S6 | 473: Meaningful customer dialogue with Christian Ward, Chief Data Officer, Yext

Digital StrategyTechnologyConversational AI
Written By Basil Ali

About the Episode

Many brand customer journeys start with a search that results in a list of irrelevant answers or products, ultimately leading to lost prospects. Instead a true dialogue between brands and customers — which starts with the brand asking basic questions instead of immediately sharing wrong answers — is key to personalization for marketers. Today we’re going to talk about how brands can create meaningful dialogues with their customers which benefits all parties.

To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Christian Ward, Chief Data Officer, EVP at Yext.

About Christian J. Ward

Christian J. Ward is the Executive Vice President and Chief Data Officer at Yext, focused on the expanding applications of knowledge graphs and data asset optimization. His focus is to help Yext clients identify, value, and structure their knowledge to maximize their data value in AI and search applications. Ward is the co-author of the Amazon top release Data Leverage: Unlocking the Surprising Growth Potential of Data Partnerships and has developed and executed hundreds of data partnerships worldwide, from small entrepreneurial firms to the world’s largest data companies. Ward has served as Chief Data Officer of Arizent, Chief Data Officer of Data Axle, and Global Head of Content Innovation at Thomson Reuters, among other roles. He has been quoted in publications like the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, and Search Engine Journal. He speaks frequently on data strategy, partnerships, and the impact of Artificial Intelligence.

Resources

Synopsis

In this episode, host Greg Kihlström and Christian Ward from Yext delve into the significance of brands engaging in meaningful dialogues with their customers. They stress that establishing a genuine dialogue between brands and customers is essential for marketers to achieve personalization. Instead of immediately providing incorrect answers or irrelevant information, brands should begin by asking basic questions to comprehend their customers' needs and preferences. This approach fosters a back-and-forth conversation that keeps the interaction personal and captivating.

Christian asserts that every brand must create meaningful dialogues with their customers because that is precisely what every consumer desires – to be heard and engaged. Positive dialogues cultivate trust and involve a continuous loop of listening, analyzing, and providing valuable information. The host explains that marketing fundamentally revolves around storytelling, and positive dialogues contribute to this by creating a shared journey with the customer.

The episode also touches on the utilization of AI to engage in dialogue. The guest, who specializes in data analysis, discusses how AI can be employed to organize knowledge and achieve marketing objectives. The host mentions that having more data is always advantageous for marketers, and utilizing AI to engage in dialogue can have a positive impact on brand engagement.

Overall, the episode underscores the importance of brands engaging in meaningful dialogues with their customers to create personalized experiences and build trust.

In this episode, the host and guest explore the significance of personalization for marketers. They highlight how many customer journeys begin with a search that often leads to a list of irrelevant answers or products. This can result in missed opportunities and a lack of meaningful dialogue between brands and customers.

The guest emphasizes that personalization is crucial for marketers to establish meaningful dialogues with their customers. They explain that instead of immediately providing incorrect answers, brands should start by asking basic questions to understand the customer's needs and preferences. By doing so, marketers can tailor their messaging and offerings to provide relevant and personalized experiences for customers.

The guest also discusses the use of AI tools in personalization. They suggest that AI can assist marketers in engaging in dialogue with customers by analyzing data and understanding customer behavior. By leveraging AI, marketers can streamline their content strategy and focus on what is most relevant to their target audience. Additionally, the guest introduces the concept of zero party data, where customers willingly provide data to personalize their experiences. This type of data, freely given by the customer, enables marketers to create personalized interactions that emulate the best human-to-human interactions.

Overall, the episode emphasizes that personalization is crucial for marketers to effectively engage with their customers. By understanding customer needs, leveraging AI tools, and utilizing zero party data, marketers can establish meaningful dialogues and deliver personalized experiences that benefit both the customers and the brand.

Christian J. Ward, Executive Vice President and Chief Data Officer, Yext

Basil Ali
Previous

S6 | 474: Increasing speed to improve CX with Doug Rubingh, Sinch MessageMedia
Next

S6 | 472: Improving mixed reality with Dave Kaufman, Meta