As far as I’m concerned, it’s never been a better time to be a consumer. We can shop anytime and everywhere—from our homes, at the store, or on the bus ride to work thanks to our handheld screen. We can interact with our favorite brands on our channels of choice—websites, mobile sites, and apps like Amazon or Yelp, and of course, via social media. If last week’s announcement about Twitter testing its “Buy” button with big name brands is any indication, it’s clear businesses are fully embracing the need to meet their customers wherever they are most.
This is all exciting and great for consumers. But multiple channels, platforms, and tweets are leading to an onslaught of new data that’s overwhelming to creative, analytical, and methodical marketers alike. Each incremental increase in customer activity adds on a layer of complexity for marketers looking to understand their audiences, and engage them with content, offers, and actionable opportunities when it matters most. This challenge—harnessing big data to derive actionable insights—is what many companies across an array of industries are trying to address. It will only increase in importance as the smartphone becomes more ubiquitous, and new platforms arise (looking at you, Apple Watch).
When it comes down to it, TIBCO has been attacking the crux of these big data problems for years. Specializing in infrastructure and business intelligence software, our sweet spot is integrating some of the world’s most complex systems to surface data-driven intelligence. It’s about turning big data into Fast Data. About analyzing fast-moving transactions and interactions, understanding their context, and empowering businesses make better decisions ahead of the event. With the recent launch of TIBCO Engage, we’re bringing this philosophy to marketing, capturing the essence of what real-time, personalized engagement with customers can truly be.
Imagine a world where a customer browses an online store, adds jeans to her basket, but never makes a purchase. The following week, when the customer walks past the storefront of this same business, she is sent a proactive push notification encouraging her to come inside, try on the jeans, and receive a 10 percent discount off that day’s order.
Or consider another scenario, where a frequent traveler ends up with a long layover due to airline delays. Upon opening her Twitter feed with the purpose of sending a negative tweet about the airline, she is instead served up with a personal coupon for the nearest bistro in the terminal, along with drink coupons for the next flight.
And think about the ultimate brand fan—the sports fan—who is rewarded for his loyalty and game attendance with upgraded seats or a 20 percent discount on merchandise, triggered by knowledge of past purchases, upon arriving at the arena.
In all these instances, and in countless other daily interactions, TIBCO has visibility into customer behavior and tendencies, company inventory and assets, and situational awareness—all of which are now available to marketers seeking to deliver meaningful experiences in context.
Not only is the engagement personalized and relevant, its real-time nature brings a new wave of value. It’s this instantaneous effect that sets TIBCO Engage apart—the power to engage customers in real time as they interact on the Web, at a storefront, or on a mobile device, and based on data-driven insights derived from cross-platform customer behavior.
Fueled by these emerging technologies and capabilities, marketers will be able to understand, reach, and engage with customers on a more personalized level, even at the massive scales we’re seeing today. And luckily for CMOs and the teams they manage, all signs are pointing toward continued growth in marketing budgets and more room at the table alongside CIOs when it comes to decisions about technology upgrades and investments.
