2010 may finally be the year promises are kept. For years, we have been promised mainstream mobile marketing, addressable TV ads and social media ROI.
This year just might be the year that the dreams become reality.
I am most excited about the evolution of database marketing into customer intelligence.
For too long, customer data have been buried in the direct marketing department and leveraged simply to generate lists. Yet, in a small number of firms, we find a customer intelligence function that operates as the strategic command center for the firm.
Instead of simply being used to drive campaign response rates, customer intelligence is used by these firms to enhance the customer experience, grow long term revenue, and to boost customer retention, satisfaction, and even profitability.
To establish a customer intelligence command center, firms must first establish a customer-focused culture, then think about the people and technology components required to support it. This puts the customer intelligence professional at the nexus of many initiatives — including online and offline; brand and direct; and marketing, sales and service
