TechBytes with Ann Handley, MarTech Influencer, Keynote Speaker and CX Expert

What excites you the most about MarTech? How do you gather information on technology?

A recent story in MarketingProfs called out a few exciting evolutions in MarTech: 2019 Martech Predictions: From Facebook Marketing to Meeting Automation

What I find personally interesting is how Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) arm marketing with lightsabers.

We already see how ML and AI can identify trends. But AI and Machine Learning will soon identify buying trends across various integrated systems: sales enablement, training, and web browsing, so that each informs all, as the MarketingProfs piece points out. That level of integration will help both sales and marketing deliver better customer experiences and, of course, drive results.

What brings you to Oracle’s Modern Customer Experience 2019?

I spoke at an Eloqua event years ago — way before it was acquired by Oracle in 2012. So, I’m excited to be back for the first time in years to an Oracle event, and at such an exciting and interesting time in marketing.

How does a B2B event such as Oracle’s Modern Customer Experience benefit the full-funnel sales and marketing practices? Why should one attend the event?

Oh boy… where to start? I could write a book on this. But here goes… Inspiring keynotes. New ideas. Fresh thinking. Approaches to level-up your career and your marketing programs. But most of all, a laser-like focus on improving the customer experience, throughout the entire marketing and sales ecosystem.

That customer-centric approach has enormous implications throughout the entire sales and marketing effort. The idea of focusing on delivering excellence in everything to your customers — and learning how technology can enable excellence and those relationships — is something you learn in spades at Oracle MCX.

Register with MTA2019

How do you help your audience understand and distinguish between customer experience and customer service?

Customer service is reactive — you’re often dealing with an issue or a problem or a customer who needs something. Customer experience, meanwhile, is proactive: It’s about reaching and delivering excellence to your customers every step of the way — both pre- and post-purchase.

How are these two intertwined?

I see CS as being nestled under the CX, at least philosophically if not actually.

What is the state of AI and Data Science in CX technology?

I can’t say this is entirely my area of expertise. But Oracle’s Nathan Joynt did a good job laying out the opportunities. Check it out.

Which sessions and keynotes are you keen to attend and know more about?

I’m really looking forward to the conversation between CMO at Oracle, Judith Sim, and CMO at the NBC Sports Group, Jennifer Storms, on the main stage.

What are the opportunities and risks you foresee in the way big data is shaping CX, customer service and the B2B marketing landscape for 2020-2025? How does Oracle’s Modern Customer Experience prepare customers for these disruptions?

We’re awash in data, but connecting it and using it in a meaningful way continues to be a massive challenge… now and in the future. Oracle’s MCX delivers both vision (what’s possible) for the future as well as what’s here right now to lay the foundation for successful future programs.

What’s your prediction on the MarTech ecosystem once you leave the stage from Oracle CX 2019? Where are we headed to in 2020?

We’ll get better at connecting the dots. “Last-click” attribution models are already going away (although not entirely at many organizations.)… but in the future, we’ll see more and more holistic views of the entire customer journey.

One advice you have for all marketing leaders and CMOs who cannot participate in the event –

Live events such as this one are the best way to reinspire and reinvigorate and get on the page toward legendary. Get here next year!

Thank you, Ann! Hope to see you back on MarTech Series soon.