Digitizing businesses is no longer an exception, but a necessity. If you want to remain competitive as a company, there is no getting around it. Previously, some digitization was done at a lower level, but this was usually left primarily to the IT department. Due to the significant increase in the possibilities of digitization, this is no longer sustainable, and companies are being driven towards appointing a CDO (Chief Digital Officer). The Chief Digital Officer (CDO) is the management executive ultimately responsible for transforming the organization into a digital, but above all data-driven, way of working. In this role, the CDO will drive transformation and thereby influence work processes. The intention is for CEOs and CMOs to benefit from this, in terms of brand promotion, scaling up, efficiency, customer approach, etc.
It is therefore advisable for the CMO to work closely with the CDO.
The CMO, who possesses a solid knowledge of technology marketing, strategies, and practical ‘digital’ experience with social media, mobile, analytics, and e-commerce, can no longer fully rely on this. The mass approach has evolved into a personal, individualized customer experience. This necessitates a reorientation of customer approach and digital information.
Incumbent CMOs and CIOs may well possess the digital skills, but lack the time to develop them within the company. That is where the CDO comes into play, who will drive deep digital adoption within the company, which entails far-reaching and broad process change.
The CDO transforms digital technologies for the business and social environments. For instance, it provides new real-time contextual social information regarding customer outcomes and enables the company to have personal, individualized interactions with customers at scale.
To optimize the collaboration between the CMO and the CDO, it is important that the company possesses the following competencies.
Social business
The brand must be made very personal by using social technologies. This different way of interacting with customers must further grow the brand. Therefore, the old, superficial social media-style promotion is no longer being used.
Mobile experience
Some experience in processing location-based customer information, collecting and synthesizing it to create convenience and/or capabilities for the customer. This related to the apps where the new tool creates opportunities.
Data analysis
The usual method of “web analytics” or “social media analytics” is no longer sufficient. Analysis of big data is necessary to understand the individual customer experience and to respond accordingly.
E-commerce
The different approach to the customer is central. The usual product/service function does not apply; instead, the integrated information derived from relevant transaction, device, social, and mobile data forms the basis for a more personal customer experience.
These four digital competencies enable the company to offer a personal, individualized experience at scale. With the right personal, individualized experience, it will lead to higher revenues and profits.
To the question of whether this will indeed lead to it, the answer is that a personal, individualized approach is valued more highly by the customer than a mass approach. The mass approach is no longer appreciated as much. Who still wants a company to spam you, call you unsolicited, invade your computer with spam and banners, ask you for products you already have, etc.? So shift the focus from the product to the customer. The product is merely the means to improve the customer’s life.
Digital social technologies have changed the world rapidly. Customer social information is now virtually free. This allows you to help the customer with targeted information that meets their needs.
Over the past decades, we have focused more on our products and tried to prove our attractiveness and necessity to the customer, while knowing little or nothing about the customer’s needs. And because we knew nothing about them, we sent masses of messages, advertisements, brochures, and promotions their way, and then just hoped they would bite.
Digital social technologies now provide brands with a huge amount of information about individual aspects of the customer. This allows brands to be truly relevant.
Transforming from old marketing methods to the new personal method feels like moving from old to new. The entire company must go through this transition. That does not happen overnight. For the time being, two methods will operate equally until sufficient experience has been built up to abandon the old ones.
To bring the transformation process to a successful conclusion, a number of steps still need to be taken.
CMO
First, define your position as a CMO. You know your tasks, responsibilities, and competencies. How do these relate to the personal method? Do you possess sufficient knowledge to operate in this area?
Consultation
Consult with the Board Members, CEO, and CIO regarding digital transformation. Prepare a compelling narrative beforehand and gauge their interest. Understand that you cannot move forward without their support.
Competencies
Check the level of competencies in social business, mobile experience, and data analysis to optimize them. E-commerce is not included, as it depends on the customer.
Developing competencies
Explore the possibilities of developing competencies within the company itself. By addressing this, everyone learns from it. Sometimes this leads to unexpected enthusiasts who are eager to commit themselves. This can also result in cost savings by not hiring external parties.
E-commerce/websites
There are many websites on the internet that offer extensive possibilities to support the process. In this pre-transformation phase, you also have the opportunity to further develop yourself.
Cooperation
If there is also a CIO in the company, you benefit from their support, as they are more at home with big data and analytics. Start a close collaboration with them. And should that CIO be an expert in the field, try to learn as much as possible from them.
Social media
The many social media platforms can be a good choice to leverage. Research this online. It is important that they demonstrate how to build social business competencies, enabling you to take back the social media activities from external agencies.
Digital office
If there is a digital office, use it to gather more information. They have carefully selected tools, links, and conversations in which executives and opinion leaders discuss digital transformation.
