Four steps to powering customer-first experiences
In the dynamic and ever-changing landscape of digital transformation, the pursuit of delivering customer-first experiences has emerged as a cornerstone for success. This requires more than just adapting to new technologies; it demands a strategic commitment to placing customers at the forefront of every decision.
As the digital era propels us forward, businesses find themselves standing at the intersection of innovation and customer-centricity. And transforming is a big challenge – one that will take time, a clear vision, and patience to make it a reality. But it’s a challenge worth tackling as brands that can transform will not only turn customers into loyal advocates but also propel business growth to new heights and emerge as market leaders.
Let’s dive into some of the essential elements of delivering customer-first experiences.
Use identity + CDP to create customer profiles
To truly empower customer-first experiences, real-time insights are non-negotiable. They are absolutely necessary to influence and inform every aspect of an organization’s personalization efforts. Identity resolution — partnered with a customer data platform (CDP) like Adobe Real-Time CDP — helps brands take data and transform it into actionable intelligence. Identity and CDP are one of those 1+1=3 situations, as together they enable a 360-degree view of customers by marrying real-time digital interactions with first-party data, increasing what is known at the point of interaction. point of interaction.
An identity solution, such as Merkury powered by Merkle, combines everything an organization knows about an individual within its cloud-based database. It also can pull in third-party data and second-party partner data to help round out that full 360-degree customer view. One of Merkury’s most sought-after capabilities is the capacity to also recognize unknown site visitors without the use of third-party cookies. The power of Merkury + CDP ensures that customer profiles are always up to date and can be accessed across the organization by teams that need it, from marketing to sales and service.
Make AI the center of personalization at scale
To power customer-first experiences, AI can be a powerful tool to help quickly scale experiences. AI excels at processing vast amounts of customer data to generate insights into individual preferences and behaviors. Using AI algorithms, businesses can tailor products, services, and communications to each customer on a personal level, creating more engaging and personalized customer experiences, even for a large customer base. While AI is not new, many brands have yet to test it, meaning there is still an opportunity to be a quick mover. Start small by finding ways to use AI to help meet your brand’s goals in a controlled environment, and don’t be afraid to fail and learn from those mistakes in order to improve as you go.
Revolutionize your content supply chain
Crafting seamless experiences demands a reevaluation of the content supply chain. Tools like Adobe Workfront optimize workflows and enhance collaboration.
Beyond workflow and planning, a content supply chain drives consistency in brand messaging across various channels. By centralizing content creation, businesses can ensure that content aligns with the brand’s voice, tone, and values and can help scale efforts faster. Asset management systems help with this by housing all assets in one organized place. Consistent messaging contributes to a cohesive and seamless experience for customers, reinforcing brand identity.
Content creation often involves multiple stakeholders and approval stages. An efficient content supply chain streamlines these processes, reducing bottlenecks and ensuring content can be delivered to the right customers in a timely manner. An effective content supply chain should also be easily analyzed. The insights can then be looped back to the content production team for a cycle of continual improvement. Smooth approval processes also minimize delays and ensure content accuracy.
Orchestrate targeted customer journeys
Marketing technology plays a pivotal role in orchestrating targeted journeys. Tools like Adobe Journey Optimizer (AJO) help brands manage customer interactions and provide personalized offers. This helps organizations work smarter to build lasting connections with audiences.
Orchestrating the way a brand interacts with customers is complex, especially given the endless possibilities that now exist as entry points for that brand interaction. The Adobe ecosystem — coupled with identity and the right application of AI — can make this attainable. We encourage all our clients to take a crawl-walk-run approach to tackle this. The brands that can implement these platforms in alignment with business outcomes — and are ready to make the process and skill-set changes internally — will win.
The commitment to customer-first experiences should be a strategic imperative for businesses seeking lasting success. As we navigate the intricacies of what this transformative journey entails, the pursuit of turning customers into loyal advocates becomes not only worthwhile but also essential for sustained growth in the future. By embracing the elements outlined here, businesses can forge a path toward exceeding customer expectations, laying the foundation for enduring connections, and thriving in the dynamic realms of customer-centricity.
Merkle is proud to be a Diamond Sponsor at Adobe Summit 2024! Come say hi to our experts at booth #937 and learn more about how organizations can make this transformation come to life.