This document discusses the importance of customer insights and data integration for Reitmans Canada, a large Canadian retailer. It argues that to remain relevant, the company must partner IT and business units to collect, integrate, and analyze customer data from multiple sources. This will allow Reitmans Canada's brands to better understand customers and exceed their expectations through personalized products, promotions, and service. It also outlines a 5-step approach to establishing a cross-departmental customer insights program, starting with forming a steering committee and reframing the vision before obtaining quick wins, piloting initiatives, and fostering symbiosis across teams.

1. The Techno-Marketing Metastasis
IT’s Strategic Role in Customer Insights
Fabiana Etcovitch
Customer Insights Department
Reitmans Canada
Reitmans Canada © 2012

2. Some of our customers
at Addition Elle

3. What’s the most inappropriate thing you
can call a Plus-Sized Woman?
(besides “fat”…)

4. YOU SEXY!

6. After non-triangulated research

7. Are pie-charts representing
your customer base?
~83%
unsexy ~17%
sexy

8. Are pie-charts representing
your customer base?
• Fastest growing
60% of $ • Younger
• Higher potential
40% of $

9. Are pie-charts representing
your customer base?
15% Focus on core
Followers will…. follow
35%
50% Bottom feeders
will be there when
you’re on sale

11. Our Customer Insights Pathway
We Will
Are Arrive
Here Here
Higher Quantitative
Low Access Higher Access Integration of Modeling of
Low Quantitative
Sophistication
Organization
Sophistication
Multiple Data
Higher Data
to Single Data to Single Data Integrated
Organization
Low Data
Source Source Sources Data

+
  
+
Punctual Trend-based Causality Lifecycle
Reporting Analysis Analysis Segmentation
360 reporting:
“TY vs. LY” reports, view of how many
activities based on engagements turn into
single touch points Easier overall sales over time & by Predictive analysis:
ignoring other reporting, more refined customer customers segmented
engagement paths, view of sales & segments according to lifetime
basic segmentation engagement potential, lifecycle
trends over time by measured & managed
customer segments accordingly

12. Most Platforms Don’t Speak
Email Data
= No Central View of Each Customer
Social Media
Data
CRM Data
Survey Data
Customer
Service Data Web Analytics
12

13. Multiple Personality Disorder
n touch points = n different customers
= misleading metrics and strategies
1 Store Customer
1 Online Customer
Real life
= 1 Social Media
1 single customer Customer …
13

14. Solution is (also) Technological
Data Sources
1. Customer CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
Profile, Store and
Transaction
Promotion
2. Customer Service & Customer Store Product and
Profile Library Library Library Solicitation
Library
3. Promotions
4. Email History
5. Web Analytics Customer Datamart
6. Survey &
Demographics
7. Product Reviews
8. Social Media Reporting tools Statistics/analytics software
14

15. Solution is (very) Technological
Data Sources
1. Customer Profile, CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
Store and Transaction
2. Customer Service & Promotion
Profile Customer Store Product and
Library Library Library Solicitation
3. Promotions Library
4. Email History
5. Web Analytics
Customer Datamart
6. Survey &
Demographics
7. Product Reviews
8. Social Media
Reporting tools Statistics/analytics software
15

16. Marketing
or
Technology?

17. Marketing
&
Technologyy

18. Metastasis =
Non-Contiguous,
Fast Spreading

22. “It takes all the running you can
to stay in the same place.
To get somewhere else,
run at least twice as fast.”
Through the Looking-Glass
By Lewis Carroll, 1871.

23. The Red Queen
(non)Evolutionary Theory:
There is no evolution per se,
simply change to gain temporary edge
over those competing for the same resources

25. Overlook smart strategizing,
And you’ll run out of it sooner rather than lately

26. - Since 1926
- 10,000+ employees
- 1,000+ stores across Canada
- 1Bi in revenue in F2011

27. Be big,
… or be gone

28. Be the cheapest,
add the most value
… or be gone

29. Tech-fueled Customer Insights
WHAT: To partner with IT and the divisions to provide
Reitmans Canada’s business units with the best
practice processes and platforms for the
collection, integration, monitoring and analysis of
customer data.
WHY: To allow Reitmans Canada’s brands to steadily
achieve relevancy on products, promotions and service
offers, exceeding customers expectations, boosting
business results and surmounting the competition.

30. What
Now?

31. Wow…

32. 1 - Start an IT Steering
Committee (CEO in it)

33. 2 - Reframe the Vision Into
Cross-Departmental Tasks

34. 3 - Get Quick Wins
Team’s
Commitment

35. 4 - Diminish Risk by
Pilot-Testing & Prototyping

36. 5 - Create Symbiosis

37. I Make Facebook’s Motto Mine…

38. Thank you!
@f_etcovitch
FabianaEtcovitch.com
fabiana.etcovitch@gmail.com