Marketingblatt Winter 2016

Issue 8

marketingblatt.com w-4.com Content

Customer Experience Marketing

Customer Experience Management

Customer Journey

Fulfill your customers‘ every wish by using the right technology

Retaining Is More Profitable Than Acquiring

Cattle Class or Luxury Cruise: Optimize the Customer Journey

page 1 and 2

page 3

page 4

Dynamic PDF When Things Get Complicated, Seeing Is Superior to Listening

page 5

Search Engine Optimiation

Online Marketing Analysis Tools

Employee Interview

How to Optimize PDF Documents for Search Engines

Google Analytics and Marketing Automation: A Winning Combination

Jens Zscheile, Head of WebEngineering W4

page 6

page 7

page 8

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MARKETING

FULFILL YOUR CUSTOMERS’ EVERY WISH BY USING THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY You do not have to see a fortune teller to anticipate customers’ desires and needs. Neither is a magic wand required to make customers’ wishes come true. All you need to give your customers a rich, relevant and homogeneous customer journey is a suitable technological solution. But how to pick the right one?

You do not have to see a fortune teller to anticipate customers’ desires and needs. Neither is a magic wand required to make customers’ wishes come true. All you need to give your customers a rich, relevant and homogeneous customer journey is a suitable technological solution. But how to pick the right one?

To generate and retain clients, companies have to

offer a great customer experience. The customer experience describes the complete customer life cycle: it starts with the brand message and continues with every interaction between client and organization. And it does not end with the purchase of a product, but extends beyond the warranty claim to future purchases. The process of becoming aware of an offer to actually claiming it is called customer journey.

Businesses looking to optimize customer journeys have to know the various personas that make up their customer base and deliver content that matches each persona at each touch point. Moreover, taken together, all touch points have to constitute a homogenous customer journey. The further users move along the customer journey, the more information is a business going to learn about them and the more specific can it approach them with offers. That is, if your use the right technology to actually gather, analyze and use user data. The basic principle for optimizing the customer journey is to understand that this is a user-centric approach to marketing. The objective is to create a win-win situation for both customer and organization.

Whereas there is little room for interpretation in theory, the implementation of customer experience marketing offers many alternatives. These alternatives are by and large related to the available software providers. Before a decision on a specific software is made, businesses should consider if an all-in-one solution or an individual, customized solution helps them the best.

Strategy 1: Customized solution Requirements change and so do the various technologies. This means that businesses continually develop their business solutions by upgrading them or by adding new components. What we are trying to say here is that companies may assemble the various components necessary to optimize the customer journey themselves (or get help doing so). Some of the components are probably already there: content management system (CMS) and customer relationship management (CRM) should already be in place.

The CRM is used to manage existing clients and the CMS is used to mange the website. These two tools do not suffice to optimize the customer journey. In Continue reading on page 2

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2 | Issue 8

WHICH SOLUTION SUITS YOUR BUSINESS THE BEST?

SALESFUSION

ACT-ON

ORACLE ELOQUA

SIMPLYCAST

MARKETO HUBSPOT

SALESFORCE B2B B2B EXACTTARGET SITECORE

CUSTOMIZED SOLUTION

SINGAL ENGAGE

IMPELCRM IBM B2C B2C SILVERPOP

SALESMANGO

LEAD SQUARED

ADOBE MARKETINGCLOUD

KMU ENTERPRISE

order to deliver relevant content to the right people at the right moment, you have to know your clients and assign them personas. In order to get the data necessary for this, you require analysis tools that help you to monitor and evaluate the online behavior of online users on your website and landing pages.

Moreover, a customer journey takes place across various channels. You need tools for every one of those, i.e. newsletter and social media marketing applications.

«The 360 degree view of clients is about being able to assess whether they are ready to make a purchase.»

W4’s advice I: A customized solution could cause added costs in the short term. It also takes some effort. But it is worth the investment as you receive a solution that exactly meets your needs. However, using several components has its obvious pitfalls and will not benefit your company significantly if you do not create a central interface. This is the only way you can manage all marketing activities centrally.

You profit from more straight-forward workflows and never lose sight of the progress you make. Furthermore, you ensure a homogeneous customer journey and that is what really matters here.

Strategy 2: All-in-one solution While the development of a customized solution can take some time and be complex, an all-in-one solution can be had with less effort. An all-in-one solution offers all tools that are necessary to optimize the

customer journey from a single provider. There are solutions for various business sizes. A small company for example will look for a solution that features email, social media and CRM. An enterprise will require additional features like analytics, SEO, blogs and APIs.

