In our latest #MarTechFest Web Sesh, Andrew Stephenson, Director of Marketing for EMEA & India at Treasure Data joined us to reveal 5 Ways Your Data Will Help You Build an Amazing Customer Experience.
According to Forbes, global online content consumption has doubled in 2020. Since then, keeping track of interactions and maintaining relevance in our consumers lives has become increasingly difficult, especially when there are so many kinds of digital footprint to interpret and understand.
We as businesses, need to ingest consumer data from all sources both on and offline and cross device, we need to create a rich picture of who they are and understand how to interact with them.
You need to take command of this data and create a better customer experience that makes for happier customers and ultimately a more profitable business.
Andrew presents us with 5 innovative fictional company examples to demonstrate the art of what's possible and how you can unlock the potential of your data. Within these stories, the art of the possible holds the power to:
- Increase Engagement
- Create Pavlovian Loyalty
- Personalise the Customer Experience
- Use Connected Data
- Have a Complete View of the Customer
Are you sitting comfortably? Good. Then we’ll begin…
Chapter 1: Increase Engagement
Example Client: British Airways
Business Challenge: What can British Airlines do to keep the conversation going for longer with their customers?
And no, we’re not talking a few extra laps around the world before landing. While that might technically make the journey longer, it’s not going to make for many happy holiday makers. Luckily, Andrew has something a little more engaging in mind.
Spoiler: The answer lies in the in-flight entertainment.
Rather than limiting the in-flight entertainment to when the customer is in the air, we can get the conversation going before they’ve even boarded the plane.
By creating an app or a log-in portal to the world of BA, customers can browse and select their entertainment playlists before taking to the air. And it doesn’t need to stop there. By uploading the flight information to the portal, the customer could use the platform to choose their in-flight meals, order duty-free purchases and get updates on delays.
British Airways could also make the in-flight entertainment available after the plane has landed so the kids can be kept happy with the latest films and games as the holiday continues. In return, customers would enable access to their data which BA can use to further understand and improve the customer journey (on and off the flight).
Chapter 2: Pavlovian Loyalty
Example Client: GAME
Business challenge: How can GAME increase loyalty with their customer base with so many competitors in a price-sensitive market?
GAME wins on in-store experience but its challenge is competition. With a primary audience of teens and young adults, customer loyalty is a hard thing to come by when there’s a better price on the market.
A solution suggested by Andrew, could be as simple as introducing a loyalty app. The user would register their details such as demographic, past purchases etc. and the app would offer dynamic pricing on in-store offers on the latest game releases, as well as send notifications for when the latest games go on sale.
As with most loyalty programmes, the more the customer spends with the business, the more exclusive discounts and future offers they will receive. The key driver being customer data enabling a personalised in-store experience.
Chapter 3: Personalising the Customer Experience
Example Client: FORD
Business Challenge: How can FORD use personalisation during the ownership phase to increase satisfaction and repurchase potential?
A lot can be invested in a car purchase, both financially and emotionally. Cars are one of the largest purchases we make, second only to our homes, so we want to make an investment that will continually prove its value.
The solution? Bring the service maintenance of the car to life. Cars are becoming increasingly intelligent machines, with more advanced capabilities year on year.
Your standard vehicle now comes equipped with sensors to check oil levels, indicators, break pads, sat navs, the list could go on. But what if these sensors could do more? We’re not talking Transformers where your car steps up and saves the human race, we’re talking very realistic capabilities that are all within the realms of the possible.
Rather than telling you your breaks are low, it tells you exactly when the breaks will need replacing. Rather than telling you your fuel is low, it connects to your sat nav and tells you where you could fill up. Your car knows the kind of driver you are and the typical journeys you make, by collecting this data, it could even auto-book your next service for you. Because your car knows why it needs the service – it will know how long it should take and so book an appropriate time based on your schedule.
When you buy a new car and sell your old one, the tailored ownership programme re-markets to the new user journey and starts all over again by collecting new customer data.
Chapter 4: Using Connected Data
Example Client: Nespresso
Business Challenge: How can Nespresso connect online data and offline behaviour and drive value to their customers?
The big question Nespresso coffee machine owners will ask themselves is whether to continue purchasing the specialty blend Nespresso coffee pods or switch to the cheaper supermarket alternatives. I’ll bet you can guess what Nespresso’s preferred answer would be.
With the help of connected data, Nespresso could make that decision a little easier to make. If Nespresso were to develop their next line of smart coffee machines connected to wifi, there would be more opportunity for data. By harnessing customer data such as purchase history, number of coffee cups consumed per day, and what time per day as well as comparing week day to weekend patterns, Nespresso would be able to build a better picture of their consumer.
By knowing when the customer last ordered pods, how many they bought and how many they’ve used, Nespresso can build a coffee programme that never runs out. Your favourite coffee pods automatically re-ordered and coffee machine services auto-renewed.
By connecting the coffee machine to the consumers life, Nespresso have created a reason to engage.
Chapter 5: Understanding the Customer with Deeper Data
Example Client: Benadryl
Business Challenge: How can Benadryl understand more about their customers to get competitive advantage?
When you’re a brand amongst a range of competitors who all offer a competitive product at a competitive price, it’s important to make sure you’re always in front of your customer to maintain relevancy.
Andrew’s suggested solution? A Benadryl app that is linked to location and weather. The consumer would input the details of their allergy such as hay fever and pet allergies, the app could then provide daily updates on allergies based on where you live, so you know exactly what to arm yourself with in the day. Inclusions on the app to take the customer journey one step further could be a one-touch re-order button when you’re running low, alternatively if you’re out and about the app could tell you where the closest shop is.
These fictional case studies are just a glimpse into the art of the possible enabled through the intelligent application of data.
By using data intelligently, you too will be able to:
- Communicate more effectively and increase engagement
- Engender loyalty by enabling a curated and rewarding store experience
- Create a two-way conversation by using lifecycle and behaviourally driven communications
- Use data to pre-empt customer needs to keep the conversation (and the coffee) flowing
- Use data in the customer journey to maintain relevance in our customers life
Andrew leaves us with a few final words of wisdom before we take the art of the possible into our own hands. For maximum impact your data needs to resemble the three C’s:
- Collected
- Compactable / campaign-able
- Connected
To find out how a customer data platform could make all your data dreams come true, check out our resources:
