Requires increased integration and collaboration
Over the last two decades, the way marketers interact with their customers has evolved tremendously. It wasn’t that long ago (in the 1980′s) that Direct Mail and Direct Marketing were seen as revolutionary concepts enabling customized messaging and offers to specific target audiences. In the 90′s, the Internet created a whole new standard of interactivity with customers.
With the advent of social media, customer experience management has reached new heights. But, with this evolution comes increased complexity and a need for integration and collaboration.
A move toward adopting the latest web technologies into your marketing and communication strategies requires a shift not only in the way you manage the total customer experience, but also how you manage across your organization.
A simple example illustrates this transformation. When a company considers implementing a content managed website, they need to consider whether to centralize the management of content within a web team or decentralize among content owners throughout the organization. Depending on the decision, not only will brand and message consistency be impacted, but also resources, training and potentially corporate culture.
Companies face many challenges
Strategy
- Integrating multiple communication channels
- Planning for increased information and medium congestion
- Adapting to rapidly changing customer trends and behaviours
Process
- Managing increased levels of coordination and collaboration across stakeholders
- Balancing of creativity with structure and control
- Maintaining agility and efficiency
People
- Coordinating across organization silos and culture
- Shifting attitudes and behaviours to adapt to change
- Adjusting skills and competencies to match the new reality
Technology
- Integrating stand alone systems that need to communicate and share information
- Exchanging data across applications and channels
- Enabling employees to manage their own communications without the reliance on IT
An integrated solution approach
To be successful in an increasing complex multi-media environment, an integrated approach is required, aligning internal processes, people and technology to deliver a total customer experience.
There are a number of niche players that offer best-in-class solutions, including agencies, software vendors and consulting firms. Each organization focuses on their own piece of the puzzle. The challenge becomes putting it all together in an integrated solution approach.
Working on such complex projects over the years, we have seen the need to offer an accompaniment role for clients to help them not only manage the overall program, but to help align structure and process, while establishing strategies to ease internal and external adoption of change. To learn more about our approach, visit us at Bridges Horizon.com.
Posted by Lianne Bridges
President and CEO of Bridges Horizon.
Bridges Horizon equips your organization to fundamentally shift the way you manage and deliver the total customer experience. We conduct the complex orchestra of internal and external resources, processes and technology required to successfully realize this transformation. We offer an integrated solution, coupled with an acute understanding of customer-centric organizations.
You have very expertly captured the main issues in implementing this approach. Of the four main categories that you listed, however, where do you – or shall I say, where does the organization – encounter the greatest obstacles?
Hi Suzannah,
That is a good question. I think the “People” factor is the most difficult and least understood within organizations. Strategy, Process and Technology can be more neatly planned and implemented. But, even with the most buttoned down change management methodology, behaviours, attitudes and organizational culture can be hard to predict.
Managing change requires a real adaptive approach and an indepth understanding of the marketing and communications environment. I have seen broader change management approaches that are good for other parts of the organization fail, because they weren’t tailored to the unique needs of a marketing shop.
Thanks for your comment,
Lianne