Data Shows Gap Between Self-Assessment And Approach

Key gaps between their self-assessment and their actual approach to customer data are behind the ongoing disconnect between the high marks brands give to the quality of the customer experiences they create versus the comparatively low grades awarded by consumers, says a report from Merkle, a customer experience management company. Its ‘Q3 2022 Customer Engagement Report (CER)’ surveyed marketing and technology decision makers of major companies from the U.S. and UK. It shows that while most leaders (85 per cent) give themselves high marks for customer experience (CX) maturity, only a small group actually meets best-practice benchmarks. Just 32 per cent of respondents utilize data across the entire enterprise; less than 25 per cent have migrated all customer data to the cloud; and only 24 per cent manage all their campaign data in a central repository. The results highlight the rough patch brands and consumers are experiencing and the critical pitfalls many companies need to address before they get dumped. "Customers' changing expectations and the need for data integration have long been documented, but even as brands attempt to deliver personalized experiences, there still remains a breakdown between what is ultimately delivered and what customers are actually seeking in these relationships," says Courtney Trudeau, vice-president of technology strategy at Merkle. "We've identified the tough conversations brands need to have to ensure they aren't driving consumers away. Even the most brand loyal consumers aren't safe if this disconnect in both priorities and business practices isn't addressed."