The benefits of customer experience technology: • Manage all touch points with one solution • Put clients’ needs front and center

No matter the size of the solution, it still has to be implemented, which means that even these solutions cannot be had without any effort. Moreover, while some basic solution does not cost a lot of money, the more advanced products usually require a bigger financial investment.

«Customized or all-in-one solution? That depends on your strategic goals and existing solutions!»

W4’s advice II: Companies that do not really have the required components to optimize the customer experience or are dissatisfied with the tools they have should consider an all-in-one solution like Sitecore. The software features CMS, CRM, product information system, marketing automation and predictive analytics. These are the essential tools needed to give customers a great experience as they allow businesses to bring the right content in front of the right users at the right time thanks to its predictive analytics and marketing automation features. With these two tools, the software can deliver content dynamically. Still, companies should think about what they really need and if the available all-in-one products fit their individual needs.

• Mange your brand image more effectively • Increase conversion rates

Our Services Whether it is an all-in-one or a customized solution: the decision for one or the other customer experience solution has to be thoroughly considered. We gladly advise you on the available alternatives and can organize the professional implementation of your choice.

Get in touch!

B2B or B2C? Small and medium-sized companies or big enterprises?

What solution fits your business the best?

Find out by downloading our infographic!

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Issue 8 | 3

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MANAGEMENT

RETAINING IS MORE PROFITABLE THAN ACQUIRING It is more cost-effective to retain existing customers than to generate new ones. However, one bad experience may destroy the trust that was built over years. Reason enough to look to other vendors for many customers. Customer Experience Management is a concept that is about keeping customers happy and loyal to ensure long-term business growth..

The internet has made the world more transparent.

This circumstance puts the customer experience front and center of the customer life cycle. The quality of a product is not the only important criterion.

That a product meets the requirements and is as advertised goes without saying. However, the way towards a purchasing decision is already part of the offer. It is about the experience a client makes with a brand (before, during and after a purchase). The more positive experiences are, the more likely it is that customers share their experiences online.

Word-of-mouth advertising is part of this, although it happens online and every shared experience is available to the public. Once out there, a negative assessment is likely to remain online and visible to everyone. So you better generate positive reviews!

«Customer Experience refers to the total sum of interactions a customer has with a brand before, during and after making a purchase.»

What exactly does Customer Experience mean?

The term refers to the total sum of interactions a customer has with a brand. It is not a singular occasion, but refers to all points of contact in the past, present and future. Continuity is key.

Managing the customer experience requires a certain amount of empathy. Companies often expect the optimum but fail to plan for the worst. They have to look at their web and service solutions from a customer’s perspective in order to anticipate and eradicate issues that may occur. When creating all touch points, possible negative encounters should always be taken into consideration. What happens when a client is unable to find the information s/he seeks? What happens when a client wants to file a complaint? Companies have to have a solution for

these issues. It is worth the effort: happy customers become returning customers, and returning customers share their positive experiences with their peers.

What else is important other than a thorough analysis of all touch points and a clear understanding of the customer journey?

As already indicated, customer experiences happen at touch points during the customer life cycle. Touch points are all moments in which a client interacts with a company: website, support center, department store, social media, the products themselves.

The touch points accompany the customer through the customer journey from the first piece of information to the final purchase.

What else is important other than a thorough analysis of all touch points and a clear understanding of the customer journey?

• Target Groups: You need to fully understand the needs of your customers in order to meet them.

• Objectives: Was wollen Sie mit Ihrem Customer Experience Management erreichen?

• Brand promise: What are your brand’s values? What do you have to do to carry the brand promise out into the world? It is important that your employees understand and identify with your brand values as well (especially those who have contact with customers).

• Controlling: Find out how satisfied your customers really are. Surveys and feedback centers are a good way to find out more about customer satisfaction.

• Continuity: Your brand promise has to be apparent on all touch points at all times.

• Marketing Automation: Give users the right information at the right moment.

Customer Experience Management can be helped tremendously with Marketing Automation software.

In short, this is why you should consider Customer Experience Management: ✔✔ Clients become loyal fans ✔✔ Employees and customers identify

with the company values ✔✔ You raise brand awareness ✔✔ Word gets out you deliver what you

promise, hence you generate new leads

Our Service You have not yet invested in Customer Experience Management? As a full service agency, we would be happy to help you. Get in touch!

