Amrish Singh‘s remarkable journey serves as an inspiration to all aspiring IT professionals. He is the Global Director of Customer Experience Advisory at SAP, with over 15 years of invaluable experience under his belt. For the past five years, he has worked at SAP, a market leader in the field, and in doing so, has been able to make a meaningful contribution to the world of customer experience and technology solutions.
Amrish’s career trajectory is a testament to his unwavering commitment and relentless pursuit of excellence. It all began in 2008 when he took a bold leap of faith, enrolling in a self-funded SAP CRM course while tirelessly working two jobs to finance his dream. Little did he know that this ambitious endeavor would set the stage for a career that would shape the future of IT solutions.
Starting as an SAP CRM trainee consultant, Amrish’s professional journey unfolded organically. With time, he seamlessly transitioned through various pivotal roles, steadily ascending the corporate ladder. From a senior CRM Consultant to a seasoned Management consultant, he honed his skills and expertise, ultimately achieving the prestigious title of Executive of the SAP CRM business unit. During this period, Amrish undertook a profound role in delivering complex integrated solutions across a diverse array of industry sectors, completing a remarkable ten full-cycle implementations in South Africa and the Middle East.
However, every career path is riddled with unexpected twists and challenges. Amrish faced one such pivotal moment when the company he had envisioned dedicating his entire working life to underwent a transformational acquisition by a large conglomerate. This seismic shift in corporate culture and work dynamics led to a disheartening departure of many of his colleagues. Nevertheless, as the saying goes, “when one door closes, another opens,” and this marked Amrish’s opportunity to join the industry titan, SAP.
SAP’s Mission and Vision
At SAP, Amrish and his team are driven by a profound mission and vision centered on their commitment to improving the world and enhancing people’s lives. Their overarching goal is to create a positive impact on society and the environment by harnessing innovative technologies and solutions. They empower businesses of all sizes to achieve greater efficiency, agility, and sustainability through the utilization of cutting-edge technology and data-driven insights.
SAP places great importance on Collaboration and Networking, fostering partnerships with technology providers, consultants, and developers. This collaborative ecosystem encourages the exchange of ideas and best practices, ultimately driving advancement in the business world.
In essence, SAP’s mission and vision embody an unwavering dedication to using technology for the betterment of both businesses and society at large. Through a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and a focus on customer success, SAP contributes significantly to the ever-evolving landscape of business progress.
Insights on Post-Cookie Era
With the announcement of the “death of the cookie,” the task of collecting and harnessing customer data has become a top priority for many companies. The “death of the cookie” in marketing refers to significant changes in how online user tracking and targeting are conducted due to evolving privacy regulations and shifts in browser policies. Cookies, which are small pieces of data stored in a user’s web browser by websites, have been extensively used by marketers and advertisers to track user behavior, preferences, and interests, enabling them to deliver targeted ads and personalize user experiences.
Amrish’s view of this is that, marketers are now faced with the challenge of finding new ways to encourage customers to willingly share their data in exchange for a personalized customer experience. Convincing customers to proactively share their data is indeed one of the most complex tasks marketers encounter. However, several strategies can be employed to achieve this goal.
One of the most critical strategies is to prioritize trust and transparency in the messaging. Marketers need to clearly explain how collected data will be stored and used, especially for marketing campaigns. It’s essential not only to assure customers that their data will be safeguarded and used solely for the purposes they subscribed to but also to grant them the ability to manage, modify, download, and delete shared data. This empowers them to control their own information.
Another effective approach involves offering customers incentives for voluntarily sharing their data. This could take the form of loyalty points, discounts, or one-time vouchers. By transparently communicating that sharing their data will grant them additional benefits or privileges not available to non-data-sharing customers, participation can be encouraged.
Gamification is another aspect to consider. By incorporating gamification into the data acquisition process, customers can be rewarded as they share more data with the company. This can potentially enhance their willingness to proactively share their data.
It’s crucial to always respect customer privacy and preferences. Providing transparency, choice, and control fosters a trusting relationship between the customer and your brand.
Amrish belives that progressive profiling is another effective approach to collecting customer data. Progressive profiling serves as a valuable strategy not only for gathering customer data but also for obtaining feedback and informing personalization efforts. This strategic approach allows businesses to collect customer data and feedback gradually, in small increments, without being intrusive. This accumulated feedback is then used to enhance personalization efforts, resulting in a more tailored and improved customer experience.
