Weigh the Consumer Benefit Against the Data Requirements

Looking for a balance between personalisation and privacy? Personalisation should work in hand with a testing methodology that includes a control group against any personalisation, demonstrating the uplift delivered, says Steve Webster, Global Ecommerce Director at Barbour. 

“Be realistic. How much personal data do you really require to personalise an experience? If you can gauge intent from on-site behaviour, then is any additional consumer data required? What is the consumer benefit? My advice would be to weigh the consumer benefit against the data requirements,” says Steve Webster, Global Ecommerce Director at Barbour, a British luxury and lifestyle brand.

We spoke to Steve how marketers can stay on the right side of the privacy versus personalisation argument.

Excerpts from the interview:

How can brands measure the success of its personalisation efforts?

Always be testing. If a brand is big enough to truly require personalisation, they should be big enough to undertake multivariate testing (or CRO). Personalisation should work in hand with a testing methodology that includes a control group against any personalisation, demonstrating the uplift delivered.

What advice would you give marketing leaders to create a balance between personalisation and privacy?

Be realistic. How much personal data do you really require to personalise an experience? If you can gauge intent from on-site behaviour, then is any additional consumer data required? What is the consumer benefit? My advice would be to weigh the consumer benefit against the data requirements. If the level of privacy that the consumer has to forfeit outweighs the benefit to them, don’t do it. And, be upfront and honest with how you’ll use that data.

What are the challenges with technology implementation when it comes to actioning personalisation strategies?

Finding the right technology for your market and your existing systems can be challenging. A typical retail consumer will have multiple points of interaction with a brand across multiple platforms, channels and devices. Integration across these touchpoints can be extremely complex, as is ensuring data quality.

What is the kind of organisational structure that we need to ensure personalisation efforts cross-functionally?

Culture is as, if not more, important. A data driven culture, fuelled by experimentation and rapid change will take to personalisation quickly and enthusiastically.
An ideal structure would be an agile team structure, with a personalisation leader, data analyst, product manager, UI/UX developer and content producer.

How can leaders encourage data intelligence across the organisation?

By changing the narrative. If leaders move the business conversation to the consumer and ask questions about intent, outcome and opportunity, rather than simply reporting metrics and KPI’s, the value of data becomes apparent to all in the organisation.

Also Read: Enterprises Need to Focus on Purposeful AI

What would you like from your tech partners in furthering your personalisation strategies?

Ease of implementation and ease of use are primary requirements for me. With small teams, working across multiple brands and platforms, I need my tech partners to focus on delivering an implementation that is truly ‘plug and play’, with a great and intuitive UI.

Your plans/ advice on using real-time personalisation.

My advice is to making the consumer’s life better. Personalisation is about delivering the right message to the right person at the right time. If your personalisation strategy does not deliver a consumer benefit, then what’s the point? I recommend that personalisation (and UX, CRO, merchandising, cross sell etc. etc.) is driven from consumer insight and the best way to generate that is to talk to your customers.