• Channel data capture now deemed critical for online success
Reading, UK – June 1st 2016, Zyme, the market leader in the rapidly growing discipline of Channel Data Management (CDM), has today released research findings that show Digital Intelligence to be the new battleground for brands wanting to exceed consumer expectations and gain increased levels of customer confidence online. Whilst increasing sales is perhaps an unsurprising priority for 81% of the UK businesses questioned in the independent survey, improving sales insight and performance was close behind at 66%. Improving the customer buying experience was also deemed to be important by 60%.
According to the report entitled “The Consumer Technology Digital Intelligence Report”, 73% of consumer technology and hardware companies believe getting digital intelligence right will positively impact their ability to achieve these customer focused goals in the next 12 months, and gaining insight here is timely. Two thirds (67%) say they are already under pressure from the business and its stakeholders to provide details on end-customer behaviour in order to improve online sales, and align marketing priorities accordingly.
Despite this, less than half believe that current systems and processes provide all the necessary information on customer usage to understand buying behaviours. Trusting the accuracy of the data received was also another significant issue for 49% of respondents, whilst in other areas timeliness of collecting data was a concern, as was managing data coming from disparate sources or in varying formats.
“Embracing digital intelligence will be critical to those businesses that want to maintain a high and reputable profile online,” said Nick Andrews, General Manager EMEA & India at Zyme. “In the early stages success for a business is often about growing awareness but in the longer term it is much more about identifying sustainable growth opportunities. Without a detailed, trustworthy, view on the performance of distribution retail channels it is almost impossible to plan effective support of retail partners. Zyme can deliver much improved channel visibility relating to product pricing, performance and brand perception online.”
Interestingly, the research also stated that 60% of those interviewed felt that as a business they could do more to recognise and reward customer centricity in their online partners whilst 56% felt more could be done to maximise relationships with channel partners, retailers and e-tailers.
About the Research.
101 respondents based in the UK, with responsibility for digital / online marketing and / or channel data management in consumer technology / hardware companies, completed an online interview in April 2016. In terms of indirect sales, 60% said that 50-74% of revenue is secured through indirect sales and 40% said 75-100% is secured through indirect sales. The research was conducted by LoudHouse.