Learn more about customer experience management by downloading our free white paper using this QR code.

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4 | Issue 8

CUSTOMER JOURNEY

CATTLE CLASS OR LUXURY CRUISE: OPTIMIZE THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY

You surely do not want prospects to get lost on their way towards making a purchase and take their money to your competition instead. This happens more often than you think. Businesses are often unaware of the individual steps prospects take to become paying customers. The customer journey concept brings clarity. In today’s issue, we explain how it works.

The customer journey is comprised of all touch points a client has with a brand. It is a central concept in customer-oriented marketing and focuses on positive experiences. The customer journey begins when a user becomes aware of an offer and ideally ends when a purchase decision was made.

The ‘first click wins’-idea has proven to be wrong.

This means even if users discover your offer first, they can still take their business elsewhere when your touch points were unable to make an impression on them. Prospects take their time before they make an informed decision. This includes visiting brand-controlled touch points (website, ads or call center), but also indirect touch points (social networks, peers and review sites). In order to keep prospects interested, brands should understand and optimize the customer journey.

Customer Journey Map The customer journey can be divided into 5 phases: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Awareness Favorability Consideration Intent Conversion

In order to make the journey as pleasant and efficient as possible through these 5 phases, you should visualize it. The map serves as the interpretation of an individual’s relationship with a brand across the various touch points. Important items that should be part of this map are the different personas of your customers as well as all touch points and communication channels.

Since marketing and sales can be in charge of various touch points, the map should be created in cooperation between both departments. The following 7 steps will guide you: 1. Define goals: What is the desired result of the customer journey?

2. Do research: What do you know about your clients? What are their personas? Use customer surveys, social media and online analysis tools to get insights!

3. List touch points: Identify all touch points and the channels on which they take place.

Users might contact a brand via phone call, email or social media.

4. Do empathy mapping: Try to look at your touch points from the different personas’ perspectives. What kind of experience do they have at individual touch points? Here, you will probably encounter a few problems. Do some brainstorming to come up with new ideas!

5. Create affinity diagram: You have listed all touch points and personas. You also came up with some exiting new ideas during empathy mapping. Now it is time to impose order on your ideas and see which touch points belong to which channels.

return on investment of your marketing. In order to do this, you will require analysis tools that track the online behavior of your customers.

Some software can also assist you in anticipating and personalizing the customer journey for individual personas so they reach the desired destination much faster. Sitecore is such a tool. It is an allin-one solution consisting of content management, product information management and marketing automation features. Based on accumulated user data, Sitecore delivers dynamic content to the right people at the right time. Prospects only see what they need to make a buying decision. The customer journey becomes a positive experience crowned with the purchase of a product or service.

That is why you should optimize the customer journey: ✔✔ Foster the cooperation between marketing

and sales

6. Visualize map: It is finally time to visualize the customer journey. Be as creative as you like.

You may want to get an illustrator or designer to help you with this.

✔✔ Improve the customer experience

7. Share map: Make sure all of your employees have access to the map!

✔✔ Increase the conversion rate

From Start to Finish

Our service We gladly assist you in creating a customer journey map and optimizing your touch points.

Get in touch!

Creating the customer journey map is something that has to be done manually. However, marketing technology can help you with everything else, such as identifying and optimizing the customer journey.

You need data to map out the customer journey.

What are your most frequented touch points?

Which touch points bring the most conversions?

These are essential questions if you want to optimize the customer journey and to increase the

✔✔ Use your marketing budget where it really

matters

Learn more about creating a customer journey map with our infographic. Simply scan the QR code for a free download.

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Issue 8 | 5

DYNAMIC PDF

WHEN THINGS GET COMPLICATED, SEEING IS SUPERIOR TO LISTENING To see is to comprehend. Clients and consultants benefit from the professional visualization of complex information in equal measure – especially when matters are to be illustrated in a customized manner. Dynamic PDF documents can do that easily.

Dynamic PDFs – interactive help, vivid graphics Dynamic PDFs can be used in many ways, the most common being as forms (e.g. in insurance business).

Dynamic PDF forms can include virtual aids (such as explanations or tariff calculators) that make clients’ lives a lot easier. This will relieve pressure off support centers as well.

