A new world order for marketers?

Fueled in part by the Internet and other interactive technology channels, as well as the increased fragmentation and segmentation of traditional media, the explosion of brand and marketing touchpoints has increased the complexity of acquiring and retaining customers.

In many instances, this rapidly changing and increasingly hectic landscape can also lead to higher marketing costs, reduced marketing and brand effectiveness, and declining customer loyalty.

Increased customer choice leads to new skills for marketers

For most customers, instant access to choice, market opinion and competitors – combined with increased levels of education, product knowledge, and awareness of competitive options – have significantly increased their service expectations, making the process of cost-effectively delivering products and services even more complex. And as this complexity increases, the time, expense, and skills required of companies selling and servicing increases as well.

In response to this evolving landscape, “marketing” is being re-defined as “the science and art of finding, serving, retaining, and growing profitable customers.”

Brand and customer experience are more important than ever

That’s why brand and customer experience are more involved and more important than ever in fueling acquisition, driving word-of-mouth referrals, and ensuring retention of the right customers. Because yesterday’s marketers must become tomorrow’s customer experts, leveraging a deeper understanding than ever of customer wants, needs, perceptions and options to drive more of the right customers closer to their organizations.