Customer conversation is an e-mail marketing software program that is designed to help advisors “get the right message to the right clients and prospects at the right time.”

Developed by Oakville, Ont.-based eMarketing Technologies Inc. , the software uses innovative technology and methodology to help advisors listen to clients via their Web sites and respond to them on a one-to-one basis.

“The software allows advisors to engage in ongoing conversations with their clients, which is critical to building loyalty,” says Omar Kayed, managing director of eMarketing Technologies. “Each interaction is an opportunity to create a rewarding customer experience, which typically is what advisors want.

“By interacting with clients and prospects on an ongoing basis, advisors are able to qualify leads, acquire new customers, provide after-sales service — including cross- and upselling — and retain existing clients,” he adds.

A Web-based software solution, Customer Conversation includes six components: the customer probe, data integration, data segmentation, trigger management, a content builder and campaign management. The modules are designed to ensure continual, intelligent dialogue with clients. The components are integrated and each is a source of information that supports your marketing efforts.

UPDATE CLIENT DATA

The customer probe is used to collect and update client data. It is the core of the software and it contains the database of key client information. This tool is used to set up a conversation, based on defined client characteristics. For instance, its built-in survey feature can be used to ask specific questions of all or particular groups of clients, such as their needs, product preferences, favoured investing themes or opinions on marketing materials. The answers provided are accessible 24/7, allowing advisors to know their clients better.

The data-integration component allows advisors to amalgamate information collected in the customer relationship management system or marketing database, creating a 360-degree view of clients. This information can be shared across all communication channels, feeding information to people in the office when they speak to clients and enabling cross- and upselling.

The data-segmentation module is used to sort information in the client database according to defined characteristics, based on a range of variables, including personal, financial, demographic and household data, among other parameters. This module assists in marketing by providing targeted information on defined client segments.

Having a better understanding of clients may trigger action by you, the advisor. The trigger-management component can be used to deliver information to individual clients based on predetermined trigger rules that are associated with those clients. For example, based on the customer probe or segmentation results, a client might be sent information on a particular product at a specified time. This is a wizard-driven process aimed at delivering the right message at the right time.

The trigger-management process draws on a library of information in the Customer Conversation content builder — whether it is product-, strategy- or news-related. Advisors can build their own Web site messages or use standard templates that are categorized as basic, news, update, products, services and promotions, as well as use form letters to communicate with their clients. This tool can also be used to trigger invitations to seminars or special events or conduct promotions based on individual client profiles.

While the trigger-management component is client-driven, the campaign-management module facilitates a top-down approach to business-building using intelligent customer information acquired through the customer probe and segmentation process.

“The integration of client information creates a unique platform that empowers advisors to capitalize on each client interaction and provide intelligent messages to their clients,” Kayed says, adding that the campaign-management module can be particularly useful for product or seasonal promotions such as RRSPs or RESPs.

Customer Conversation provides detailed reporting in various formats, including full charting capability, and click-through and bounce-back analysis. IE