.

It is also important to ensure that employees are properly trained on how to use the CRM system. This includes training on how to enter and retrieve customer data, how to use the system to manage customer interactions, and how to use the system to generate reports and insights. To ensure that employees are properly trained, it is important to work with experienced CRM trainers and to provide ongoing training and support.

Finally, it is important to measure and monitor the success of the CRM implementation. This includes tracking key metrics such as customer satisfaction, sales and revenue, and employee productivity, and using these metrics to make adjustments and improvements to the CRM system over time.

In conclusion, CRM implementation can bring significant benefits to a business, but it also presents a number of challenges. To ensure the successful implementation of a CRM system, it is important to involve all stakeholders, start small and then scale up, provide proper training, and measure and monitor the success of the implementation. By following these best practices, businesses can increase the chances of success and ensure that their CRM system delivers the desired benefits.

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CRM Vs CDP: Differences, Similarities, Applications & Use Cases

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You probably know about CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tools quite well. After all, it originated as a concept in the 80s, and as a product in the 90s. You may know some things about CDPs – even though you’d be surprised to know that they’ve been around for more than a decade.

And while you might think that CDP is just one of the (multiple) acronyms in your life, there are a few firms who’ve no doubts about CDPs whatsoever. Among them is the world’s No.1 CRM, Salesforce, which is developing its own CDP – earlier Customer 360 Audiences, now simply Salesforce CDP – by leaps and bounds.

Then, there are the good folks at Adobe and Oracle, who are on the bandwagon too.

Why?

In this article, we’ll answer that. As well as give you a detailed analysis of their differences, similarities, and areas of overlap. After reading through, you’ll know which tasks they’re best suited to, and which one (or two!) will help you increase conversions and drive ROI. Plus, we’ve got some illustrative use cases to explain it all perfectly.

So read on! And yes, it’s a long read. So get comfortable. Or,  skip to the TLDR part at the end of each section. And get your hands on the pdf version for future reference.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

  1. How Customer Experience is Driving the Unstoppable Growth of CDPs & CRMs
  • What is Customer Experience (CX)
  • Why is CX the Gamechanger Today?
  • CX from a ‘Personal’ Perspective 

How Customer Experience is Driving the Unstoppable Growth of CDPs & CRMs

What is Customer Experience (CX)

Customer experience is defined as how a customer feels about your brand across the sum total of interactions with you. It’s about how welcome, cared for and catered to they feel with your product, your people, as well as all your digital interfaces & touchpoints.

Why CX is a Gamechanger Today?

According to a Gartner survey, 75% of companies can prove that higher customer satisfaction increase revenues. This growth is driven by higher retention rates or a greater lifetime value. As Raj Gautam, CEO, QL Tech, says, ‘Simply creating a better product is not enough. You need to constantly deliver more value to your customers.’

Delivering value means providing the right content to your audience for their stage in the buyer’s cycle. Give them timely assistance right where and when they need it. Keep your ear to the ground, and get the right feedback to continuously improve your product. Keep up with their changing behaviour and buying habits. And make them feel that they’re well cared for in general.

Giving CX that ‘Personal’ Touch 

In short, game-changing CX is all about providing that personal touch. Every interaction, message, ad, and solution that you deliver must seem like it was made just for them. And the rewards of doing so are immense.  

86% of shoppers will pay extra for an extra nice CX. And a more personalised experience has triggered 49% to make impulse purchases. Understanding your customer better and delivering just the right trigger will pay rich dividends.

 

CDP –  What it Does, and How

  1.  collect, understand and act on data to influence customer decisions whenever the customer is ready to act. Some customers may be looking for real-time interactions, and some may want to take things slow. Based on data
  2. Breaks down silos – presents a unified view of the customer and deliver a uniform CX across channels
  3. a wide variety of integrations that can unify data from disparate channels as seamlessly as possible. Every data channel should be connected
  4. The CDP should be data source-neutral unifies all customer touchpoints and makes data useful to every team and every technology within the enterprise. Rich customer data within the supply chain, call centres and other places outside the shopping cart should be utilised.

