Big Data and Big Returns
The adoption and interpretation of big data is explored in this infographic developed by Informatica, with a focus on the benefits it brings to various aspects of a business.
Multi Channel Marketing Strategies
Today’s marketeers must constantly adapt and adopt their customer engagements across numerous platforms and touch points within the ever evolving digital revolution. A recent survey carried out by Forrester found that marketeers who have adopted multi-channel marketing practises are benefitting from a higher return on marketing investment.
95% of marketers either implement or have plans to implement multi-channel marketing. The Forrester report also found that one of the largest obstacles for companies not implementing multi-channel marketing was due to a lack of knowledge and skills and or a dependence on external marketing service providers.
One of the key elements of a successful marketing strategy is in understanding customers and their expectations. The biggest challenge in meeting those expectations is through service delivery, this process is becoming more and more complex as omni channel customers expect a consistent service delivery through whatever channel they interact with. A summary of customer expectations can be viewed in our recent infographic here.
The Forrester survey also found the most effective methods employed to deliver a consistent multi channel experience is through integrated processes, intelligent use of technology and adoption of emerging technologies.
Of those found to be mature practitioners of multi -channel marketing, the key differentiator was in their approach. They are more likely to be adopters of technology with the marketing department working in close partnership with IT while also collaborating more with sales on setting goals and implementing programs. Non-integrated IT solutions are the norm, with email campaigns on one system, social media on another and in-store carried out by another team. This can create technology silos which are then likely to be implemented by organisational silos where customer data is organised within individual channels, thus creating a disjointed complex and inconsistent customer experience across a business.
Organisations have the challenge of integrating processes which can be supported by new and emerging technologies. Agile organisations who embrace change management when approaching their processes are best positioned to deliver an effective customer omni-channel strategy.
Source: The Multichannel Maturity Mandate, A Forrester Consulting Thought Leadership Paper Commissioned By Sitecore
Omni Channel Customer Experience
With so many touch points for customers currently available, understanding their expectations and experiences is vital in delivering a quality Omni Channel experience.
A recent study carried out by Zendesk, surveying 7,000 across 7 continents explored customer experiences and expectations. Understandably this will differ by region, however the findings do show the importance of Multi Channel customer interactions and providing a seamless service is vital to its success.
Another interesting finding from the report was how 75% of shoppers would return to companies with good customer service.
In addition 56% of those surveyed would recommend companies to their friends and families based on their customer service experience alone.
Click on our infographic below to download the PDF version to view a summary of their findings.
Big Data Infographic
Indepth infographic developed by the McKinsey institute, focussing on the impact that Big Data is having on businesses who utilise this actively.
Omni Channel Retailer
Multi-channel retailers merges retail operations to enable their customer to carry out transactions in a number of connected channels. Channels include: retail stores, online stores, mobile stores, mobile app stores, telephone sales and any other method of transacting with their customer. Multi-channel retailing is dictated by the customer in what route best suits them. Systems and processes within retail simply facilitate the customer journey to transact and be served.
The next iteration for retailing from Multi-channel is creating and focussing on the Omni Channel retail experience. For retailers this encompasses all touch points of their brand for a single, consistent customer experience throughout all channels.
No matter which channel the customer is using to reach you be it bricks and mortar, online, or mobile—your customer sees your store as a single, transparent system with fully integrated inventory, processing, and delivery systems.
For Omni Channel retailing a superior customer-centric service approach is essential across all channels. Through social media, loyalty programs and data mining capabilities, marketing efforts are more efficient as they are informed by purchase patterns of the consumer, spanning all channels and touch points simultaneously. The purchase and browsing patterns of bricks and mortar stores where purchases are made and consumers can research, is difficult to track when compared with other online interactions.
Through The Gesaky Mirror it is now possible to capture the data from these interactions is captured in store and fed back into the retailers system.
Recent research has shown that Omni shoppers are seen to purchase 3.5times more than single channel shoppers and approximately 15-30% more than multi channel shoppers.
To read our Retail Director Michael Nason’s recent article on Elements of Omni Channel click on the link.
For more information on how Gesaky works instore you can view our short video here.
Gesaky Interactive showcased at the Olympics
Invent company Geasky Interactive, is delighted to announce that they have been selected to showcase their technology at the Olympics. In May of this year, Mayor of London Boris Johnson invited Gesaky to participate and present their technology on a world stage. They are the only Irish technology company taking part in this networking event being run as part of the Olympics over a 5 day period and this is a huge opportunity for them. As part of this event the company will network with leading technology companies from around the globe including Facebook, LinkedIN, Box.net, Zynga, Yelp and Salesforce.
Everyday is packed with various talks, seminars and tours of company HQs and Universities in the London region, as well as tickets to some of the major Olympic events. The schedule also includes introductions to sporting and political figures from the UK. Another interesting aspect of this event is a focus on new ways of bringing technology companies and universities together to collaborate.
The Gesaky Interactive Mirror is bringing real seamless technology into department stores around the World. Not only is it helping large traditional stores attract new customers back into their stores, it is also allowing them to compete in the eCommerce environment. The ability of the Mirror to automatically read any garment and then cross-relate that garment back to a specific collection enables endless customer opportunities, everything from increased cross-sales for the store to a “personal shopper” experience for the customer.
As part of the roll-out of the Mirror into Europe, the Middle East and US, Gesaky Interactive are looking for retail based partners to trial the Mirror. As part of this trial the retailer will experience the “store of the future” without breaking the bank. The company is also seeking credible business partners in each of these regions. As part of this program each partner will be invited to Dublin and trained in the Mirror technology. This training will take place in DCU in Q4 2012.
For further information please email: alan.kearney@gesaky.com quoting Partner Program.
“Future of Retail” Video
Gesaky Interactive launch the “Future of Retail” video in the Irish Embassy, London with Realex Payments, Nualight, Actus Mobile, Product World, Greenstreets, Touchpoint and Worldnet TPS.
Over 150 retailers and retail consultants were present in the Embassy on Thursday 14th June to see the direction retail is going, what technologies are bringing retail forward, and more importantly what companies were delivering these technologies.
The video is an animated insight into what the retail consumer expects in a “store of the future”. It also shows traditional brick and mortar stores how they can become an interactive experience as opposed to just another boring building full of clothes and accessories.
Gesaky Interactive Gets Support From An Taoiseach
The Managing Director of Gesaky Interactive had the pleasure of talking at the IIA Conference with An Taoiseach (the Irish Prime Minister), Enda Kenny last week.
The Irish Government are big supporters of the Gesaky Interactive Mirror and have pledged further assistance by opening up their support offices in the countries that the company is expanding into. Already Gesaky and the Government officials have confirmed two trips in the coming months. The first is to Moscow, Russia in June, followed by Dubai, UAE later in the year.
The company will be meeting with retailers and business partners in both regions. Although the schedule for both trips are filling up fast they have some spare time to meet further interested parties.
To arrange your meeting and demonstration email sales@gesaky.com and quote Russia or UAE.