Dive Brief:
- Many chief marketing officers are prioritizing digital CX, and more than 3 in 5 say their organizations are launching new experiences to expand their audience, according to a survey of 1,900 CMOs released by Merkle last week.
- However, only about half of CMOs say they are confident in their company’s ability to follow through on strategies to improve digital customer experiences.
- Lack of alignment may be contributing to this problem. More than half of CMOs say their companies still have work ahead when it comes to unifying their efforts across marketing, media and CX teams.
Dive Insight:
Businesses that unify goals across their marketing, CX and other departments are in a better place to fuel innovation.
But brands often lack a common customer strategy across teams, and that can impede strategic development, according to Holden Bale, global head of experience and commerce at Merkle.
If teams don’t agree on core goals, it becomes difficult to create cohesive experiences. Bale highlighted a series of questions leaders should be prepared to answer if they were having a conversation with their CEO.
“Who are you trying to attract as a consumer?” Bale said in an interview with CX Dive. “Who are you trying to retain as a consumer? Who do you think is likely to leave the brand? And can you organize all your teams around it?”
Teams also need to unify around common KPIs, according to Bale. While 40% of CMOs say they’ve already accomplished this, 44% are still working towards the goal, according to the survey.
Teams can think outside of their usual measurements to find common KPIs. For instance, CX can play a significant role in customer acquisition costs, as a great site experience can convince a new shopper to make that first purchase.
“You will never be able to have perfectly unified KPIs, but you need to find a couple that can be a red thread through your business,” Bale said.
Better alignment across teams can also help businesses ensure they’re offering a consistent brand experience across different channels and touchpoints — something 36% of CMOs say their company has achieved and 45% of CMOs say they are working on.