Employees Standing In the Way?

Are employees blocking your efforts to get customers?

For more than one-third of companies, human resources are a serious problem with integration of customer intelligence practices.

According to a review by Forrester Research, 37 percent of companies are finding it difficult to find staff to manage the adoption of customer analytics. The same survey found that many reported a general lack of resources to use the same analytics.

In the March 2012 report, titled “The State of Customer Analytics 2012,” Current analytics users also had trouble communicating findings to key stakeholders, including senior executives and upper management. This means that vital information how to on win and maintain new customers were not getting to the people who can best present the changes.

Another key issue was finding the right analytics expertise. Again, more than one-third of the companies surveyed saw this as a challenge in making the best use of customer information. Vetting and hiring the right people is a way to developing an effective data-driven system, designed for improved customer service.

Social media are becoming a primary source of wisdom about customers, with 17 percent of professionals saying they will go to social analytics for insight on the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

Forrester concludes that while customer analytics experts are focusing on the right analytics and techniques, there is still need to expand the vision beyond traditional forms—start “thinking outside the box.”

Yes, the term may be commonplace, but it still resonates with the truth.

How can this be accomplished?  Customer information professionals first must:

• Develop an all-inclusive customer analytics solution plan that applies customer analytics models across a wide number of applications, unifying a several projects simultaneously.
• Include fluid and changing data sources into actionable customer review; embrace social media as a real way to attract customers.
• Move outside the standard and partner with experts in other analytics technologies, analytical services and data. Broaden the scope to include other opinions and viewpoints.

Finally, it may seem obvious to some, but it can never be overstated—the right people for the job are one sure way to provide your clients the best customer experience.

Read the review of the Forrester information at CMSWire.com, or the report can be purchased at forrester.com.