Executive Summary
A new question is challenging the Modern Marketing Organization (MMO). Yesterday’s question was: “How can we improve the experience our customer has with our company, brand, product or service?" Today’s question is: “How well is the customer engaging with us?” Not how can we “engage the customer,” but how are they engaging with us?”
The answer to that question is at the core of Customer Engagement, which views the customer-vendor relationship from the perspective and willingness of the buyer. It is not about just doing business with us; instead, it is to embrace us, prefer us and stay with us even when lower prices and “better” options come calling.
It is to help the MMO answer that core question and implement strategies, processes and best practices for Customer Engagement that we have produced this report.
Table of Contents
- Executive Summary
- What is Customer Engagement
- Benefits of Customer Engagement
- Understanding Customer Engagement
- Customer Engagement Map
- Customer Engagement Framework
- Customer Engagement Maturity Model
- Customer Engagement Vendor Solutions
- Action Plan
- Analyst Bottom Line
- Our Best Practices Report Methodology
- About Demand Metric
4. 4
Overview Demand Metric’s research, benchmark studies, methodologies and tools have consistently shown that Customer Engagement drives revenue and profits for the organization when Customer Engagement is employed as an aligned strategy of best practices for people, processes and tools in a coordinated, holistic approach. In this Best Practices Report on Customer Engagement we will provide best practices, insights and vendor analysis in five distinct categories:
Personalization Platforms
Voice of the Customer (VoC)
Gamification We will approach this report as organizations should be approaching Customer Engagement: from the viewpoint of the buyer rather than from the seller. We’ll look at the buyer’s journey from the problem identification trigger through the stages of evaluation, validation, purchase, and on to relationship building, advocacy and loyalty.
Our goal is to enable the MMO to create a holistic, end-to- end, measurable approach to Customer Engagement. We present three models to enable modern marketers to take a holistic approach to Customer Engagement. These models are:
The Customer Engagement Map, which follows the buyer through the entire journey, highlighting critical junctures, best practices and solutions while examining relevant platforms, tools and applications.
The Demand Metric Customer Engagement Maturity Model, which shows the progression and pathway an organization should take to mature in its use of Customer Engagement from Undefined to World Class.
The Demand Metric Customer Engagement Framework, which highlights the roles, responsibilities, processes, technology, content and metrics for effective Customer Engagement strategies and practices.
Online Communities & Social Media
Advocacy and Loyalty Platforms
Customer Engagement: Best Practices, Insights & Vendor Analysis
5. 5
Our Vendor Solutions section covers the Customer Engagement systems, vendors and applications from the five Customer Engagement functions noted above. Each of these categories is covered in more detail in our Technology Overviews series. Demand Metric’s key recommendation from this report is that Customer Engagement drives revenue and profits for organizations when Customer Engagement is employed as an aligned strategy of best practices for people, processes and tools in a coordinated, holistic approach. We offer this Best Practices Report to enable your organization to make your Customer Engagement initiative the best that it can be.
Customer Engagement: Best Practices, Insights & Vendor Analysis
9. ABOUT THE RESEARCH ANALYSTS
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Clare Price, VP Research Clare is an expert in marketing strategy, branding, strategic communications, sales enablement, social media marketing, content marketing and leveraging marketing technologies. Clare is a former Gartner Research Director and helped build their Internet Strategies Services division with clients such as Microsoft, IBM, HP, Cisco, Proctor & Gamble and Wells Fargo.
Kristen Maida, Senior Research Analyst Kristen has worked with Demand Metric for the past 4 years, learning about and gaining experience in all aspects of the organization. She has developed job functions in almost every department to help with Demand Metric’s rapid growth. Her specialties include: social media marketing, digital marketing, content marketing & management and business process development.
Jerry Rackley, Chief Analyst Jerry Rackley is Chief Analyst at Demand Metric. His 30-year marketing career began at IBM, and includes experience in the technology and financial services sectors. He has worked with companies ranging in size from startups to members of the global 1000, performing marketing, marketing communication, public relations and product management work.
Christine Crandell, EVP Membership Success Christine Crandell is a B2B strategy, marketing and transformation expert who helps CEOs, CMOs, CROs, COOs and investors accelerate revenue growth. She leads a team of seasoned marketing and sales professionals with deep experience in a variety of areas. It is from her 20+ years of experience that she developed the Sellers’ Compass™ methodology to lead companies to become customer-aligned and accelerating revenue.
Customer Engagement: Best Practices, Insights & Vendor Analysis