SOLUCOM : "Multichannel: What information system changes will improve your marketing campaigns?" download at www.solucom.fr

The increasing number of channels now available combined with advances in technology has resulted in better informed customers who are more demanding and less loyal to enterprises. In this context, IT departments have a vital role to play in the effectiveness of relationship marketing campaigns by building on customer knowledge and synergies between channels. This new Focus from Solucom describes the issues to be addressed to make the most of multichannel marketing campaigns.

"Multichannel" campaigns as an effective response to changes in customer behaviour

Customers now readily switch from one channel to another (face-to-face, telephone, mail or internet) to obtain more information but they also know how to make better use of regulations to avoid unsolicited marketing messages (anti-spam filters, unsubscribing, claims, etc.). In reality, marketing departments are no longer able to satisfactorily address customers' "multichannel" behaviour or their expectations. This "channel blur" phenomenon is likely to grow with social networks and the very broad access they provide to uncontrolled information. "Multichannel" campaigns offer marketing departments a means of stimulating customer relationships and improving competitiveness by: 

• identifying and distributing the most appropriate message in real time while taking on board the customer's history and any current interactions with the customer;
• reacting to shifts in behaviour;
• incorporating the different interactions into a continuous, time-consistent dialogue;
• guaranteeing uniformity of communication.

Four key principles for a "multichannel" marketing campaign architecture

From the feedback it has analysed, Solucom has defined four major principles to help IT departments build an efficient architecture and derive maximum benefit from a "multichannel" campaign:

360° view of the customer

Marketing departments are traditionally organised in silos, very often with their own databases, and lack the broader view necessary for in-depth knowledge of each customer and a firm understanding of each customer's expectations. The solution is to use the enterprise's decision-making systems to improve customer knowledge and develop a single picture from all the data gathered in real time via the various channels and through the enterprise's management systems.

Centralised action framework

Marketing departments tend to distribute their message as widely as possible with no consideration either of any previous messages or of the specificity of the different channels or of customer feedback. This will often exasperate customers, who will then pull out of the relationship. The solution is to develop a centralised form of action management that integrates the history of customer interactions, "multichannel" offerings and control of the relationship pressure …

Multichannel execution engine

Traditional "outbound marketing" campaign management systems are not suitable for customers who have used different inbound or outbound channels for a single purchasing decision. The solution is to incorporate a "multichannel" campaign execution engine creating a link between campaign management tools and thus providing efficient project management of marketing plans, fluid data exchange and dynamic campaign deployment with personalised content and "multichannel" offerings.

Integrated management of marketing operations

The launch of a marketing campaign often requires several weeks as marketing departments are dependent on IT departments and on a large number of suppliers. The many different varieties of communication channels make the task even more complex.

Technological solutions for an efficient "multichannel" campaign

Market solutions (Neolane Campaign, IBM Unica, Selligent Interactive Marketing, SAS Marketing Automation, Microsoft Dynamic CRM, Teradata Aprimo, etc.) mix operational and analytical marketing functionalities and are differentiated by:

• depth of analysis of customer knowledge;
• capacity to manage a large number of actions simultaneously;
• capacity to roll out campaigns across all the enterprise's channels, including social networks;
• capacity to integrate marketing operations and interact in real time.

A solution may be implemented more quickly if the service is bought externally, e.g. using the advantages of cloud computing. The choice of hosting - SaaS mode, private cloud or directly integrated into the enterprise's information system - will be governed by such considerations as data and access security risks, supplier dependence, etc. Integrating the solution into the enterprise's CRM and decision-making ecosystem and minimising change management by operational staff will demand the greatest vigilance to avoid wiping out the expected benefits.

IT department: a service integrator

With cloud computing hosting, marketing departments can purchase software solutions without referring to the IT department. This may adversely affect the security, consistency and sustainability of the enterprise's information system. IT departments must improve their practices to conserve their prerogatives over the information system and make sure business lines can avail themselves of industrial, agile solutions. They must grow from the role of manufacturer and operator of IT solutions to the role of a service integrator able to take wise outsourcing decisions.

About Solucom

Solucom is an independent management and IT consulting firm.

Solucom's clients are among the top 200 large companies and public bodies. Solucom is able to mobilise and combine the competences of close on 1000 employees on its clients' behalf.

Our mission statement? To place innovation at the heart of business lines, target and steer value-added-generating transformations, and make the information system a true asset serving corporate strategies.

Solucom is quoted on NYSE Euronext and has been awarded the OSEO Innovation seal of approval as an innovative enterprise.
Discover solucomINSIGHT, the online review by Solucom consultants:

KaBeCom Katia BROZEK Press contact Tel: + 33 (0) 1 44 92 02 26 [e-mail]

Solucom Mélodie LAUQUE Communication executive Tel: + 33 (0) 1 49 03 25 00 [e-mail]