In the experience economy we operate in today, CMOs have no option but to tackle the multichannel customer experience challenge head on. How are leading CMOs doing that? Well, they are following these six guidelines for success:
Put Down an Anchor (Establish a Messaging Platform)
The first thing leading CMOs are doing is establishing a core. That core comes to life in the form of a clearly defined and documented corporate story that crystallizes who the company is, how it should be positioned in the market, what the company does, what makes it different from the competition and the core value it delivers to customers. It is the entire corporate story told end-to-end through consistent messaging that is organized into compartmentalized content (iterations of the story) and is leveraged across all communication channels and customer touchpoints.
Prioritize (Focus on Critical Channels)
With a messaging platform in place, CMOs are ruthlessly prioritizing the channels used throughout the customer journey. Which channels have the greatest impact on engagement, conversion, retention and loyalty? Which channels positively or negatively impact customer satisfaction and perception? The point is, some channels are more critical than others. You have to employ the 80 / 20 rule. The goal is to establish greater connectivity, continuity and consistency across 20 percent of your channels that have the greatest impact on the customer experience.
Create Connective Tissue (Redefine Roles and Processes)
Leading CMOs are also looking at the internal and external roles involved in messaging development and delivery across these channels. They are documenting specific positions across the company and partners involved in specific phases of the customer journey. You have to know where the story is originating from across the enterprise if you hope to deliver a consistent message throughout the customer journey.
Drive Accountability (Train and Educate Employees / Partners)
With the channels, positions and partners having the greatest impact on the multichannel experience identified, it’s time to educate and train these individuals on the new processes and your messaging platform. Maybe that’s why Alex Becker, Global VP at Digital River, recently said, “The clearer and stronger you make your own messaging, the more likely your channel partners will be to follow your lead and tell the brand stories you want consumers to hear. Message consistency begins at home.”
Personalize Over Time (Build from the Core of Your Story)
The new corporate messaging platform serves as a constant centering point for every stakeholder responsible for developing or delivering messaging throughout the customer journey. Personalization strategies and decisions should align with the messaging included in the platform. No more start-from-scratch or “I think this might work” free-form testing. Every message consumed by customers is now anchored in the platform to ensure the story remains consistent from one channel to the next.
Define Closed Loop Process (Enhance Experience Over Time)
The most critical change CMOs are making is to ensure a closed loop feedback process exists to ensure the new, integrated operating model is working. From the corporate messaging platform, to new roles and responsibilities, cross-channel processes, personalization efforts and more. The goal is to ensure the story delivered and the processes used to connect customer-facing channels are producing positive results. It’s to ensure everything is working together to deliver a compelling and consistent customer experience.
Delivering a consistent story throughout the multichannel customer experience is not easy. But it is not insurmountable. It just requires a game plan and the persistence to put these foundational elements into action. It all starts with putting an anchor in place — a comprehensive corporate messaging platform that can be pulled through critical touchpoints in the customer journey.