 

CRM Vs CDP Vs DMP

CRM is an operational system for sales and customer service agents; it has detailed data but isn’t designed to let other systems work with that data.

DMP holds summarized data used primarily to support ad campaigns. 

In short: big data and data warehouse overlap with CDP while CRM and DMP are pretty distinct and you’ll probably need both.

 

CRM Vs CDP in Detail

Rating CRMs and CDPs on the Most Critical Components of CX:

  1. Enabling elegant, painless interactions (66%)
  2. Providing speedy service (66%)
  3. Ensuring that customers feel understood (65%)
  4. Making relevant information easy to find (63%)
  5. Being consistent and connected across channels (63%)

 

Applications/Advantages of CRMs

Applications/Advantages of CDPs

True CDP can align with data compliance goals In the wake of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation and the California Consumer Privacy Act

The best CDPs bring all customer data and preferences into a central repository, meaning opt-in/opt-outs are easy to manage, customer data is easy to eliminate completely and locating all of a customer’s data is a fast process — all critical elements to complying with modern privacy regulations.

CDP buyers should look for organizations that already prioritize data privacy best practices

AI-driven personalization is the wave of the future. Right now, the building blocks of this are being laid by CDPs that can collect and normalize data in real time. In the future, this means chatbots that can have tailored conversations with customers, but also soak up their behaviour through the buyer journey and make decisions based on that data in the future.

machine learning-enabled CDPs powering real-time, tailored decisions, marketers will also approach testing in a whole new way. Through automation, marketers will be able to more quickly and strategically test the next steps and communication methods and gather smarter data around the results. 

 

Top CDPs

It has been interpreted in different ways by different vendors and even users. So, choosing a CDP software is never about the ‘best CDP’ in the literal sense of the word but it’s about the ‘the best CDP solution for you.’

AM I READY FOR A CDP?

Your Martech stack was built organically over time, without a clear PoA, maybe even before CDPs existed.

Victim of cloud vendors who’ve overpromised and underdelivered.

In house, the IT department has delayed or built inefficient, poorly integrated software systems.

Your data is in silos, and different tools are unable to access all of your customer data.

You have constant sources of data that will not dry up

You have all the data definitions/business rules required to make sense of the data

You need to make decisions in real-time.. You handle large volumes of data, your customer’s value personlaised one-on-one communication,  

 

You’re having trouble building a consistent, relevant, cohesive and personalized ‘multi-touchpoint customer experience’

You are unable to track and measure conversion effectively across the complex marketing mix

You are finding it hard to manage dynamic customer databases- from data privacy and unsubscribes to moving conversions from the prospect to the customer workflow in real time

Omer Artun, CEO and Founder of AgilOne adds: you are probably ready for a CDP if:

You have a significant number of customers who frequently interact with your brand across channels (the greater the number of customers, interactions, and transactions, the more value a CDP will provide)

Your company gets a lot of value from 1:1 interactions (e.g., increased LTV, response rate, ROAS, etc.)

There are multiple customer profiles across multiple systems, but you could benefit from a master customer record

You need a single customer view in real-time, so all operating systems can have access to real-time customer data across different interaction points, devices, and applications

Beyond the pure customer insights, the right CDP can offer, marketers must also realize that a CDP solution can help future-proof their operations and keep pace with the evolution of technology like AI for years to come.

% of companies that are going to be competing solely on customer experience.. Gartner!

CX -> marketing + sales + service

Not good to outsource CX initiatives

 

The success of digital transformation will not be measured by how much companies invest in innovative technologies, but by how well they use those technologies to elevate and maintain the customer experience. 

In the experience economy, transactions that used to occur face-to-face are being rapidly replaced by digitally-enabled interactions, person-to-machine engagements or, even, machine-to-machine experiences across a diverse and dynamic spectrum of digital gateways or digitally-aided, in-person situations.  

Customers knowingly or inadvertently give you their data – the behavioural, financial, relationship, location, and personal identity information that gets exchanged – knowingly or not – in return for an ever-improving, loyalty-building customer experience. 

