Hult Magazine Issue 9 | Page 11

FA C U LT Y I N S I G H T HOW CRM SKILLS CAN MAKE YOU A MARKETING HERO Individuals with CRM skills can rapidly scale the marketing career ladder, says Felix Velarde, Adjunct Professor of Digital Customer Engagement at Hult. CRM (Customer Relationship Marketing) or eCRM (the digital version, although the terms are interchangeable) is founded on a deep understanding of customers. The skills required include the ability to interpret data, extract customer insight, and act on it, alongside the ability to plan ahead based on customer behavior over the span of several years (think: buying a car). CRM skills mark you out as a winner Over the past dozen years that I have been working in CRM, my team has delivered global strategies for major brands like Virgin, News International, and McCain, while I teach marketers CRM skills at the Institute of Direct & Digital Marketing and Hult Business School, 2vV