How to leverage data to connect meaningfully with customers across your enterprise

As baby boomers retire and take with them close to $4B in annual spend, and Millennials and Generation Z represent over 50% of the buying power – organizations are creating strategies to address this shift to stay relevant in the marketplace.

On the one hand, you need to show your longtime customers that you value them. On the other, you need to truly understand prospective customers in order to increase engagement and grow your organizational reach.

Understanding Demographic Channels & Values

For instance – it’s important to understand that while Millennials are active and using mainstream social channels like Facebook and YouTube, Generation Z uses channels that allow them to be anonymous.

While baby boomers prefer quick, convenient live agent service, Generation Z would like to create and customize their online profile and self serve whenever possible.

However, when segmenting by demographics there are many similarities. All demographics feel digital brand presence is important. Whether you are a Gen. Zer, creating an item based on a Pinterest post, a Millennial watching a video blog to see if a product is the right choice or a Gen Xer reading social posts on a help forum, customers are leveraging multiple channels to interact with brands on a daily basis.

More and more, consumers are seeking out brands they identify and share core values with. In an HBR study of 7,000+ consumers, “64% cited shared values as the primaryreason [for having a brand relationship]. That’s far and away the largest driver.” If you understand your customers, you can better relate to them and increase brand loyalty.

Because of this – you have a plethora of data to analyze and make actionable insight-driven decisions from.  However, in order for marketing, sales and service to have this data at their finger tips – you must have seamlessly integrated technology and well-oiled internal processes in place.

Only then do you have a unified customer view across your organization. Only then can you create programs that engage and drive customer loyalty.

With newly-created data analyst positions popping up and organizations prioritizing customer insight across the enterprise, let’s take a look at how leaders in CX are leveraging customer data to implement personalized programs that add value to customers’ day-to-day life.

Data Driven Programs for Marketing

Kimpton hotel tracks what customers partake in while staying at their hotels and also what they say about Kimpton hotels on social media. They then select prime customers and give back to them in a personalized, meaningful way.  A Kimpton hotel guest checked in for a yoga class at the hotel, then tweeted that she loves Kimpton’s yoga mats. Because the hotel chain has an integrated data management strategy across channels, Kimpton can listen and respond to customers in a 1:1 nature.  When the hotel guest returned home, a yoga mat with a thank you note was waiting at her door.  Showing customers you value them is a sure way to their hearts.

Neiman Marcus uses predictive analytics to make recommendations based on a customer’s digital and in-store history. They use subtle, helpful suggestions that educate customers on product choices and are very careful about which suggestions they make because customer data doesn’t always tell you the whole story. Neiman Marcus understands the delicate line between sending junk mail versus informative, educational content. They don’t overstep their boundaries as they believe that organizations can only learn so much from customer data analytics. For instance, if a woman doesn’t purchase shoes from your store – you don’t want to send her information on shoes. You don’t know enough to understand whether she special orders from an orthotics company or has other reasoning for making the purchase elsewhere. You must make the right decisions from the customer insight you gain.

Leveraging Data for Sales  

Organizations across industries, from marketing automation software providers to insurance providers to electronics retail providers, are leveraging connected systems thatgive sales representatives actionable insight about customers. When a customer downloads a white paper or visits a product pricing page – they learn what the customer’s interests are and also where the customer is at in the sales cycle. It eliminates the need for a cold call as sales representatives are already primed to give customers the information they are seeking and position themselves as a resource. Further –  hot leads are sorted for sales representatives, so they know who to follow up with first.

Further, with rich customer data and a customer journey map tied to business drivers, call center representatives can cross sell/ upsell to defined customer segments based on known customer data. For instance, say a customer is calling in to make a claim but doesn’t have the coverage to make that claim – it’s the perfect time for the agent to e-mail that customer information about different insurance plans that may financially benefit them.

Customers want the right information at the right time. If a hurricane is projected to touch down – you may what to send outbound communication about the top 10 precautions to take prior to the storm with information on insurance plans with better coverage.

Intelligent, Predictive Contact Center Fueled by Customer Data

A large retailer gives customers the ability to register their products online in a customizable portal and create “nicknames “ for each product. They also survey and profile their customers across channels, so when a customer calls into the contact center, the customer is intelligently routed based on data, so they speak to the best representative for their given issue.  No forced self-help is offered, simply intelligent understanding based on a customer’s need.

Every possible step is taken to ensure that customer experience is a consistent brand experience across channels and throughout interactions with marketing, sales and service.

Blue Shield of California (BSC) intelligently routes customers based on upfront IVR data captures, so members, non-members, providers and producers speak to representatives that can help them with their unique issue. Customer data is also tracked across channels, so contact center agents have a screen pop with a complete customer history prior to answering the call. This enables BSC to provide personalized service in an efficient manner.

Results of an Enterprise Wide Data Management Strategy

Because customers are often interacting with your marketing team at the same time as your support team, across a multitude of channels – your data management and analytics strategy should be designed for the entire enterprise. Leveraged correctly, customer insight can…

• Create brand consistency across the enterprise
• Inform product/marketing decisions
• Increase engagement and loyalty 
• Reduce the sales cycle and enable other departments to cross sell/upsell
• Reduce call times and increase CSATs
• Educate and empower contact center reps
• Show customers you identify with them and possess a shared vision

It’s important to have an enterprise wide strategy to manage and leverage customer data in an intelligent way. Learn more about business intelligence & analytics and knowledge management or stay tuned for my next blog on how  marketing, sales and contact center silos are collapsing, requiring an enterprise wide strategy to meet customer experience needs.