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Brands with strong sense of purpose draw people in, aligning people inside the organization while driving momentum outside of it. Embracing Customer Experience CX As well as delivering on the demand for a different kind of supplier, brands are beginning to recognize the importance of customer experience (and how it can help them to compete). This necessitates the process of brand-building that cultivates stronger relationships with customers, leading to more choice, loyalty, and profitability. That said, nowadays, there is a significant difference between customer-first and customer-centric. Being truly customer- centric today means going deeper than just offering a product or service that the customer wants, and truly recognizing how customers think, feel and behave, and then delivering the most optimized experience possible across each and every customer touch-point. Making data-driven decisions While companies are placing more emphasis on building their data capabilities, there is the recognition Successful compa- nies will frame their ‘go-to-market’ strat- egies based on mar- ket foresight rather than simple back- ward facing insight. They will be adept at converting market knowledge and intu- ition into strategies that signal a differ- entiable customer experience, as well as produce enhanced revenue streams and an expanded cus- tomer relationship the company on the deeper level that contributes to building long-term loyalty. that these efforts are only scratching the surface of the opportunities at hand. Jonah Owade Otieno is a Chartered Marketer and the Regional Sales and Marketing Head, Kenya Power Coast. You can commune with him on this or related issues via mail at: Grjon123@gmail.com. However, experience shows that any company that puts technology first and brand second isn’t likely to sustain growth. While people may enjoy the experience, they aren’t necessarily connecting with Conclusion The only constant is change, within this ever-shifting context, growth becomes ever more challenging. Businesses need a medium that clearly communicates purpose and energizes cultures, a platform upon which to create engaging and unique experiences, a means to stay relevant, meaningful, and valued. In this changing world, businesses need to engage their customers and build stronger brands more than ever. There is need to understand the real role of marketing away from the traditional 4P’s (Promotion, Place, Product, Price) and the generic consideration of marketing as a by-the-way reactionary department. There needs to be a strategic approach to marketing planning which fully takes into account the existing business operating environment. ltd