Marketers have to treat consumer data with care or face the prospect of losing customers in droves, warned panelists in a discussion on the future of consumer engagement at the C2 Montreal conference on Thursday.
“Personal data is all about trust” and has to be handled with sensitivity, said Erwin Hinteregger, chief marketing officer at Aldo Group, during the final day of the conference, which is co-created by Montreal agency Sid Lee. “Data is all about insights” and should be used as a means to deliver better customer experience, he said.
Hinteregger added many brands are sending far too much email to consumers whose data they have on file and noted that in the last six months Aldo has cut the number of emails it sends by half.
When it comes to the data they hold, marketers must use an approach that involves TACT: Transparency, Added-Value, Control and Trust, said John Boynton, chief marketing officer at Aimia. Boynton noted that Aimia has consulted with the federal government about how it handles consumer data for its various loyalty programs.
Boynton cited a survey that found 16% of consumers are now considered “deletists,” and are getting rid of apps and other digital materials from brands, because they’re angry about marketers’ intrusions or feel they’re not getting enough added- value. “And you can’t get them back.”
Jamie Anderson, senior vice-president, marketing at Hybris, an ecommerce software company, said “years ago, we used to talk about customer relationship management.” But now “the customer has grabbed control of the relationship and that control is trust-based.”
That view, however, was contrasted by David Edelman, partner and co-leader, digital marketing practice, McKinsey & Company, who was speaking earlier at the conference.
“I’m really tired of hearing phrases like ‘the customer is in control,’” said Edelman, noting most companies are too busy chasing digital projects that do little for consumers.
When it comes to what consumers want from marketers’ apps, “it’s about getting things done now.”
That means successful apps require real-time automation and in-the-moment interaction. The best apps are also innovative, intelligent and engage with consumers, he said.
As examples of marketers who are doings apps right, Edelman cited Starwood Hotels (which has a keyless function that allows people to go directly to their hotel room without having to check-in first) and L’Oréal’s Makeup Genius (which allows women to try on makeup virtually).
