“If Marketers Are Not Putting Their Hand Up For CX, They Should Be Fired”: Arno Lenior
It’s a sad statistic that 51 per cent of Aussie businesses see customer experience as the most exciting opportunity for 2016, but only six per cent feel they are actually implementing it properly.
There’s a lot of things changing in the world of marketing when it comes to knowing your customer, and this was never more apparent than at the AANA and SMG ‘Media Futures’ presentation last night.
“Growth is not a given,” SMG CEO Chris Nolan warned, kicking off a panel discussion with a host of experts in the field.
“The complexity of the customer journey is the number one barrier.”
Nolan also noted that while the two key aspects of customer experience function – having touchpoints between the customer and brand from start to finish – and philosophy – seamless interaction and value – there is “a tension between function and philosophy”.
But Subaru general manager marketing Andrew Caie posed a question, asking fellow panellists, “Is anything really different to what it was?” The customer has just moved the goal post for us to a different ground.”
Chief disruption officer Iain McDonald agreed, admitting there is currently “a disconnect with customer experience and user experience”.
“Customer experience and user experience have to work in tandem. A customer can become a user and a user a customer, and they can ebb and flow between each other.
“We’re not seeing competition from just the big boys. Innovation is coming from all kinds of sources.”
There are three opportunities to overcome customer experience barriers, Nolan said, and they involve investing in the right assets at the right time, partnering to align with customer experience and organising around the customer.
“2015 was the year of streaming video on demand,” he said. “And 2016/2017 will be the years of addressable video on demand.
“But most interestingly, in 2018 the view is mass-addressable will switch on.”
“I was a bit embarrassed from a marketer’s point of view is that we seem to be spending money on owned infrastructure,” Caie said, adding that this traditionally enables businesses to “protect [themselves] from all the things we don’t quite understand”.
“If this is the case, then I think we need to take a good hard look at ourselves.”
In the eyes of Dr Nelson-Field, it’s time to explore “contextual targeting” – things like artificial intelligence – and other techniques that “add new dimensions to the current one dimensional marketing”.
“In the future we will also be able to match things like mood and behaviour.”
Nelson-Field expanded on this, saying typically marketers have said, “if they [customers] search it they must be in the market for it” and that marketing now needs to “take this further and match with subliminal thinking.”
And McDonald agreed, saying “if you’re last on the boat with [mass-addressability] you’re going to be out of business”.
“Advertising is a fundamental part of business. The power of personalisation drives and shapes business, and we’ve barely scratched the surface in terms of advertising,” Yahoo!7 CEO Ed Harrison stressed.
“We have to make sure experience flows. How do you surprise and delight your customers?”
Marketers can also tend to pass the buck when it comes to ownership of customer experience, which the panel was adamant is a sure way to fail.
“If marketers are not putting their hand up to be custodians of customer experience, they should be fired,” Independent strategy consultant Arno Lenior said.
“Marketers currently don’t know how to get their message across in all areas.”
Caie added, “If the whole organisation does not feel part of the ownership of customer experience, then marketing will suffer.”
Feeling the heat of the fast-paced world of marketing? Not quite steamrolling ahead the way you should be? Fret not, there’s always ADMA’s array of education courses to get you back in the driver’s seat.
Latest News
TV Ratings 29/4/24: Farmer Wants A Wife And Lego Masters Lock Horns In Overnight’s Battle
Who won the battle of the big guns - Lego or Farmer Wants A Wife? One thing's for sure, it wasn't Great Train Journeys.
Nielsen Data Reveals Brands Spending Big To Attract Aussie Tourists
Nielsen Ad Intel data has revealed that the travel and tourism industry spent more than $153 million on advertising in Australia in Q1, 2024 – an increase of 8 per cent from the previous quarter, with TripADeal the biggest spender, followed by Virgin Australia, then the Flight Centre-owned Ignite Travel. As many Australians return from […]
IAS Awarded New Responsible AI Certification From Trustarc
Integral Ad Science tossing up over the mahogany or teak frame after being awarded TRUSTe Responsible AI Certification.
AWARD Calls For Hall Of Fame Nominations
B&T's noms for AWARD Hall of Famer includes Louis The Fly, Chums' talking Scottie dog & Mumbrella's coke dealer.
Havas Red Wins PagerDuty PR Account
Havas Red wins PagerDuty's PR. And judging by B&T having to Google PagerDuty, it could probably do with some help.
ACA Poised To Release Results Of 2023 Create Space Census
The Advertising Council unveils date for its census results. Hey, why not coincide it with an office lamington drive?
Why Fear Is Essential To Fernando Machado’s Creativity
If there's anyone B&T loves to chat to, it's fabled marketer Fernando Machado. Although the 5am time difference sucks.
Superdry Drafts AFL’s Patrick Lipinski For New Campaign
B&T fast regretting that poncho we just bought, as it appears the puffer jacket returns as winter's hottest trend.
Elon Musk vs eSafety: Legal Experts Warn That ‘Rogue Operators’ Like X Are Unlikely To Win Federal Court Battle
If this legal stoush boils down to who can afford the better lawyers, B&T's backing Mr Musk every single time.