Mastering the Art of Personalization
Amrish emphasizes the importance of personalization and the use of technology to create meaningful connections between organizations and customers on a personal level. The ultimate goal is to not only understand a customer’s past and current activities but also to influence their future behavior through personalized messages and recommendations.
In alignment with a McKinsey article titled “A technology blueprint for Personalization at scale,” Amrish highlights the four key components, known as the 4Ds, that drive personalization at scale: Data, Decisioning, Design, and Distribution. Let’s explore each of these components while addressing the associated challenges and the technological solutions they require.
Data:
- Challenge: Data for effective personalization often resides in isolated systems.
- Solution: Utilize a customer-data platform (CDP) and data-management platform, complemented by identity-resolution systems, to unify data and make it accessible across channels for activation. Centralize data to enable seamless real-time or near-real-time engagement across multiple channels.
Decisioning:
- Challenge: Decision-making logic is often fragmented across different systems, leading to inconsistent customer experiences.
- Solution: Develop an integrated decisioning engine that harnesses machine learning and AI models to evaluate various customer propensities and behaviors consistently.
Design:
- Challenge: The rapid pace of content creation and experimentation required for personalization can overwhelm marketers.
- Solution: Break down content into modular components that can be dynamically mixed and matched, maximizing flexibility and adaptability.
Distribution:
- Challenge: Lack of real-time coordination between different communication channels can hinder effective personalization.
- Solution: Integrate communication channels to synchronize messages and responses to customer actions in real time.
Consistently delivering personalized experiences across various channels, locations, and devices fosters stronger customer relationships, trust, loyalty, and increased revenue.
In essence, achieving enduring customer loyalty through personalization hinges on two core elements:
- Customer Data Platform (CDP): Efficiently collect and manage customer data.
- AI + Marketing Automation Tool: Derive valuable insights to initiate the most relevant and engaging conversations with customers.
The integration of technology, data orchestration, integrated decision-making, flexible content design, and coordinated distribution channels empowers organizations to provide personalized experiences that resonate with customers and cultivate lasting loyalty.
Shaping the Future of Customer Experience and Digital Transformation
Amrish harbors a compelling long-term vision for himself as a highly respected thought leader and influencer in the fields of customer experience (CX) and digital transformation. In his current role as Global Director of Customer Experience Advisory, he aspires to magnify his industry impact by strategically shaping global CX strategies. His journey unfolds with several key objectives:
- Establishing Thought Leadership: Amrish aims to become a recognized authority by publishing groundbreaking articles, whitepapers, and delivering talks and seminars. These efforts will serve to share valuable insights with a diverse audience.
- Industry Engagement: Actively participating in industry associations and conferences is part of his strategy to elevate CX standards, discuss emerging trends, and foster collaboration among professionals.
- Mentoring the Next Generation: Amrish is committed to mentoring the next generation of CX professionals, passing on his knowledge and experiences to help them succeed.
- Research and Innovation: His dedication to research and innovation drives him to uncover emerging trends and methodologies that can reshape how customers interact with businesses.
- Global Perspective: Amrish intends to broaden his global reach by working with clients across different regions. This global exposure enriches his perspective and deepens his understanding of CX on a global scale.
- Technological Advancements: Staying at the forefront of technological advancements is paramount to consistently innovating CX strategies, ensuring they remain effective and cutting-edge.
Sharing Guiding Principles
Amrish shares several invaluable pointers that have been instrumental in his journey and can serve as guiding principles for others:
- Cultivate Relationships: Invest time in building strong relationships, both within your organization and externally. Networking is a valuable asset, so make an effort to network consistently.
- Thirst for Knowledge: Maintain an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Cultivate a growth mindset, ensuring that you continuously seek to stay relevant and updated in your field.
- Adaptability: Embrace a cycle of learning, unlearning, and relearning. The ability to adapt and evolve is paramount in a rapidly changing world.
- Leverage Strengths: Understand and leverage your strengths, while also continuously working on areas where you have room for growth.
- Learn from Mistakes: View mistakes as invaluable learning opportunities. Each misstep is a chance to gain insights and improve.
- Embrace Challenges: Never shy away from taking on challenges. Remember the wise words of Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
These principles have been guiding pillars in Amrish’s journey, and he hopes that others find them as impactful as he has. They encapsulate a mindset of continuous growth, resilience, and a proactive approach to personal and professional development.
