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Industry Preview: Customer Engagement Technology World (CETW) 2013

CETWorld_Logo_Stacked-1112By Lawrence Dvorchik
General Manager, Customer Engagement Technology World

What can you expect at Customer Engagement Technology World (CETW) this year? You’ll be interested in hearing from South by Southwest (SXSW) Events’ Scott Wilcox, a member of the Board of Directors for SXSW and their Director of Technology, about how they create communities through myriad technologies, including mobile apps, digital signage, social media, kiosks, WiFi, streaming, RFID, QR codes, and a host of custom software.

A big theme of the event is Customer Engagement Must Be 360 Degrees, 365 Days a Year, an issue that Dunkin’ Donuts Vice President of Global Consumer Engagement Scott Hudler will address in his closing keynote.

But beyond the keynotes and other educational sessions, beyond the myriad solutions for attendees to engage and explore in the Expo hall, attendees will gain a clearer picture of what is becoming most relevant for businesses and organizations of all sizes – the true omnichannel picture.

From mobile to location-based marketing to in-venue engagement, these technologies are no longer just for the digital community or large engagement-based organizations such as retail, amusement, and entertainment. They are now available, affordable, and necessary for all businesses. You must blend the channels together into a seamless experience, and translate that data into improved actions – and therein lies the value of Customer Engagement Technology World. Thousands of conversations among brands, agencies and venue marketers, technologists, and strategists happen at CETW.

CETW is focused on delivering the big picture to all industries and all members of the team… ideas are coming from various job functions within an organization, allowing for expertise from each area of planning and execution. The connected customer is fickle – they want what they want, when they want it, how and where they want it – and the speakers lined up for CETW will share with you their experiences and actionable advice.

Yesterday’s new technology is today’s affordable solution for merchants of all sizes. Remember when a tablet was just for reading e-books and playing games, and barcodes were just for inventory management on goods?

At CETW, you can expect new ideas, unexpected insights, inside looks at successes, failures and glimpses of what the future may offer towards engagement and experience. You can expect to be able to get face time with other marketers in similar situations, and delve into the solutions that can take you to the level of engagement and experience your customers demand. You will be reminded that omnichannel engagement is 10 percent experience and 90 percent opportunity.

You won’t find every answer at Customer Engagement Technology World. Just the ones that will help you understand how to better engage with your customers, understand their preferences (from the data you collect) and how to use this to re-engage in better and more personal levels. Customers want to be treated as if they are special, the only one out there, catering to their every need. CETW will share best practices to accomplish this goal, in a scalable, measurable way.

Register today at www.cetworld.com. Use VIP code CET24F for your complimentary pass. See you at CETW in NY!

This column was reprinted with permission from the Digital Screenmedia Association and originally appeared here.

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