 

capture and analyze interaction data in real-time

brands face the problem of stitching together fragmented data from interactions that stretch across email, web, mobile apps, call centres, chatbots, in-store transactions and more. To meet customer expectations for contextually appropriate responses, companies need unified, actionable data for which legacy technologies like data warehouses, data lakes, and customer relationship management systems (CRMs) are just not up to the task. 

In the ever-expanding digital ecosystem, customers engage across multiple channels at any time of day or night from virtually any location or device and expect a brand to respond with an immediate personalized response.      

delivers the most current intel about a unique customer from – structured and unstructured; real-time and historical; anonymous and identifiable – data that is collected from multiple sources. 

 

A CDP is an evolution of something all modern marketers (should be) familiar with – a marketing database. In this case, a CDP is a marketing database, purpose-built for the API-driven world and ‘pick and mix’ marketing technology stacks in mind, while also allowing for the integration of offline sources and legacy database and infrastructure”. This gives you some idea of who could use a CDP

 

WHAT BASICS NEED TO BE IN PLACE BEFORE INVESTING IN A CDP?

We identified the symptoms, diagnosed the problem and prescribed a good strong CDP as the possible cure. But –  have you checked for allergic reactions?

It appears that true, data-driven personalization across all touchpoints and throughout the customer’s journey would be difficult- if not impossible – without a CDP.  So, if that is your goal, and you have clarity on exactly where you are stuck with using your customer data more effectively, you should be ready for a serious investment decision. But it’s not all about what you don’t have. You also need to think about what you do have in place today for a CDP to deliver tomorrow.

 

Consider these:

  1. A plan: document your journey and plan: what are the realistic expectations and outcomes along with milestones for the CDP investment? Who are the people accountable and who are the decision-makers?  What will your KPIs and metrics be? What will you prioritize in case there is too much data?
  2. Data: you need some amount of ongoing customer data from multiple sources with a reasonable level or capability for integration to be in place before CDP can work to move you forward. In essence, you should be at least at the bottom of the pyramid in the Graphic above. Even if it’s unconnected, siloed and inaccessible, you still need the inflow of high-quality data from multiple sources.
  3. Data skills: you don’t need the tech chops of a data warehousing expert but some analytic and application experience is required within the marketing team to manage and own the CDP project, right from the evaluation and requirement mapping stage to regular use post-deployment, and of course the turbulent deployment stage in the middle. Get the right people on the team before moving to the next stage.
  4. Management and user buy-in: it’s unlikely you will get a budget without management buy-in, but don’t forget adoption- will the users- the people that make up your marketing team – be able to accept this level of integration, transparency and measurability?
  5. Marketing Automation: you need a fairly mature marketing automation solution or stack in place for optimal CDP outcomes. Having connected and real-time data in place won’t be much good if you don’t have a robust outbound/ inbound marketing automation system in place to use the data and execute personalized campaigns.
  6. Integration capability: for CDP to deliver, data needs to flow. Ensure you have checked with internal experts on the integration capabilities of existing solutions and what it would take to get the data flowing both ways, as well as plug in the analytics solution.
  7. Compliance: with GDPR and other data protection data privacy laws in effect or due to come into effect soon, a unified customer view will go a long way in ensuring compliance. It is useful to understand the compliance requirements for your industry and geography and figure out whether and how a CDP Course Changes Build Customer Loyalty

 

According to Gartner, a course-changing digital experience leads customers to shift their perspective or approach and begin to take confident steps toward their goal. A positive course change can impact brand preference by 37% and behavioural advocacy by 54%.

“When customers do something different with confidence after a digital experience, that creates a lasting brand impression and inspires customers to share their memorable experience with others,” said Ms LaRocca-Cerrone.

 

Self-Reflective Learning Drives Course Changes

Customers’ self-reflective learning during a digital experience has 2x the impact on driving customers’ course changes, compared to user experience functionalities. This is because customers change course when they feel empowered and ready to do something different, not because of a slick or intuitive user interface. “To trigger these valuable customer course changes, CMOs must invest in building a new class of digital experiences that slows customers down at key junctures and rewards their self-reflection,” added Ms LaRocca-Cerrone.  

