The 2021 Imperatives delve into the steps required for effective customer experience transformation
LONDON: Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), a leading technology-enabled, data-driven customer experience management (CXM) company and part of dentsu international, has unveiled its 2021 Customer Experience Imperatives, a guide to businesses navigating data and digital transformation to meet rapidly evolving customer needs and expectations. For the past ten years, Merkle’s annual Imperatives have helped steer businesses through the changing digital marketing landscape. The tumultuous year of 2020 has given the 2021 Customer Experience Imperatives a sharp focus on the strategies organisations need to adopt in 2021 to be competitive.
Margaret Wagner, president, Merkle EMEA, said: “Digital transformation, fuelled by the data that drives the connection with customers, is critical to delivering the personal experience that consumers now expect, and this has rapidly accelerated with the impact of Covid.
“This year’s CX Imperatives break down the steps needed to deliver against the winning formula that combines data transformation and digital transformation and, importantly, the organisational change required to set them up for that success.”
The Customer Experience Imperatives offer insights into what outputs and metrics matter most as organisations continue to build their capabilities and data platforms. Three essential areas are outlined to help marketers maximise return on their transformation initiatives.
- Data Transformation – A data-transformed organisation is prepared to maximise the value of first-, second-, and third-party data, and has connected the data to every experience, across marketing, sales, commerce, and service, through a private identity graph. Data transformation is ultimately what will create the fuel that drives connection with customers.
- Digital Transformation – Digital transformation is the ability to extend an organisation’s perspective and reach related to what needs to transform in the business. The key component tying digital transformation and data transformation together is identity – and the ability to use technology to deliver personal experiences.
- The Adaptive Organisation – The value of digital and data transformation is non-existent without giving equal consideration to organisational and operational innovation. Three key areas of strategy marketers need to embrace include defining the customer enterprise, measuring what matters, and building operational adaptiveness.
Richard Lees, chief strategy officer, Merkle EMEA, said: “Customer experience transformation raced up the agenda last year as businesses positioned themselves for stability and ultimately growth. This requires organisations to bring together tech, data, CRM and analytics capabilities combined with digital transformation capabilities and deliver organisational and operational innovation. Our 2021 Imperatives provide a fantastic guide for companies navigating the complex data and technology decisions required to meet the ever-evolving needs and expectations of their customers.”
The 2021 Customer Experience Imperatives are available in a complimentary, downloadable book. Visit here to download.
About Merkle
Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global customer experience management (CXM) company that specializes in the delivery of unique, personalized customer experiences across platforms and devices. For more than 30 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle to maximize the value of their customer portfolios. The company’s heritage in data, technology, and analytics forms the foundation for its unmatched skills in understanding consumer insights that drive people-based marketing strategies. Its combined strengths in performance media, customer experience, customer relationship management, loyalty, and enterprise marketing technology drive improved marketing results and competitive advantage. With 9,600+ employees, Merkle is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with 50+ additional offices throughout the US, EMEA, and APAC. In 2016, the company joined the Dentsu Aegis Network.
About dentsu international
Part of dentsu, dentsu international is made up of nine leadership brands – Carat, dentsu X, iProspect, Isobar, dentsumcgarrybowen, Merkle, MKTG, Vizeum, Posterscope and supported by its specialist brands.
Dentsu International helps clients to win, keep and grow their best customers and achieve meaningful progress for their businesses. With best-in-class services and solutions in media, CXM, and creative, dentsu international operates in over 145 markets worldwide with more than 48,000 dedicated specialists.
