Global marketing head of SugarCRM claims too many organisations invest in customer journey mapping but aren’t acting holistic digitally
Leveraging deeper customer insights to drive personalised experiences requires more than simply customer journey mapping, according to SugarCRM CMO, Jennifer Stagnaro.
“Customer journey mapping techniques have been around for quite some time, predominantly in consumer businesses, and there’s a great interest in using those techniques to better understand the customer,” she told CMO. “Everyone does a customer journey map, but how many actually get any value out of having gone through that exercise?”
Where companies are falling short is practical ways that take those insights and actually deploy them in their business to improve customer engagement, Stagnaro claimed.
“We’re seeing people investing a lot of time and energy in all these big studies and documenting it all, and it looks pretty and you put it on the shelf, but people don’t know how to take those insights and make them actionable in order to change how they’re actually interacting with their customers,” she added.
A study by Forrester released in June this year, Modernise your CRM in six steps, further backed up Stagnaro’s argument. The report found successful CRM is not only about features and functions or internal efficiencies, but about better serving and supporting customers during their engagement journey. It stressed too many CRM initiatives fail because they focus on siloed, internal strategies within the marketing, sales or support organisation.
As a result, CRM efforts miss key moments that matter to customers. In contrast, forward-thinking companies start by articulating their customer experience strategy in their customers’ terms, which then guides investments.
“Businesses of all kinds now are really investing heavily in how they make sure they’re putting in place digital transformation strategies that keep them ahead – and it all really centres on the customer,” Stagnaro said. “Businesses from financial services to retail to consumer package goods companies are really re-imagining how they support their customers on their journey.
“Uber is a really good example of a startup company that has completely taken over traditional business of transportation and taxis, and put a mainstream business on its rear.”
Stagnaro claimed Australian businesses are not doing enough and not being agile enough to make the changes necessary.
“Where they’re falling down is that they’re investing in these techniques, but they don’t know how to turn them into action,” she said. “The biggest gap we’re trying to close with our clients is how to turn those customer journey exercises into real actionable processes to be able to support your customer better.”
At InnoventCRM we not only help you map your customers journey with customise SugarCRM to ensure you are “Making Every Connection Count” in your business. Contact InnoventCRM today to find out more on 1300 781 681 or info@innoventcrm.com.au
Read the full article here http://www.cmo.com.au/article/587964/cmo-interview-secret-driving-customer-engagement/