How to Use Customer Analytics to Grow Your Business?

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No business in the world can undermine the value of customer analytics. It not only helps businesses to make informed decisions, but it can help them build their entire customer lifecycle for their brand.

Now some might be wondering what customer analytics is. Well, it’s the collection, processing and analysis of customer information to gain insights into customer behaviour. As for why you need customer analytics? Well, this goes without saying, there more you know about your customers, the better your business can prepare itself to attract, convert and develop a long-lasting relationship with them.

Businesses use various tools to gather customer business analytics effectively. In this article, we are going to discuss all the steps involved and why customer analytics is necessary for your bottom line.

 

How can you collect and store customer analytics data?

The way your business collects and stores customer information makes an immense impact as it paces the way towards how can use the data as effectively as possible.

Data collection

The first step is figuring out ways to collect data for this your marketing teams can use Google Analytics to collect customer information such as the behaviour of visitors to your business website.

There are other tools like HubSpot, Mailchimp, and Optimizely that work just as well as Google Analytics.

Data sorting

The data that you have collected is mostly unstructured, you need a way to sort it and direct it for further analysis. A customer data platform (CDP) can be very helpful in doing this, will help you do this. CDP directs your data to the place where it needs to be. 

CDPs connect multiple tools and ensure the data collected is standardised. Properly sorted data is much easier to sort and analyse.

Data storage

Now that you have your customer data all sorted your CDP needs to send the data for storage in a data warehouse where it’s unified. Redshift is one of the most popular data warehouses among users, but there are plenty of others like BigQuery and Postgres.

Once you have selected the data warehouse that you’re going to use to store your data, now’s the time to start that process of customer analytics. 

Data analysis

Lastly, you’ll need some way to analyze your data with business intelligence tools like Mode Analytics, Looker, or Tableau. But there one thing that you should note is that these tools are that they require specific knowledge of SQL. 

In case you are not proficient in SQL, you can also consider having a look at a tool like Chartio.

Need for customer analytics for your business

Customer analytics will help every department within your company, especially when it comes to building highly personalised, timely marketing campaigns.

Customer journey analytics can also help your sales team understand your customers’ behaviour to help them reduce your sales cycle. Your development team can use customer analytics to build a better product as per customers’ preferences.

Similarly, the marketing teams can use customer analytics to streamline your marketing funnel more so that your audiences convert more effectively.

Summary

Today’s well-known brands have an immense understanding of their customer analytics. If you want to take your business to the next level by creating a more personalised experience for your customers, you need to take the time to build a customer analytics infrastructure.

If you have any questions or need help setting up your customer analytics pipeline, please feel free to book a 30 minutes free session with us, and we will try our best to help you out.

Cheers!!

How can you best use customers’ information for your business?

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The way your brand collects customer information determines how your marketing, sales and service teams interact with them. And this determines whether your business can make long-lasting relationships with or lose to your competitors.

This is why it is important how you collect, store and use the customer for your communication with your prospects and customers. The way you do that will help your brand deliver highly personalised interactions that can be scaled. 

Now the question is, how to collect, store and make use of the information so that all your teams can make the best use of it? In case you’re wondering that same then keep reading we are going to be discussing just that.

Let’s get started, shall we!!

Customer Data for Marketing

Customer Data For Marketing

Marketing is always at the forefront when it comes to interacting with new audiences. Drawing attention to your brand, using strategies like forms and other lead gen tools to convert that audience to contacts, and nurturing them to become sales-ready leads.

1) Website Engagement

At the initial stages of a new lead’s engagement with your business, it’s important to make sure your website analytics is well built to help you understand how they are interacting and how you can streamline their user experience.

Let’s say you have an e-commerce business website, for example, you could utilise your website activity to recommend other likely products that each person might prefer via email or retargeting ads on social media.

2) Segmentation Inforrmation

The data that lets you compartment wise a contact’s info into groups and lists is one of the most useful types of customer information that you can collect early on. This can include data such as team size, industry, and individual roles.

Not only can this data gives rise to the most personalised messaging and marketing automation but it also helps you calculate the lead score.

