*By Fernanda Benhami
Approaches to using technology for customer relationships are already well known by organizations seeking to establish a better customer experience and more operational efficiency. This set of business solutions is used in different ways by companies, but some companies are ahead in this process.
When analyzing the evolution of the market that we call customer intelligence (CI), we see that companies, in general, still need to improve their customer knowledge capabilities. Part of this includes delivering messages in a personalized way. Companies that are at the forefront already use artificial intelligence and analytics tools to ensure that communication arrives in an individual and personalized way. However, it is important to highlight that companies have different maturities and needs, and it is necessary to carry out a sectoral analysis to illustrate the current state of things.
Improving customer acquisition and more effective spending on the media that drive acquisition is a priority for telecommunications companies, for example, that follow trends in the data-driven economy. Here, artificial intelligence is a great ally, which supports the identification of good leads and how to work with them. In this segment, these tools are closely connected to retention and the value that the customer generates for the business.
Today, we know that there is a very large operational cost in telephone companies; on the other hand, customers have an increasing possibility of changing operator. In this scenario, telecommunications companies can use the intelligence extracted from available information and deliver recommendations to each customer individually in real time. This ensures interaction with relevant and consistent messages throughout the customer journey. Banks and fintechs also make intensive use of these tools, as their new proposals and products need to have this agility in customization.
When we think about CI in the retail context, issues such as the increase in the average ticket in e-commerce and the connection between physical and digital are very present. In this example, if the organization does not have a platform that provides visibility into the customer profile in both worlds, it is almost impossible to carry out the necessary personalization. Therefore, leading companies in this sector are already looking for CI to improve their results.
The challenge in connecting and orchestrating
The advantages for companies in relation to the use of customer intelligence solutions are evident, but we see that organizations in global markets, including Brazil, have not yet reached an advanced level on this front, especially with regard to personalization. What these organizations lack is a connection between the data generated and the delivery of personalized messages that matter to the business and the customer.
Many companies, both in Latin America and in other markets, have acquired specialist solutions within the context of marketing technologies. This includes SMS and email brokers and cloud marketing platforms that send these messages to the customer. The missing link here is the ability to bridge and orchestrate between the different technologies existing in the company.
In conversations with chief marketing officers (CMOs), I realize that a major concern is understanding how it is possible to take advantage of working, for example, with known customer data, the data that the customer is generating in digital and interaction channels, such as chatbots. and call center, and use all these data sources together. Having this clear and comprehensive vision remains a significant challenge.
The way forward, in this situation, is to look for tools that can enable a complete view of the customer, as well as promote the orchestration of existing technologies. The ideal is to adopt a stack hybrid, ready to address the challenge that CMOs have of orchestrating channels and access to information currently available, and working on this together. Paying attention to these two points is an assertive move when it comes to better understanding – and serving – customers of organizations across all segments.
*Fernanda Benhami is Head of Martech Solutions and Customer Intelligence at SAS
Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies
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