Marketers should know how to invest in digital solutions to engage with customers both in the short and long term. During the Digital Transformation in Marketing: Boosting customer engagement with data and AI, marketing leaders from 13 brands looked at the various digital transformation challenges brands are facing in 2020.
According to Michelle Wong, SVP, Enterprise Solutions at Appier said one of the major challenges in 2020 is the consumers’ shift to digital. At the same time, it accompanied by a willingness to try new apps and channels, increasing the number of potential touchpoints for marketers.
Appier highlights that compared to North Asian consumers, their counterparts in SEA are more likely to shop outside of their home countries with a staggering 85 percent willing to try out new consumer apps. In today’s world booming with apps and channels, one major challenge confronting marketers is getting a holistic view of their customers.
“Digital transformation has become a necessity, rather than a nice-to-have,” notes Wong.
“Marketers need to increase consumer touchpoints but they must also simplify customer communications. This requires real-time monitoring capabilities. Underpinning all that is data. According to Forbes, the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation from years to months. In fact, companies that haven’t adopted digital transformation might not be able to last till next year.”
Make Use Of The Data
Also, during the discussion, they noted that the challenge when it comes to adapting digital was what to do with the collected data.
As Jane Leong, VP data Love, Bonito asserts digital transformation is not a one-step process.“We have data coming from various sources, from our online store to physical retail footfall. 2019 was all about building a robust foundation; ensuring data accessibility, and aligning on metrics to define and track. In 2020, we focused on developing analytics frameworks such as customer segmentation and the launch of our loyalty program. Now, in terms of customer targeting, the key focus is on how we can further delight our customers through personalization throughout their omni-channel journey”
Often, it’s not only about integrating data but about bringing people to work together in an organization that has various levels of data access. As Jaslyin Qiyu, head of existing client marketing at Citi Singapore says data is everywhere but pulling it together into a single source of truth is the biggest challenge.
Ensure Everyone Is Onboard The Digital Transformation Effort
Business leaders will need to ensure that both technology and people are digital-ready in order for digital transformation to improve success and competitive advantage.
Meenakshi Shunmugham, PropertyGuru’s Director of Brand & Consumer Marketing is of the opinion that it’s about how “you bring everyone else with you on the journey.”
Shunmugham elaborated further “The first issue is clarity. What does digital mean for you in your industry and for your company specifically? The second is urgency. And that’s a difficult one for many to understand if a company is still performing well. Why should they change? The third is planning. What’s an appropriate plan to do this at scale? Fourth, and this is probably my most important one, is recognition of your current company setup and how to change it to adapt to the new environment. A core component of this last point would be talent management.”
Finding Out What To Invest In
Marketing leaders are also wondering what is the outlook for digital investment? It may be a challenge to find out what to invest in for the long-term, with the new emphasis on digital so closely linked to the move to digital during Covid.
AI is being used by Pizza Hut to transform the customer experience. Claire Leong, the company’s director of APAC performance marketing, says several nations are ahead of the curve when it comes to digital infrastructure adoption.
Source: Campaign Asia
