Jordyn Tetler

An effective data management strategy is crucial for today’s organizations who are looking to stay one step ahead of their competition. When you lay a foundation of data quality, you can empower your business to make better and faster decisions. More importantly, you can leverage that competitive edge as you shift with the everchanging market.

It’s no secret that the new normal is here to stay, and by democratizing your data you can feel confident your employees are equipped with the insights they need to effectively perform their job, even while remote. 

Now, more than ever before, is the time to power your loyalty program with a foundation of reliable customer data. With shifting consumer shopping habits and the 24/7 at-customer-leisure shopping cycle, retailers are left scrambling to find the right messaging and incentives, while keeping up with brand name retailers.

This holiday season, retailers are met with an even bigger undertaking. Not only is this a chance to make up for lost time—drive customer loyalty and grow bottom line—but retailers also need to prepare for shifting consumer shopping and lifestyle habits.

The truth is that pivoting strategies overnight and trying to deliver an exceptional customer experience during a pandemic is hard. Retailers, we are here to help you win back your customers while building lasting customer loyalty. It starts with an incentive program backed by high-quality customer data.

This past spring, the global economy shut down overnight. The pandemic struck the world, forcing businesses to close their doors and schools and offices to work remotely. This accelerated any digital transformation efforts to accommodate new operations and maintain a positive customer experience from a distance. 

There’s no doubt e-commerce is booming. Shoppers love the convenience of browsing their favorite brands and purchasing goods online from the comfort of their home or on-the-go from their phone. That’s why retailers’ top business priorities include moving through digital transformation (46%), according to our research.

The role of a chief data officer may take on a variety of shapes depending on the industry, enterprise, and maturity of the data program he or she is working for. Our research reports that mature data organizations are more likely to have a chief data officer in place.

The question is: At what point in your data management program should you hire a CDO? And, how does the CDO’s role evolve as your data program evolves?