Do organisations now understand the importance of information in providing excellent customer experience?

Abstract

Using empirical evidence and experience from the period 1986–2006, this paper argues that, by 1991, the components of good information management for customer experience management — including database and contact technology, relationship economics, contact planning concepts including moments of truth/touchpoints, process management requirements and vision — were known and practised. This has since led to significant improvements but more are yet to be achieved. The paper also describes the one gap in the marketer's armamentarium in 1991 — namely consistent or universal communication planning (which has been since filled), and highlights, with recommendations, key factors that have created failure or blocked success, including conceptual fragmentation and misconceived business objectives.