New report from Pitney Bowes Software shows that channel growth and integration are barriers to cross channel communication

Windsor, Berks, 8 February, 2012 – Pitney Bowes Software – a global leader in customer data, analytics, communication software and services today published new research that confirms that multichannel marketing is a high priority in large organisations but there are major barriers to achieving it. Key statistics from the research report, Disconnected Customer Channels, which surveyed financial services, telecoms and utilities industries, reveal that:

- Organisations are finding integrating communications channels a real challenge with 90% saying they want to do so but only 31% achieving it.

- The situation is compounded by the growth in channels: Over half (53%) now engage with customers via social networks but only 8% achieve integrated, cross-channel communications based on preferences.

- The result is often lost customers, with fragmented communications blamed by 32% for losses during onboarding, and mass targeting blamed by 26%.

- Some 27% say they are not capitalising on the inbound channel and only 9% have systems that model customer behaviour to make appropriate prompts that enable staff to maximise the opportunity.

Commenting on the research results, Gary Roberts, Executive Vice President, EMEA, Pitney Bowes Software said, “Customers now use a whole range of different communications channels and expect continually improved standards of customer service from their providers. These providers need to speak with a clear and coherent voice and this is proving a real challenge with today’s disconnected channels.”

The survey reveals that, while most organisations are striving to fully integrate their communications and recognise this as best practice, only a minority has achieved it. Companies that are using sophisticated marketing segmentation techniques based on deep customer insights are also more likely to be using predictive analytic tools and communicating with customers via their preferred channels. However the research suggests that only 2% of companies have arrived at this level.

Gary Roberts, added, ‘There are three things that organisations can do to connect customer channels to drive customer loyalty and lifetime value: embrace technology to achieve cross-channel marketing; fine-tune channel exploitation and ensure they are making the most of all opportunities, particularly during the onboarding phase and with the inbound channel; and finally gather insight during every interaction and use this to enable more relevant communications at every touchpoint.’
 
The study was commissioned by Pitney Bowes Software and carried out by research consultancy Opinion Matters. It surveyed 250 chief marketing officers and directors in business-to-consumer companies (financial services, utilities and telecoms) with over 1,000 employees in the UK, France and Germany.