The team at RO|Innovation wishes you a Happy New Year! As we pour the champagne and welcome the New Year, we ponder what 2012 will hold. Although we have no crystal ball to consult, here are our top three predictions for the wonderful world of customer reference management in 2012.
- Increased Executive Support – As more companies realize the value and necessity of customer advocacy and customer centricity in today’s marketplace in setting themselves apart and gaining an edge above the competition, we believe executive support for customer reference programs will increase. We expect to see more companies adopting customer reference programs, and encouraging efficient management practices and workflows.
- Greater Mobile & Social Media Usage – We truly live in a digital age. As such, we expect to see more companies adopting the use of mobile technologies, such as the ReferenceView mobile app, in their daily work processes. We also expect to see greater incorporation of social media in customer reference programs, from recruitment and nomination, to greater peer evangelization, to showcasing customer references in new and innovative ways.
- More Attention on ROI – Tighter budgets mean it will be more important than ever to prove the value of customer reference programs. Thus we anticipate more companies to track the financial impact of customer references on sales and business performance in 2012. Focus will be on tying wins using references in the sales process to a tangible ROI number. Customer reference technologies can help automate this process and make reporting easier for customer reference managers.
So raise you’re glass…here’s to a safe, happy and prosperous New Year! Cheers!
