SYSTEMS: On the one hand having big data pouring from every, err, pore in the digital ecosystem is a good thing. It means brands can target their customers more efficiently and effectively (hopefully). But the complexity of doing so across multiple channels can be a headache (and often an expensive one). Read more on Harvard Business Review.
Back when there were a handful of channels, interactions between customers and brands were relatively simple.
Today, by contrast, more than half of all customers move through three or more channels to complete a single task. These steps leave a long and complex digital trail.
That multichannel complexity, combined with the scale of the data — US companies store at least 150 terabytes of it — makes establishing insight into customer behavior a serious challenge.
Or, alternatively, an opportunity...
Read more on Harvard Business Review
NB:Data barrier image Shutterstock.