3) Lead Scoring

Lead qualification data such as lead scoring is one of the most powerful ways for marketers to assist their sales colleagues. With automated lead scoring in place, points are given for positive interactions and behaviour and removed in the case of negative indicators. 

It’s the quickest way to instantly analyse how likely is the prospect going to purchase your product, and ideally starts as soon as a visitor converts to a lead. Here are some examples of lead scoring metrics.

  • Value of the market or industry
  • Identification as decision-maker
  • Adequate budget
  • Amount of time spent on your website

Customer Data for Sales

Customer Data for Sales

The sales create and boost the bridge for interested leads to convert them into happy customers, and nurture each prospect to the right product or service. Here is the customer information necessary for your salesperson.

1) Information About Decision-Makers

Your sales team gets a granular view of how each client’s company operates. One of the key components included in this is identifying and recording who is involved in the decision-making process.

This helps you to avoid the unpleasant scenario of them remembering you while you look anxiously at a blank record, or giving the deal to a colleague who has even lesser background information.

2) Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)

Estimation of a customer’s lifetime value is a really useful metric to forecast long-term and repetitive business.

You can calculate this by multiplying their purchase value by purchase frequency over your average customer lifespan. When you use the right Customer Relationship Management (CRM) or Customer Data Platform (CDP)  that has calculation properties, you can keep this up to date automatically for your active customers.

Lastly…

All this information can be efficiently tracked and stored in a CRM or CDP platform so that your marketing and sales teams can make the best use of and effectively convert your leads into your customers.

However, there are so many Customer Relationship Management (CRM) or Customer Data Platform (CDP) available in the market it’s difficult to choose the right one that is suitable for your business needs. In case you have any questions regarding CRM or CDP systems or need some assistance in setting up and their customisation, please feel free to contact us anytime and we’d love to help you out.

Cheers!!

Why CRM is the perfect choice for Marketing Automation?

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Marketing is more than attracting people, it’s about creating value within your brand so they can relate to your offerings and approach you themselves. This way you can create long-lasting relationships with your customer and get returning business from them.

Needless it used to require a lot of effort from cross-functional teams to implement optimum marketing strategies. However, with recent technological advancements, it’s possible to automate the majority of your marketing campaigns, and one of the bests tools for marketing automation is a customer relationship platform (CRM).

In this article, we are going to discuss how the CRM platform help in streamlining your business’s automated marketing endeavours, so without further ado let’s get started.

What is customer relationship management software?

CRM is a marketing automation software, designed to take care of all your major customer relations needs, and automate crucial elements within your business. It plays the role of an ideal secretary. It is constantly working for the betterment of your marketing strategies, marketing designs, customer feedback loops, and more.

Some of its major functions include historically tracking historical customer data, including dates and notes of phone conversations, past purchase records, and email interactions as they proceed through the buyer’s journey. Using tagging logic the CRM applies tags on the users when they take certain actions such as adding items to their wishlist or filling out a form and launches email campaigns to direct the leads back into your sales funnel.

Why CRM is the best choice for marketing automation?

The CRM has a wide range of benefits that elevate your automated marketing capabilities such as:

Reduces chances of Human Error

When businesses have an outdated system or process in place for lead tracking, the probability of human error that comes with managing the shortcomings increases which might lead to prospects slipping through the cracks. CRMs marketing automation enables your sales team to have the right tools to close a deal.

Unify Your Database Management

The CRM provides all the user’s information in one place, Marketing teams don’t have to go out of their way to forage customer profile information and instead are able to prepare to approach leads and prospects based on unified data management.

Provide Consistent Messaging

The marketing communication that affects the customer’s experience can be aligned when engaging with the client. It’s not as much of a challenge to provide consistent messaging when you have all the contextual information available in CRM.

Lastly…

The CRM is truly a wonderful platform fully capable of automating all your marketing endeavours. However, to unlock its full potential, you need support from professional digital marketers like QL Tech having over a decade of experience in CRM implementation and customisation.

In case you need help in CRM customisation or have any questions regarding CRMs, please feel free to book a free 30 minutes session with us and we’ll try our best to help you out

Cheers!!