Author: Mark Atterby

The call to “Go digital” has been echoing in boardrooms across the globe. It’s a herald of momentous and ground shaking change with potentially far-reaching consequences. Disruption and innovation caused by the adoption of digital technologies has propelled some companies to meteoric success while contributing to the demise of others Organisations have always relied on technology to innovate and improve efficiency. But the rapid advance of cloud computing, IoT, robotics, mobility, social media and big data requires a major change in the mindset of business leaders and their organisations. A digital business not only employs information technology to manage operations…

To compete on customer experience organisations need to understand the type of experiences they are currently creating. To gain greater understanding of how customers view the experiences companies provide, Voice of the Customer (VoC) programs have become increasingly popular. Yet few organisations are able to use the insights gleaned to drive improvements. How many truly listen? Most companies will say they listen to their customers. That may be true, to varying degrees, but how many actually act and make decisions based on what their customers think is another matter. As noted in a CMO article published last year, marketing decision-makers…

Mark Atterby talks to Steve Griffin the architect behind Service NSW, by far the largest and most successful digital transformation / CX project in government. Steve explains how Service NSW overcame the challenges to create a one-stop-shop for government services. In March 2011 the O’Farrell Government was elected in NSW with a key election commitment to a simpler government services plan. Steve Griffin comments, “The simpler government service plans reflected the community’s views that government service delivery was poor – certainly in comparison to what citizens and businesses had come to expect from the private sector”. “Government service delivery…

The insights gleaned from analysing customer data feeds the design process for creating better customer experiences. Most organisations realise the importance of these insights to improve customer loyalty, reduce costs and generate sales. Yet the challenge remains – how do brands turn the vast amounts of customer data they collect into actionable insights? Different departments across an enterprise collect and analyse a vast amount of customer data. This data is collected from the range of interactions the enterprise has with its customers. Libby Dale, Co-founder of The Working Octopus, comments, “Organisations store tremendous amounts of data and information that could…

Creating an exceptional customer experience requires a pro-active and forward looking approach. Even if you are quick to respond and resolve issues once they are raised, being reactive will inhibit your ability to stand out in the eyes of your customers. What was exceptional service yesterday is now the standard. All your competitors do it as well. Kevin Lefier, comments “If you’re reacting to events in your customer’s lifecycle instead of leading customers through a well-orchestrated funnel, you’re not giving your customers the experience they deserve. Your giving them the same experience they can expect from your competitors” This means…

A major security breach or cyber-attack can ruin the experience customers have with a brand. Failure to act decisively when customer’ interests or the security of their information is threatened, can be extremely costly. Yet, over half of all CEOs believe their organisations are unprepared and vulnerable to a variety of threats. Recent cyber attacks, such as the WannaCry attack in the middle of May, have reinforced security as a top executive issue. The breach of trust and damage to a business’s reputation due to a breach in security can potentially lead to the business closing its doors. Andrew Bycroft,…

In recent years we have seen the Internet of Things (IoT) move from the drawing board to become an emerging reality. It’s predicted IoT will radically redefine the relationship we have with the products we buy and the brands that make them. For brands,  It will be  about creating better customer experiences. Shortly, we wil be living In a world full of connected and interconnected devices that are sensing and monitoring every interaction we have with the world. The evolution of sensor technology means cheaper and smaller sensors can process greater amounts of data. Powerful new network infrastructure means that…

Organisations are making increasing use of data and analytics to build a more comprehensive picture of their customers. Everyone recognises that the benefits of this are potentially substantial. But the challenges to achieving are just as significant. How does an organisation make the crucial shift from processing data and reporting to gaining valuable insights? How does one become a data-drive enterprise that delivers exceptional customer experiences? One management system to rule them all Customer Experience Management (CEM) revolves around one fundamental concept – the “single view of the customer”.  For most organisations, creating a single view of the customer is…

Customers are fickle and unpredictable creatures. Their behaviour and purchasing decisions can be completely illogical. Designing customer interactions that delight and build brand loyalty may seem almost impossible. Behavioural economics, however, may offer a solution for companies struggling to understand their customers better. Behavioral economics studies the effects of psychological, social, cognitive, and emotional factors on the economic decisions of individuals and institutions. Tricia Mikolai, managing director for BI Worldwide, defines behavioural economics as, “The study of how people make decisions. Most people believe the decisions they make, particular purchasing decisions, are logical decisions made in their best interest. In fact most of their decisions are…

Social media listening is a popular practice for companies to understand more about their brand and its position in the marketplace. Its true value, however, is about understanding customers and what they value. It’s learning how to be proactive and interactive with your customers, rather than reactive. Traditional marketing vs social media marketing Using social media for marketing requires a very different mindset to traditional marketing and advertising. Things are changing, minds are shifting, but organisations still fall into a couple of traps. On one hand, there’s a tendency for businesses to use social media simply to push content and…