From real-time 360 view to proactive and personalized experiences

Building a complete view of the customer has been a goal for businesses for more than twenty years. Being able to see and understand what interests the customer, and to be able to offer them relevant services and products, at any point in their journey, irrespective of channel. But in an always-on economy, the classical and static 360 is no longer enough. Companies need to understand what customers are doing in real-time to offer the most relevant and best experiences at that moment. Customers expect companies to know who they are, why they are making contact, and receive immediate gratification.

Find out how national rail operator Thalys took ownership of its data to support its growth and create a complete 360° view of its customers

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Multiplying channels brings more complexity

Where once there was just phone or web queries, now there is also social media, mobile applications, connected devices and chat. That's before we consider the amount of customer data produced internally. From complaints systems, net promoter scores and voice of the customer feedback loops, to mobile apps, marketing automation, enterprise resource planning systems and employee engagement surveys, businesses are inundated by a constant flow of information. All of it with potential value, and all of it coming from disparate silos.

“64% of digital driven companies state that managing increasing volume of data growth is top priority”

Source: S&P Global, 2022

Businesses need to move away from the overlap that having to run multiple channels is creating. Customer experience needs to be joined up, certainly, but each channel should have its own function. How does a contact center connect to customer relationship management or with sales and marketing teams, and how do you combine data from digital sources with that of physical? How do you do all this within the limitations of privacy regulation?

A clear approach to real-time customer 360°

These are just some of the questions that need to be answered, but ultimately they all lead to one in particular: how can data drive value for the both the customer and the company?

“The future of superior customer-experience performance is moving to data-driven, predictive systems, and competitive advantages are in store for companies that can better understand what their customers want and need”

Source: McKinsey & Co

To answer this question, companies need to develop a clear approach to realizing a real-time 360°. A key success driver of such a strategy is the ability to break companies’ siloes and align their omnichannel business strategy with their customer data strategy. After all, a company’s omnichannel ambitions will directly determine not only what data is needed, but also for what purpose this data will be used, and how and to whom it should be made available. This is a crucial step in building a successful customer data strategy and sets clear directions for architecting the overall CX ecosystem. It will also act as a guide to determine the right technical approach to real-time customer data.

Real-time 360° fueling decisions and predictions

So, organizations should be looking at how they can identify the information that will allow them to predict more, to deliver personalized offers and content that resonate. This involves technology, including the introduction of machine learning and artificial intelligence to read the signals that suggest customers are about to act in a certain way. But it also requires a devolution of decision-making, whereby relatively junior employees have the means and the empowerment to make fast decisions to serve the customer as they see fit.

That might mean having a clear picture of how profitable a customer is and how a discount would impact margin; it might mean training staff to be able to resolve conflicts without the need for multiple escalations. Every business is going to be different; the point is that whether you are selling pharmaceuticals, food or fuel, you don't necessarily need to know everything about your customer, but you do need to act decisively when you have an indication of their intent.

To get to this point requires a full grasp of the power of your data. To find out more, read Yves Van Den Brande's blog on data in the customer experience. Alternatively, our knowledgeable consultants are ready to share their insights into creating exemplary customer experiences. Download our brochure for further details or get in touch to arrange a free workshop.