The evolution of B2B customer experience — Michael McLaren // Merkle B2B

Quotes

• "Organizations are required to recognize customers, apply insight from the data that they have on them, and then to build an experience for them thats relevant, using that data." -Michael McLaren, Merkle B2B, Global CEO

• "The B2B customer experience has been transformed by the growing capabilities of the connected marketing clouds, and the ability to thread data and identity through the digital experience." -Michael McLaren, Merkle B2B, Global CEO

• "As a prospective buyer moves through a brands digital ecosystem, are they moving from an email exchange, to dot.com experience, to a commerce transaction engine in a seamless way?" -Michael McLaren, Merkle B2B, Global CEO

• "With unknown users, the first hurdle is privacy. How do we encourage them to opt into an engagement? GDPR and the CCPA have provided good guide rails on doing that." -Michael McLaren, Merkle B2B, Global CEO

• "You can move from completely unaware to purchase in two clicks. It all depends on the level of risk associated with the purchase they're making." -Michael McLaren, Merkle B2B, Global CEO

• "In general, the purchase process has collapsed and is much shorter now. But, there's still a lengthy consideration process for large-scale purchase decisions." -Michael McLaren, Merkle B2B, Global CEO

• "The holy grail is to try to engage a customer, ideally in a two-way exchange, in a highly relevant environment. That's the best way to keep their attention and keep them engaged." -Michael McLaren, Merkle B2B, Global CEO

• "Static publishing platforms are a thing of the past. Increasingly you want a very dynamic experience, that's conforming on the fly. This is why the big software stacks are so important." -Michael McLaren, Merkle B2B, Global CEO

• "You can create a web experience from a component-based model that conforms based on what we know about that prospect or customer. You're serving them content based on their interests." -Michael McLaren, Merkle B2B, Global CEO

• "A B2B business is able to push their digital engagements through to transactions in a very seamless manner because of the consumerization of B2B. That behavior did not exist 10 plus years ago." -Michael McLaren, Merkle B2B, Global CEO

• "With first-party data, you do an identity match through Adobe or through Salesforce, and you use those platforms to connect the dots and expand the engagement with the customers." -Michael McLaren, Merkle B2B, Global CEO

• "You're using third party data to enhance your targeting in paid media online. You're trying to target the folks that are most likely to be high potential audiences for you." -Michael McLaren, Merkle B2B, Global CEO