Amy Poehler Presents First Look At Inside Out 2 At Vivid Sydney 2024
Vivid isn't about freezing your arse off while looking at lights on a wall, as you'll learn with this Amy Poehler news.
Mutinex Launches DataOS Improving Data Warehousing & Quality For MMM Marketers
Work in marketing? Does your data warehousing resemble a teenager's bedroom? Here's a Marie Kondo-approved read.
IMAA Celebrates Three Years Of Group Trade Credit Insurance Deal
Are you a struggling indie? Thinking of firebombing the building for the insurance money? IMAA has you covered here.
Adam Sandler Seemingly ‘Slams’ Ukraine In Pro-Kremlin Campaign
Host of A-list celebs caught slamming Ukraine's president. Thankfully it does have the Milli Vanillis about it.
New Marketing & Comms Agency For Defence & Aerospace Industry Takes Flight
As painful as this is to say, judging by current world events, the bomb & tank industries must be in rude health.
Opinion: Do Punters Want To Wear Your Brand?
This columnist asks do punters want to wear your brand? B&T'd say yes if you were Nike, no if you were Anusol.
WiredCo Builds Portfolio With Appointment To G.J. Gardner Creative Account
WiredCo 'cements' its relationship with home builder G.J. Gardner. Did you see what B&T cheekily did there?
Keep Left Reveals ‘Strategically Assembled’ Strategy Team
PR agency announces serious upgrade to its strategy offerings. Thankfully stops short of calling them Delta Force.
Initiative’s Michael Chong: What Do Mountaineering, Media & Marketing Have In Common?
Yes, B&T's running an inspiring mountaineering story. And this from people who won't come to work if the lift's broken.
CMOs To Watch: DrinkWise’s Part Time Builder, Part Time Marketer, Nathan Kent
Despite his love of DIY, B&T can't see Drinkwise's Nathan Kent in any "you can get it" VB ads anytime soon.
Mari Kauppinen Pops Up As MD Of ITA Group ANZ
Mari Kauppinen set to bring some zing, some song and some va-va-voom to her new role at ITA Group.
“It Is Getting Better But At A Glacial Speed”: PR Guns On Shaping A More Diverse Media Industry
B&T has a love-hate relationship with PRs. Love if they take us for a boozy lunch. Hate when you send releases as PDFs.
GoTransit Media Group Unveils The Power Of Regional Transit Advertising
Need reminding lots of people live outside the Surry Hills enclave? It's the regionals &, yes, they have almond milk.
Slew Of Promotions For Special Senior Creative Leadership Team
Special announces a slew of promotions in its creative team. And, no, they didn't order Uber Eats to celebrate.
Kantar: AVOD Subscribers Double In 12 Months
Study finds Aussies happy to watch ads on their streaming services. Or, are they just putting the kettle on more often?
Val Morgan Digital Exceeds All Campaign Uplift Benchmarks Via A 12-Month Brand Metrics Study
Val Morgan announces it has exceeded all its campaign benchmarks. Still can't get under an hour for the City To Surf.
Australian Retirement Trust launches monster of a campaign, by M&C Saatchi and Bohemia
Get offered a seat on the bus today? Knees creak like an old pirate's galleon? This retirement ad may be of interest.
Print Audits To Discontinue As Audited Media Association Of Australia Pivots To Support Influencer Marketing
Is it just B&T or are audits in the media industry suddenly becoming murkier than Roxy's husband's tax returns?
News Corp Australia Launches 2024 National Education Advocacy Initiative With Expanded Program
News Corp set to shine a light on the nation's schools in new series, giving illegal bikie gangs a well-earned rest.
Decoding The Consumer Maze: Urban List Report Reveals How Modern Shoppers Spiral From Discovery To Purchase
Latest report unravels a shopper's journey from the joy of discovery through to a nasty letter from a debt collector.
Cosmo Returns To Australia!
Ever get the feeling we've weirdly warped back to 1988 at the moment? Confirm it with the relaunch of Cosmo in print.
People & Culture Consultancy Human Kind Collective Launches To Plug HR Gap For Media Agencies
Does the very mention of HR have you struggling to remember last year's Christmas party? Get the sweats with this news.
‘We Want To Be A Growth Partner, Not Just A Media Buyer Or Someone That Makes Ads’ – Bohemia Boss On Agency’s Ambition
B&T's chatting with Bohemia boss Paul ‘Hutch’ Hutchison. Although we do think 'the dagger' a far superior nickname.
Initiative’s Geoff Clarke: ‘Youth Hits Targets With Enthusiasm, Experience Hits The Targets You Can’t See’
Initiative’s CCO Geoff Clarke on the value of experience in agencies. Not to mention quoting lines from Pulp Fiction.
The Iconic Teams Up With 5 Aussie Athletes For Latest Campaign
Fashion label brings in the athletes for new campaign, many of whom appear to have prepped with re-runs of Zoolander.
Seven West Media Secures New Director Of News & Current Affairs
After a tumultuous few weeks, Seven unveils director of news & current affairs. And B&T never uses tumultuous lightly.
Seven Network Expands NSW Sales Team With Two New Group Business Directors
Seven ramps up its NSW sales team. Both of whom are well versed in pronouncing Manu Feildel's croque-monsieur.