Understanding the customer and improving the customer experience are high on the marketing agenda this year, according to IBM’s recently-released “State of Marketing” report. According to the study, acquiring new customers (42%), retaining existing customers and improving loyalty and satisfaction (36%), and creating consistent, relevant and positive customer experiences across channels (34%) are among the top challenges being faced by marketers today. Certain high-performers, dubbed “leading marketers” by IBM, are going about their business differently from their peers, taking a tech-infused approach and demonstrating a confidence in their organizational excellence.
IBM defines its “leading marketers,” who represent 20% of the survey sample, as “leaders proactively influencing the customer experience across channels and using marketing technologies.” These leading marketers are more likely than their peers to hail from companies that boast 3-year growth in gross profits, net incomes, and stock prices. They’re also more likely to believe their organizations are effectively performing across the 4Ps: products and services (89% rating a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale, compared to 54% of all other marketers); promotion (83% vs. 64%); place (80% vs. 51%); and price (77% vs. 43%). Read the rest at MarketingCharts.
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