Harmonising customer experience and data collection

The customer has been integral to marketing strategies in 2023 and it’s not set to change for 2024.

CMOs recognise that this has been driven bidirectionally, both from the pull of organisations seeking customer centricity and the push from customers requesting a more tailored and personalised experience.

Through viewing the customer as human, regardless of them representing a company, CMOs are looking to B2C experiences for inspiration. With the lines blurring between what are traditionally very separate experiences, audiences, and ways of working, a new-found emphasis will be placed on understanding customer motivations and behaviours. 

Understanding these behaviours starts with digging deep into the data. CMOs are therefore looking to lean on their martech to deliver these insights with a soft touch approach, negating the need for forms. 

Ungating strategies continue to be paramount and it is evident that exploring new ways for tracking customer behaviours through new technology is still high on the agenda.

However, CMOs are ensuring that they use this technology in a way that doesn’t detract from the core service or product offering, but instead, enhances and facilitates the customer journey.

When it comes to identifying and implementing new technology, CMOs will take a structured approach. This will be derived from the strategy, with the tech serving it as opposed to becoming it. 

Business alignment, team champions and a staggered rollout (with an emphasis placed on effective communication) will optimise martech implementation and success.

“Harmonising trackability and user experience is crucial; actionable insights must be garnered without compromising client interactions, ensuring a seamless and insightful customer journey.”

Gabriela Henault

CMO, AlphaSights

Where to start?

At a time when it’s crucial to double down on ROI-driving activities, CMOs are focusing on their existing customers and re-engaging those who have lapsed as a driver of revenue before seeking new business.

Drawing on rich data from these groups will then enable the curation of effective buyer personas and customer journey mapping to create specific, tailored content that provides true value to the customer.

Customer experience led content and communication strategies

Forming the backbone of the discussion, optimising customer experience also fed into how CMOs are generating their content and communication strategies for 2024. 

Whilst it’s not necessarily new, creating frictionless content has been difficult to implement in reality, with attribution models, strategies and KPIs impacted. Despite this, it remains a core focus for the benefit of the customer.

Ungating is forcing CMOs to look at the value that their content is providing and how it is presented in a way that prioritises customer experience. 

Content hubs are one way that CMOs seek to achieve this, enabling users to access information and insights without barriers. The key objective: making the user experience as frictionless as possible.

Harnessing live chat technology for immediate queries and problem-solving with customers is another way that CMOs plan to enhance the customer experience. However, a balance needs to be struck between automation and human interaction in order for it to be effective. Therefore, those investing in this technology are allocating specific resources to ensure its success.

When it comes to the type of content that will dominate 2024 strategies, videos and podcasts come up trumps. 

Deemed as powerful storytelling tools, these forms of content will be used to forge stronger connections with customers.

Content has been a constant challenge for marketers, whether it’s the ability to create enough, creating too much , or creating the right content that provides value. 

2024 is all about identifying this value, having the customer remain at the centre and delivering it in a way that fosters relationship building.

“Efficiency is not just about doing more with less; it’s about strategic resource allocation, ensuring every effort counts and aligns with the larger business narrative.”

Maxine Brock

CMO, MGI Worldwide

Overall, when drilling down into the key priorities for CMOs as 2024 begins, one thing is certain: it’s still all about the customer.

In particular, customer experience is paramount with an emphasis placed on optimising efforts for current customers and re-engaging those that are lapsed. 

A strong data foundation will make all of this possible, drawing on insights to drive decisions and create an experience that is truly customer centric. Technology will then be used as a facilitator to this approach, pinpointing behaviours without encroaching on the customer experience.