By Doug Cox
Oct. 6, 2011
Over the past few years, every industry has experienced a new market environment, marked by a sharp decline in consumer confidence and altered consumer behaviors that have made it increasingly difficult to acquire and retain customers.
Accelerated recovery and success in this new paradigm depends upon customer acquisition, satisfaction, and loyalty—and every consumer contact presents an important opportunity to improve the customer experience, reach new markets, and differentiate from the competition.
With the proliferation of available marketing channels and increased expectations of customers that businesses communicate with them in the manner they prefer, the ability to successfully implement a multichannel marketing communication strategy will most likely be the single biggest challenge—and opportunity—for every business over the next few years. Success in this arena will require a carefully planned customer communications strategy backed by robust technology that provides access to the information customers want—and enables delivery via the channel they prefer—morning, noon, or night via print, electronic, the Web, and mobile devices.
Seeking a solution designed for a multichannel, personalized communication strategy
Leveraging the power of multichannel campaigns requires the ability to determine the communication preferences of each customer and having in place the right solutions to deliver compelling, personalized content through that channel. Whether the recipient likes paper (mail), electronic (e-mail, Internet), mobile devices, or a combination of these channels, being able to meet delivery preferences is quickly becoming essential to engage prospects and simply to remain competitive.
One of the first decisions to be made is whether this can be done in-house or should it be outsourced to a third-party service provider. Many organizations already use third-party service providers to print and mail statements and other customer communications. If you choose to outsource, it is critically important to closely evaluate your vendor partner’s capabilities to ensure they can meet client communication needs in the areas of agility, flexibility and control. Employing “agile billing”— the ability to maintain flexibility and control of documents while enjoying the cost benefits of outsourcing physical printing and fulfillment—is simply good business.