How SAS is Harnessing Data and AI for Personalised Customer Engagement

In an era where customer expectations are at an all-time high, businesses are increasingly turning to data and AI to modernise their marketing strategies. Kunal Aman, Director of Marketing and Communications for India, Middle East, Turkey & Africa at SAS, shares insights into how these technologies are reshaping the marketing landscape. From personalised customer experiences to ethical AI use, Aman delves into how SAS is at the forefront of this transformation.

In what ways are data and AI transforming traditional marketing strategies into more modern approaches?

Today’s customers have much higher expectations, whether it is proactive service, personalised interactions, or connected experiences across digital channels. For the modern marketer, data is an invaluable asset that helps uncover insights into customer behaviours, preferences, and evolving needs. The true power lies in the smart application of analytics to glean actionable insights from this data reservoir.  With the effective application of analytics, personalised experiences tailored to individual customers can be crafted, which significantly impacts engagement, conversion rates and overall customer satisfaction.

When it comes to GenAI, integrating it into your internal operations and external customer experiences within the guardrails and while respecting ethical and privacy concerns, can positively influence your brand’s reputation and customer engagement. As Arthur C. Clarke famously stated, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” However, despite the hype around GenAI, many teams are struggling to create a strategy around integrating it in a meaningful way. The good news is that this means there’s still time to be among early adopters, and as a leader in analytics, SAS is in a strong position to help organisations translate the promise of AI into real tangible results in a safe manner.

How does SAS utilise data analytics and artificial intelligence to enhance marketing personalisation for its customers?

Through SAS Customer Intelligence 360, we enable customers across industries to understand their audiences better. CI 360 is a one stop shop for quickly creating and personalising customer experiences. Its machine learning capabilities enables marketers to deliver highly relevant, tailored and seamless experiences across different devices and channels – which otherwise can be a real challenge.

For instance, consider our collaboration with UltaBeauty – when it grew into an enterprise brand, its volume of data increased exponentially. That is when they turned to SAS to aid in transforming their abundant data sources into easily activated and comprehensive customer journeys with SAS Customer Intelligence 360.

Another example is SBI General Insurance, who partnered with SAS to create a personalised customer experience using the SAS CI 360 suite, combining on-premises transactional data, analytics, and real-time interaction data for tailored conversations.

Can you explain how SAS enables businesses to integrate personalised marketing strategies into their overall customer engagement efforts?

By leveraging SAS Customer Intelligence solutions, companies can ensure that every customer interaction is relevant, timely, and insightful, fostering deeper engagement and brand loyalty. SAS transforms data into actionable insights, facilitating real-time marketing decisions, and unlike others, we offer an all-encompassing solution that captures detailed data across various touchpoints and delivers personalised offers promptly, eliminating the need for patchwork partnerships.

Moreover, SAS’s Customer Intelligence solutions compile comprehensive customer profiles by aggregating data from multiple channels, enabling targeted marketing efforts. By simplifying cross-channel data integration and leveraging advanced analytics, SAS enhances campaign processes, ensuring that marketing messages are relevant and valuable to customers in real-time.

What initiatives or principles does SAS follow to ensure ethical use of data and AI in its marketing solutions?

SAS ensures the ethical use of data and AI in its marketing solutions by prioritising data privacy, maintaining human oversight, and creating transparent and interpretable outputs. Data privacy is safeguarded by preventing any sharing of company or customer data with AI models. Human oversight is enforced by requiring human review and approval of all AI-generated content, ensuring alignment with brand standards and reducing risks. Transparency is maintained by making AI algorithms and their conclusions understandable, which is crucial for compliance and trust, especially in regulated industries.

Additionally, SAS has established a governance framework aligned with its Data Ethics Practice, ensuring responsible and ethical AI use that also includes balancing the innovation in AI-driven marketing. This includes protocols for data handling, model transparency, and ethical considerations in AI deployment. SAS provides flexibility while emphasising safety and responsibility by allowing integration with popular and proprietary AI models. This commitment helps businesses leverage powerful AI tools while upholding high standards of integrity and accountability in their marketing efforts.