Customize and Achieve Success

In the digital age, consumer expectations are rapidly evolving. Web giants like Google and social networks have made it a habit to personalize their products to capture the interest and attention of internet users. Press articles offered in Google as well as content appearing in your Instagram, Facebook, or X feeds are displayed taking into account your interests, inferred from your online behaviors. Personalization is a powerful lever for companies wishing to stand out in an increasingly competitive and saturated market. Integrating it into a long-term strategy is often one of the keys to moving towards success.

Personalization involves adapting a product, service, or experience to meet the specific expectations of an individual. This is obviously very different from a standardized proposition based on customer segments. In a commercial context, personalization means going well beyond traditional segmentation and offering a tailor-made experience that naturally aligns with the customer's preferences.

Companies can personalize many aspects of their offer, from the products and services themselves to communication and marketing. For example, in the fashion sector, companies like Nike and Adidas offer the possibility to customize sneakers. Customers can choose specific colors and materials and have them delivered to their homes. In another domain, companies like Netflix or Amazon use user data to personalize product recommendations, thus enhancing the online shopping experience. They suggest, as we know, products (or movies) that are most likely to interest customers. The result? This significantly increases the average basket of each customer or the engagement of the customer who wants to remain subscribed to Netflix because they know that the content will interest them.

There are as many customization possibilities as there are companies. However, it is possible to identify some common guidelines for all companies in all sectors. The common point lies, obviously, in data. Effective personalization relies on the collection, analysis, and application of data. Companies must invest in technologies capable of collecting precise data on customer preferences and behaviors. Artificial intelligence and machine learning play a key role in analyzing this data to provide actionable insights.

Data collection

The sources of data are numerous in business activities. But when it comes to personalization, they mostly concern leads or prospects: this can include demographic data, purchase history, online behavior, interactions on social networks, and preferences explicitly expressed by customers…

Data analysis, on the other hand, often involves using advanced algorithms to detect trends and patterns in the data that can inform about customer preferences.

This exercise will enable the implementation of personalized solutions based on these analyses. It is very broad: it can range from targeted email campaigns, to product recommendations, to content display, to targeted offers or product customization (including physical products).

Personalization can lead to a significant increase in customer loyalty and satisfaction. According to figures compiled by Dynamic Yield, the impact is real. Some multiply their revenues (by 6 in the case of a Sephora personalization example), or boost sales or ARPU by more than 30%. It depends on the cases and types of personalization. **Some studies also indicate that 80% of consumers are more likely to make purchases from a company that offers personalized experiences. **This not only demonstrates an improvement in sales performance but also a significant competitive advantage.

However, personalization poses certain challenges, particularly in terms of privacy, and companies must ensure that they comply with strict regulations such as GDPR in Europe. Moreover, implementing personalization on a large scale requires significant technological investments and a corporate culture that supports continuous innovation and rapid adaptation…