Founded in Milan in the late 1990s, KIKO MILANO is an Italian professional cosmetics brand that offers a range of high-quality makeup, face and body treatments. Not only is KIKO Italy’s number one make-up brand, it’s also a force in Asia, Europe, and Hong Kong.
To learn more about KIKO cosmetics and how they are perfecting the customer journey, we sat down with KIKO’s Global Customer Engagement Director, Michele Ross. In our latest webinar, Michele explains how KIKO MILANO is operating in the new commercial landscape. She reveals how marketers can successfully navigate the challenges of the ‘New Normal’ and emerge stronger than ever.
Here are some of the key takeaways from Salesforce’s webinar with KIKO MILANO:
When it comes to marketing, there must be genuine engagement and alignment
Michele Ross doesn’t see the COVID-19 pandemic as a “big bang” moment that will birth entirely new forms of engagement. She views it as an accelerant that will push brands to move faster in the direction that they were already heading.
In the aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis, consumers began moving away from strictly product-based engagement. Instead, they gravitated to more experiential and purpose-driven ways of shopping. This has become even more important in the current climate. Especially with younger generations, who want to genuinely connect with a brand beyond buying an individual product.
For KIKO MILANO, engaging meaningfully with customers and nurturing these relationships is paramount. Indeed, in this new landscape a brand’s ability to connect is just as important as its product.
Using first-party data can help businesses to create outstanding customer journeys
KIKO MILANO is still in the early stages of leveraging first-party data. Yet, it’s discovered that transactional data can provide rich insights into the behaviour of distinct customer clusters. The company is using this data as a base for developing products and creating personalised customer journeys across all touch points. It also uses the data to provide visibility across the company. For KIKO, fully enriching the available customer information to create exceptional experiences and products – and doing so quickly – is a top priority.
Innovation must serve the product and the customer
Innovation has been named the top priority for Marketers in our 6th State of Marketing Report. However, companies also need to prioritise when looking to adapt new technologies and methods of working.
Ultimately, businesses have to serve the product, so innovation is key in relation to product development. It’s also important if it’s tied to a specific consumer need: innovation needs to be relevant to a business’s customer. Not every customer will benefit from technologies such as AI or AR, so businesses should focus on innovations that will improve the journey of their unique customers.
For Michele Ross, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs offers a helpful framework for approaching innovation: “First I need to eat, and then I can worry about self-actualisation.”
To win in the competitive new landscape, businesses have to get it right the first time
Businesses need to know their customers. Their products need to be relevant, and so does their messaging. Personalisation is key. Businesses must create the right message at the right time, and get it to the right consumer. It’s a competitive landscape, and consumers’ attention spans are getting shorter. Brands need to get it right, right away, or someone else will.
Customer-centricity is not a buzzword, it’s a mission statement
Customers are at the heart of everything a company does, and brands need to keep them in mind at every step. KIKO’s transactional data has allowed them to gather actionable insights on consumer clusters. And they use that info to develop products and campaigns with those customers in mind. Designing a fantastic product isn’t enough for KIKO MILANO. They need to create a fantastic customer experience that will resonate with their customers. And they need to continually refine it to meet new consumer expectations and needs.
Cross-channel customer relationships are important
KIKO has set off on a journey to build links between in-store and online engagement. It is also looking at individual stores to make sure that every location is meeting customers’ needs, from staff to inventory. Providing omni-channel experiences and creating an all-encompassing customer journey is vital in the current climate.
When it comes to measuring success, the long game is crucial
KIKO MILANO once used its loyalty programme to measure retail KPIs. It has now moved to a longer-term view that analyses retention and lifetime value. Engaging customers is important, but nurturing and maintaining that relationship is a true indicator of success.
Watch the entire webinar with KIKO MILANO to learn more about the importance of building strong customer relationships!
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