Customer expectations are part of single customer view

The recent roundtable on the single customer view (MW 8 July) certainly raised valid points. However, we mustn’t forget the importance of accommodating the customer’s expectations in the data exchange process.

We’re seeing a real paradigm shift towards businesses and consumers expecting to own the relationship where they control communication channels, messaging type and frequency. To service this, it’s essential that marketing permissions for all touchpoints are stored and maintained centrally rather than in disparate lists or tables; a basic requirement but one that in our experience is seldom adhered to.

Customers expect their data to be used in a way that means they can manage their relationship with the supplier. It leads to an expectation that a holistic and single view of relevant data will be shared across an organisation and not in silo. For example, customers have a lack of tolerance if they’ve entered their details into an automated telephone system but are asked to repeat this information when connected to a customer service representative.

So all the talk of the SCV is hugely important, and we as marketers should be aiming towards that promised land, but the expectations of the customer must be understood and until this happens, it will be a harder mountain to climb.

Penny Hutton, Commercial director, Eclipse Marketing