Salesforce.com, Inc. announced on June 16, 2020 the Japanese translation of its annual research report, “Marketing Latest News” (6th edition). This report summarizes the results of a survey of approximately 7,000 marketing leaders from around the world, specifically targeting 300 Japanese marketers.
This survey revealed the roles required of Japanese marketers and the challenges they face.
The biggest impact over the next 10 years will be “5G” and “expansion of online population”
First, regarding the technologies and phenomena that are thought to have the greatest impact on marketing by 2030, Japanese marketers answered that 5G and the expansion of online matters.
This report also touches on the changing roles and positions of Japanese marketers. As customer expectations rise due to advances in technology, Japanese marketers are evolving from being “messengers” to “engagers,” who are responsible for continuing to build relationships with customers even after they make a purchase or receive an order. He also revealed that the standards of customer engagement are changing due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, and that the company is at the forefront of innovation.
Marketers’ top priority is “real-time customer engagement”
Next, we will look at the challenges faced by marketers. “Hiring and developing talent” ranked top among marketers’ top priorities. Next was “Sharing centralized customer data across all business units” and “Innovation.” Additionally, “real-time customer engagement” is top of marketers’ top priorities. Next, there was a tie for “Sharing centralized customer data across all business units” and “Balancing the level of personalization and customer comfort.” As a result, in parallel with securing and improving human resources, companies are required to build real-time relationships with customers for the purpose of engagement.
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“Drawing data insights” is an AI use case that marketers focus on
In order to improve customer engagement, customer insights are important in order to make proposals that match the needs of individuals and companies.
The median number of customer data sources used by marketers is expected to increase from 20 in 2019 to 25 in 2020 to 30 by 2021, an increase every year. Furthermore, while AI is used to utilize technology, “drawing data insights” was the top AI use case that marketers prioritize.
The survey results also show that marketers are placing more emphasis on collecting customer data and analyzing insights.
Profit is the most important success indicator for marketers
Finally, what is the success metric that marketers prioritize? The top ranking was “revenue,” followed by “customer retention rate” and “customer satisfaction.”
Marketers are now being asked to build relationships that align with customer values, which have changed due to the spread of the new coronavirus. The company will then measure customer engagement using indicators such as customer retention rate and customer satisfaction, translate it into business value, and aim for the ultimate goal of profit.
This report reveals that in response to the various effects of the spread of the new coronavirus infection, Japanese marketers are being urged more than ever to build relationships of trust with customers.