Another advantage is that the software clients require is completely free of charge. Moreover, neither paper nor stamps are needed. The form is completed on the computer or mobile device and transmitted electronically. This also means that companies do not have to enter data manually into their systems anymore – a win-win situation for everyone.

PDF - One format, all devices The abbreviation PDF refers to portable document format and is used to describe a file format that can be displayed on any operating system or device without being altered in any way. This means a PDF document is displayed exactly as intended by the person who created it. The format was developed by Adobe Systems, which also has developed the Acrobat Reader, a free software used to display PDF files.

Dynamic PDF files have an additional benefit for sales people. They can spend their time on advising their customers more effectively. Consultations are much more interactive and productive when data entered in a PDF files is instantly visuali-

zed in diagrams. This gives sales people the chance to talk through various cases and to find the best solution together with their clients. This in a tremendous increase in service as clients receive visual answers to complex questions. Analyses and statistics are created directly during a meeting in real-time!

The benefits of dynamic PDF for businesses: • improved quality of service through interactive elements • time effectiveness, simple workflows

«Dynamic PDFs can be used on- and offline.»

Specific solutions displayed dynamically Sales engineers will profit from these possibilities.

They can discuss the specifications of a solution with their clients and hand them the results of their meeting in a PDF that includes all relevant information including technical diagrams. Therefore, pre-produced data sheets can be replaced with customized PDF documents that sales people create in cooperation with their clients during a meeting.

«Dynamic PDFs are a winwin situation for both consultants and clients alike.»

This approach can be used online as well. PDFs can also be created with data bank information. A field of application could be online product configurators.

Users define the specifications for a service or solution they require and have them displayed visually.

Once saved to a PDF document, this information is available offline as well.

• focus on consulting/service • corporate design guidelines and design elements can be implemented easily

The benefits of dynamic PDF for clients: • no additional costs (free software, no postage) • better service quality at point-of-sale and point-of-service • interactive aids facilitate completion of forms • immediate visual feedback thanks to dynamic graphic elements

Interested in dynamic PDFs? We have created a free sample for you. Simply scan the QR code for a free download.

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6 | Issue 8

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION

HOW TO OPTIMIZE PDF DOCUMENTS FOR SEARCH ENGINES

White papers, case studies, data sheets and catalogues – these are the kind of documents we usually find in the PDF format online. Often regarded as a dead end, the format does not enjoy great popularity among online marketers. Websites usually link to PDFs, but not the other way around (even though that is possible).

This practice however raised concerns about what PDFs do to a site›s search engine ranking. There is, however, little reason for concern as PDF files can be optimized for search engines much like HTML sites. Still, message and medium should fit, which is why we need to ponder a very important question before we cut to the chase: Are PDF files a ranking killer? Not at all! Just like HTML sites, they can be optimized for search engines. In today’s issue, we tell you how to optimize your PDF files and secure a place in the sun.

When Should I Use the PDF Format?

There are many PDFs online, However, often it is the case that the content could have been used in a regular HTML site as well. However, in some instances the PDF is definitely the best alternative.

Some examples: • • • • • •

interactive forms / dynamic PDFs setting copies scientific papers mathematic documents documents with digital rights management digital content that should be available offline on many different devices

Optimizing PDF files As a preliminary point: Google handles PDF files like ‘normal’ websites and indexes them. The following things should be considered when optimizing PDFs for the web: 1. Legibility: In oder to get a good ranking, Google should be able to actually read the file. This means that the PDF should not be encrypted or password-protected. Furthermore, it should be possible to copy and paste from your PDF file.

2. Title: The headline of your document and the file name should be identical. Both should not exceed 70 characters. The PDF’s meta data should contain the file name as well. This ensures a corresponding display in the search results.

3. Keywords: Just like websites, your PDF should contain some important keywords. Make sure you have the most important one(s) already in your headline.

4. Links: A link to a PDF is regarded as an external link by Google. Hence it is a good idea to have various links to your PDF file. Moreover, a PDF does not have to be a dead end: like websites, they can contain links as well. If it makes sense, feel free to use links in your PDF. 5. Sense: As already mentioned, you should think

about whether a PDF file is the best format for your content. Do not overdo it as mass-produced PDFs could by considered SPAM by Google.

These are the benefits of search engine optimized PDF files: ✔✔ be ahead of the competition in search

engine rankings ✔✔ improve search results for your clients ✔✔ reduce expenses for ads and

Google Adwords ✔✔ increase brand awareness

Our service As a full service agency, W4 employs certified SEO and Google Adwords experts. We will be glad to help you by optimizing your website and PDFs for search engines. We can also create dynamic PDF files for you. Get in touch!

