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RESEARCH, ANALYSIS & TRENDS

Analytical thinking is about understanding things from 5. Stay curious
the ground up and to be able to make better decisions
and improve outcomes on an objective basis. In fact, Curiosity is a basis for innovation and stands for the
employees and supervisors should evaluate their own active search for new approaches, the look beyond the
experiences through data for better decision-making. Not horizon, and the urge to try things out. Curious people
to mention that without data, statements are only ask questions and do not give in until they get the right
opinions. answer. The fact is that the ongoing search for
innovation plays a key role in the continued creation of
For this reason, they need basic analytical knowledge competitive advantages. Therefore, we highly
and an understanding of digital maturity models. In recommend to hire curious people and to encourage
addition, methodical competence for the definition of curiosity through appropriate measures.
goals, development of data sources, as well as
visualization and subsequent operationalization. 6. Act entrepreneurially

3. Promote integration On one hand, entrepreneurial action is about the ability
to recognize new business potential and, on the other
Cooperation and integration are not the same. hand, to clearly present the economic value proposition
Cooperation often takes place because of process- of this potential. This is supported by an understanding
driven service provision between departments. of the roles of executives and employees. The
Marketing generates leads and sales is doing the follow- employee must feel that they are able to contribute and
up and creates the offer, whereby digitization is a cross- implement their own data-driven ideas. In fact, as
cutting issue that affects the entire company. intrapreneurs, they should be allowed to make a
difference. Managers should create the appropriate
Integration means dismantling silos - including data silos framework conditions by encouraging and rewarding
- and working in such a way that the customer is really at them. Only when the potential economic additional
the center of the attention. Because customers are not benefit can be presented, the employees will get the
interested in departments, they just want to acquire support they need. Trends, tools and channels are
valuable products and services in the simplest possible changing, but companies' economic laws do not. The
way. clearer marketing can represent the economic added
value in terms of potential sales increases, cost
Breaking up silos, with the goal of using resources reductions or ROI optimization, the greater the
collectively in the interests of customers, including data, implementation probabilities.
is a prerequisite for success in the digital world.
Management should create an open, peer-to-peer 7. Live customer orientation
atmosphere in which cross-departmental discussions
can be held with all relevant people to better meet In times when around 70% of the B2B purchasing
customer needs. Managers will have to work more on decision process is anonymously done online before a
the system in the future and create the necessary salesperson is even contacted, or 100% when we talk
conditions for their employees.. about e-commerce, companies have largely lost
personal, direct contact. Data, on the other hand,
4. Master storytelling manages to give back this contact to a certain point by
showing us what the customer likes. Ultimately, it's all
Whoever wants to move people needs stories! Since about gaining competitive advantage, meaning
human beings decide emotionally, apart from a few companies need to gain insight into their customers
exceptions, they justify their decisions rationally. People and the market that the competition does not have.
love stories and respond to them - privately as well as on This is only provided by primary data, which explains
duty. The goal of data storytelling is to intelligibly again why companies need direct access to the
communicate important developments to make the right customer.
decisions. Data stories differ from fairy tales and good
movies theoretically in two ways: There is not always a If marketing leaders and their teams actively address
happy ending and data stories are usually not completed these challenges, digitization offers a vast array of
but serve the subsequent discussion. opportunities. ◊

By Daniela La Marca

MediaBUZZ Pte Ltd - Independant ePublisher for Asia