A recent survey by Adobe and Econsultancy, involving 14,000 marketers including participants from the Asia Pacific region, reveals that marketers see customer experience as the key differentiator for businesses in 2017.
While investing in technology is important, businesses also recognize the need for a customer-focused, adaptable, and collaborative company culture. The survey indicates that 22% of client-side respondents consider “optimizing the customer experience” as the most exciting opportunity for the coming year. This ranks slightly higher than other areas such as “creating compelling content for digital experiences” (16%) and “data-driven marketing” (12%).
Due to the widespread use and popularity of mobile apps in the Asia Pacific, marketers in this region have placed a higher importance on mobile app engagement compared to their counterparts in North America and Europe. In some Asia Pacific countries, social media apps are the favored customer engagement channel. Approximately 31% of Asia Pacific marketers see social media engagement as a top priority, in contrast to 28% in North America and 27% in Europe.
However, the report highlights challenges in achieving effective mobile app engagement:
- Organizations need data to understand their customers better. Every interaction a customer has with a brand leaves a trail of data, providing insights for organizations to learn and optimize the customer experience. However, analytics is not a high priority for marketers in 2017, presenting a conflict that needs resolution.
Separate research indicates that marketers find it challenging to utilize customer data effectively. Even among marketers who believe they have an advanced understanding of the customer journey, 59% struggle to combine data from different sources.
- The second obstacle is culture. Digital transformation, crucial for creating a positive customer experience, requires coordination across various departments. An organization needs to be aligned in terms of goals and how to reach them.
A significant 34% of respondents believe achieving this alignment is difficult. In contrast, 13% find that building a customer-centric culture across teams is the easiest task. Smaller, more agile companies, particularly those launched in the digital age, have a customer-centric approach embedded in their framework, unlike traditional organizations.
- The third obstacle is a lack of defined processes. While 82% of organizations highly value creativity and 75% are investing in design for brand differentiation, around 40% lack the processes to leverage design effectively. About 36% of respondents find it challenging to create well-designed user journeys that ensure clear communication and a seamless transaction process.
Adobe emphasizes that understanding data allows companies to refine customer segments and create tailored content, a concept known as ‘content velocity.’ Businesses prioritizing design and utilizing robust technology will outperform those who haven’t invested in these areas.
In the report’s foreword, Marta DeBellis, VP of Marketing, APAC, Adobe, acknowledges the arrival of the ’era of experience.’ However, she points out challenges faced by businesses during this transition. While many are eager to enhance customer experience by investing in content and design, neglecting data and analytics can hinder their efforts to create truly personalized experiences.
Source: Adobe and Econsultancy report. Respondents were asked what would excite them the most in 2020.
The report suggests that marketers concentrate on content and design data to improve customer experience, cultivate a customer-centric organizational culture, and explore mobile personalization, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality for future strategies.
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