The evolution of the Internet and social media—The evolution of social media and other Web 2.0 tools is having a significant impact on both how consumers interact with companies and the level of control such companies have over the sales, marketing and service of their products. (Although it is difficult to find consensus on what exactly is meant by “social media,” for the purpose of our discussion, the term refers to Internet and mobile channels that enable users both to view and create content and to share that content with others.)
Today, consumers make their purchases either via retailers’ or manufacturers’ sites or retailers’ physical stores. However, as social networking and other Web 2.0 tools have exploded in popularity—consumers have many new sources of product information and buying advice, as well as answers to usage and technical questions about the products they have purchased.
In this new world, companies have an opportunity or a threat, depending on how they adapt marketing, sales and service of their own products to a new consumer ecosystem: one in which enthusiasts and detractors can dictate customer perception and experience for manufacturers.
Ramifications for providers—What are the ramifications of this shift? At a high level, the evolution of social media has introduced new contact channels that must be integrated into marketing, service and support strategies. However, while social networking and social media are certainly on the rise, there are still large groups of customers who do not communicate via these tools.
Therefore, differentiated service takes on an even greater role because of these new channels. A thorough understanding of customers’ channel preferences, combined with insights into the true value of customers to the business, must drive how companies interact with each respective segment.
In addition, because of the speed with which customers and information move today, companies must be able to incrementally, and very quickly, improve their operations based on what they learn from observing customers. As a result, many companies have shifted the focus of their investments from building channel infrastructure to creating nimble and robust content management and data collection and analysis capabilities.
From a marketing perspective, the evolution of social networks and online communities has resulted in a collapse of the marketing funnel. How so? Traditional, mainstream marketing forces a message through the marketing funnel, moving through stages from building awareness to earning loyalty. It only allows dialogue and relationship building as the prospect or customer progresses through the funnel.
By contrast, the digital revolution, and particularly social media, makes it possible to engage in a dialogue with prospects or customers much earlier and at many more touch points. The collapse of the marketing funnel, in turn, means the distinctions between marketing and sales become further blurred and, in some cases, disappear entirely. In fact, social media increasingly is being referred to not in terms of marketing or sales, but rather, as an “engagement channel,” which incorporates elements of both marketing and sales.
With consumers increasingly relying on third-party sites for usage and technical information, manufacturers must build capabilities to strengthen their brands and customer loyalty via these channels, as well as to up-sell and cross-sell relevant, related products and services, and gather and integrate cross-channel customer data. Indeed, smart use of these third-party channels can become a powerful way to boost image and customer satisfaction while reducing CRM operational costs.