Insights From LocationWorld: #7 Be Human, Be Helpful, Be Handy

Forrester Analyst Collin Colburn sat down with Liz Walton, VP of Marketing at Yext, to discuss the ways in which businesses can thrive in a post-digital world. Although technology has made it easier for customers to access information online, customers now have higher expectations for the quality of those digital experiences. Colburn and Walton discussed the need for brands to develop strong marketing efforts in order to improve customers' online experiences.

"Post-digital marketers must do what they say."

– Collin Colburn, Analyst Serving B2C Marketing Professionals, Forrester | @collincolburn

"Technology democratizes brand interactions," explained Colburn. "There is no room for goofs." With so many options, and the ability to instantly sound off in an online review, consumers are less tolerant of frustrating or subpar brand interactions. Businesses need to rise to the situation in new, and increasingly personal ways. Although advances in machine learning are making it possible to automate increasingly nuanced tasks, the solution, it turns out, is an old fashioned one. "When it comes to customer experiences," said Colburn, "brands need to be human, be helpful, and be handy"

Colburn is a researcher on the B2C Marketing team at Forrester. His research focuses on current and future trends in search and discovery marketing. He helps Forrester clients understand how consumers find brands and information and what strategies and technologies marketers can leverage to make themselves discoverable.

Read more groundbreaking insights from LocationWorld 2016 in our latest whitepaper: 11 Key Insights from the Intersection of Location, Marketing & Technology. Download it today.