We have created an exclusive infographic containing valuable SEO insights. Simply scan the QR code for a free download.

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Issue 8 | 7

ONLINE MARKETING ANALYSIS TOOLS

GOOGLE ANALYTICS AND MARKETING AUTOMATION: HOW THEY USE ANONYMOUS AND PERSONAL DATA Track, analyze, optimize – marketers know this process by heart. There are many tools for analyzing user behavior online. Experience has shown that a combination of two systems has offered the best data base for online marketing campaigns: Google Analytics and marketing automation solutions like Eloqua, HubSpot or Act-on.

Eloqua for example perfectly complements the classic web analyst Google and simplifies marketers’ job of using the collected information to optimize the sales approach.

Web Analyses with Google Analytics The tool of search engine giant Google analyzes and documents a website’s traffic anonymously.

The tracked data on the performance of desktop and mobile sites, apps, blogs and shops are documented in reports. Moreover, Google Analytics also makes available some personal information:

• • • • • • • • • • • •

location (country, city) language operating system device browser, add-ons display resolution source (search engine, social media etc.) history of page views time spent downloads video clicks banner clicks

In short: Google Analytics measures and analyzes the interactions on websites as well as their reach. Tracking and evaluating the interests, behaviors and reactions of users are the tool’s core features.

Anonymous User Data Are the Basis Since IP addresses remain encoded and Google creates an user ID for every user, the tool cannot provide information about individual users. The anonymous data become part of the various analysis parameters. That is why the user engagement only has a limited value when companies are looking to optimize individual sales approaches.

Nevertheless, anonymous user data can be very helpful during the first stage of the customer journey. After all, this is the stage when users research demand-related information without giving up any of their contact information.

User-Tracking with Marketing Automation New software solutions for marketing automation such as Eloqua track users’ online behavior anonymously as well. However, there are two very important differences: 1. Anonymous users are already assigned a company name (if there is one). This results in many advantages for business development.

2. The systems are able to create and supplement a user profile dynamically once users return to the website and enter contact information (email, name etc.) into forms.

This way, with every visit to the website, the software is able to supplement a user profile with more information. This assists marketers in determining whether a lead is ready to become a client. The

information is available in real-time. One-fits-all campaigns can be replaced by individual lead nurturing campaigns. The customer journey automatically becomes a customized experience. Using the data collected by Eloqua, HubSpot or Act-on, the software can display relevant information proactively at the relevant touch points for individual users. This maximizes conversion rates tremendously.

Personas Categorize User Profiles Before a marketing automation systems goes live, target groups with specific characteristics, the so-called personas, are defined. The system tags users with one of these personas according to their behavior. This assignment is verified every time a user downloads content. Businesses use this as an opportunity to address individual users according to their interests or their personality on websites, in emails or mailings.

If it is your goal to provide marketing and sales with actionable data in real time, marketing automation solutions are superior to Google Analytics. They save and assess user profiles according to a scoring model and evaluate them according to sales chances in a single system that both sales and marketing teams can use simultaneously.

Conclusion: Google Analytics by itself does not offer much of a competitive edge when the objective is to offer users a customer journey that fits their individual needs. However, combined with a powerful marketing solution like Eloqua, companies have exactly the tools for analysis they need to successfully manage their digital marketing activities.

Combining Google Analytics and Marketing Automation has the following advantages: ✔✔ You combine the most effective and proven

tools for analysis ✔✔ You know more about your traffic than the

majority of your competition ✔✔ You can react to the preferences of your

customers proactively ✔✔ Marketing and sales cooperate more

effectively ✔✔ The quality of usable data increases

We have created an infographic containing all information in one place. Scan the QR code to download it for free.

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8 | Issue 8

W4 - Marketing meets Information Technology Full service for digital marketing communication: W4 provides consulting as well as creative and technological services from a single source. Digital strategies for indirect sales as well as the marketing and positioning of products and services in need of explanation are our specialty. Our experience spans more than 20 years and our clients are market leaders in the manufacturing, capital goods and technology industries.

