con·ver·gence - the merging of distinct technologies, industries, or devices into a unified whole
Our world is filled with convergence. Personal lives have been converging with business lives since the original Blackberry phone. Disruption enters everything we hold near and dear to us and often requires us to rethink our own path or how we fit into this world. This is my story in the converging world.
As I like to stress, I am and always have been a simple Customer service guy. When I started the Comcast Cares effort in 2008 I was simply doing what I like to do, helping Customers. I never anticipated press, although I am proud to have Business Week refer to me as the "most famous Customer service manager in the U.S., if not the world." As my career moved forward I joined Citi's marketing department because I was impressed by their CMO at the time, Michelle Peluso. Michelle's dedication to the Customer is inspirational. My next chapter will be announced today, but you can already see the path and start to connect the dots.
Over the years, I have witnessed the convergence of Marketing, PR and Customer Experience. Although it often appears more like a train wreck than convergence, we can all agree this is happening. We see a flattening of the complexities in business in many areas, but the convergence of Marketing, PR and Customer Experience is the most evolved. Social media has been a key to the disruption, but also emblematic of the current challenges.
-
Listening - PR has focused on listening for that next crisis. Marketing has been looking for that next big moment. Customer experience has been focused on responding to Customer complaints.
-
Content - You will all agree that the saying "content is king" has been overused. Companies have been focused on content, often designed to make executives look smart, or brands look special. Marketing has often focused efforts on selling products. Very little has focused on the needs of the Customer.
-
Social Service - There are vastly differing views on social servicing throughout PR, Marketing and Customer Experience. PR likes to say we are meeting Customers where they already are. This sounds like such a great message, until you realize that the vast majority of the complaints occur after failures in other channels. You would truly be meeting Customers where they are if you got it right the first time. I have heard many talk about the great things they say if you service them well in social. This is true, but if that is going to be your measurement, shouldn't you include the data regarding the Customer blasting your brand publicly?
- Metrics - Social media measurements are evolving. Initial focus was on friends, followers and likes. It later moved to eyeballs, but at the end of the day leaders want to know what we added to the bottom-line.
Many wonder about the agency model and ask if it is sustainable. I truly believe that it is, but we must focus on delivering the right results. We also have to acknowledge our own abilities, and embrace others with different experiences. Instead of fighting this convergence we should be joining together to celebrate it.
Agencies in the future will:
-
Understand the Customer - We possess great knowledge of the Customer and we will bring it to the forefront of our discussion with Clients. We will help our counterparts disperse this information throughout their organization to help transform the experience and truly create a remarkable brand. This has always been how you win in digital.
-
Offer Value to the Customer - Instead of being upset by ad-blockers, we should step back and understand what has caused the need for them in the first place. We have to respect the Customer and work to deliver messages in the way they are most comfortable. We will have to have deeper conversations regarding the implementation of ad technologies. If we can win back the Customer, we can deliver.
-
Contribute to the Bottom Line - At the end of the day this is the key metric for any organization and it is key that our efforts align with achieving this success.
In the past, we were trying to make the brands we serve the center of the community. The future is about being one with the community. This is about transformation of ideas and bringing together key elements to deliver real results.
Zeno of Citium said, "We have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen more than we say." Listening is crucial to success on all fronts. I am pleased to announce that I will be working on this and so much more as I join Zeno Group as the EVP, US Head of Digital & Customer Experience. We recognize that if we offer value to our Clients' Customers, we will increase the value of our relationship with our Clients. I was pleasantly surprised by the Zeno team and their dedication to transforming the PR industry, and offering deep insights to their Clients. Fearless is a value at Zeno and clearly displayed on the wall as you enter their New York office. Everyone I have met at Zeno has proven that they are fearless and together we will define the future.