EMPLOYEE INTERVIEW

JENS ZSCHEILE

SERVICES Conception and Developing a strategy Sales Factory Content Studio Mediadesign, Illustrations and Animations Software Development Management Systems SOLUTIONS Marketing Automation Content Personalization Content Marketing Enterprise Apps Optimized Landing Pages Digital Marketing/SMO Video Content E-Mail Marketing SharePoint Branding 3D-Visualization Exhibition Marketing Text Creation and Online Journalism Online Communication Corporate Communications Advertising Campaigns Print Communication Personal-Marketing Marketing Cooperations Mobile Marketing Social Media Marketing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Illustration Google Adwords

PRODUCTS Mautic Akeneo CommunityNet Dynamic PDF HubSpot Magento Moving Image 24 Neos

Open EMM Oracle Eloqua Oracle Cloud Typo 3 WebPrePrint WordPress Site Core Drupal

LOCATIONS SWITZERLAND Idastrasse 14, CH-8003 Zürich Tel.: +41 44 533 50 35 Stadtturmstrasse 19, CH-5400 Baden Tel.: +41 56 500 40 55 Aeschenvorstadt 71, CH-4051 Basel Tel.: +41 61 500 04 20 GERMANY Königsbrücker Strasse 70, 1. HH DE-01099 Dresden Tel.: +49 351 418 889 50 SLOVAKIA Hviezdoslavovo námestie 17, 81102 Bratislava Tel.: +421 221 02 55 56 info@w-4.com, www.w-4.com Director: Jörg Wenzel

About the Journal Issue 8 Publisher and Editorial Office: W4 Marketing AG, Zürich Edition: 2000 Ex

Jens Zscheile, Head of WebEngineering W4

There is hardly a term that has caused more hype than big data.

Still, collecting a lot of data just for the sake of it will not bring the desired effect. Strategy and technology are required to enjoy the benefits of big data.

Mr. Zscheile, big data is on everyone›s lips.

What does the term actually mean?

Jens Zscheile: On the one hand, the term refers to an ever increasing mass of data. What we are dealing with are amounts of data that cannot be analyzed and made productive by using old methods. On the other hand, the term is more and more used in reference to both the amount of data and the technologies we use in connection to said data. Hence what is meant when we talk about big data is usually the systematic analysis and utilization of large amounts of data by using modern technology.

What makes big data so appealing?

Jens Zscheile: Big data is the direct result of digitalization. Innovations such as the smartphone do their part. By using these devices, we also create a great amount of data. This is a trend that is only going to continue, especially considering the internet of things. More and more devices have sensors that enable them to record data and to share as well as receive data via the internet. Basically, all types of electronic communication create data.

Big data plays an increasing role for businesses that want to create a competitive advantage with the data they collect. Businesses have a great interest in optimizing their sales processes. The best way to do this is to gather information on customers› online behavior and interests. By analyzing web statistics in online marketing, sales processes can continuously be optimized and tailored to the needs of target groups. The more businesses know about various user groups, the better they can create products, services and user experiences that match customers› interests. Consider for example that businesses can personalize their content marketing on the basis of the data they have stored. This greatly improves companies› marketing efficiency. Users benefit from this, too, because the software anticipates what they are looking for.

Another example of application is market research.

Big data allows companies to identify market trends at an early stage so they can become proactive and

therefore gain a significant advantage over the competition. These are however only a few aspects. Big data can be applied in many areas, such as the financial sector, health care and civil engineering.

Nevertheless, companies looking to benefit from the data they collect have to know how to make the data productive in the first place. Many companies still struggle with this tremendously.

What does this mean?

Jens Zscheile: Two factors are essential here. The first relates to data security. The data companies collect can include very sensitive data, such as credit card information or personal preferences.

Therefore, companies should ensure that unauthorized people have no access to the data. A failure to do so can be costly and damage its brand image.

Other than taking care of data security, companies need to find a way to collect data from various sources, to organize and to analyze the data in the context the company›s strategic goals.

Many companies have not yet understood this or they have a hard time bringing these aspects together. Often, data are collected and stored in various data banks where they usually remain unused. What is required is a concrete strategy of how and why they want to use big data. Once companies have figured this out, they can think about implementing a solution that suits their goals.

What do you recommend?

Jens Zscheile: First and foremost, big data is about utilizing collected data while ensuring that they are secure. The more data banks there are, the more complicated it gets to actually do this.

Therefore, companies should invest in a solution that allows them to store, access and analyze the data centrally. There are many solution providers out there and picking the right one is always a matter of need, intent and budget.

Thank you for this interview.