MediaPLUS: customer experience scores sag after post-Covid bounce

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Following two successive years of improvement, customer experience delivery in Ireland has slipped as consumers have become disillusioned with companies' digital offerings.

The tenth Ireland Customer Experience (CX) Report from Amárach Research shows that consumers have a preference for a ‘Digital when I want it, Human when I need it’ approach from the organisations they interact with.

However, the view that the digital offerings are more of a cost saving for businesses rather than a convenience for consumers has gained popularity.

On average, the customer experience scores of Irish organisations have fallen by 1.9% this year following a sustained post-Covid bounce.

Some 42% of organisations in the survey have seen their overall CX Score decline this year. The average score of 6.7 compares to 6.83 in 2023 and the low of 6.32 in 2021, but remains well short of the 7.11 high posted in 2017.

The report authors Michael Killeen Gerard O'Neill , Robert Byrne and Siobhan Mallen expressed concern that too many organisations consider CX as a 'nice to have' rather than a 'need to have' and that it has become a box-ticking exercise particularly in retail, supermarkets, restaurants travel and the public sector.

Publicis launches launches commerce agency Le Shop

Publicis Groupe has opened the commerce agency LeSHOP in Dublin and London.

The agency will act as a hub for CRM, brand activation, retail experience, and omni-channel marketing for Publicis and its subsidiary agencies.

Le Shop will have a staff of 80 across both locations, and in Dublin it will operate independently of Publicis Dublin and Core, in which Publicis holds a 49% stake.

Ciara Bailey , who previously worked for Publicis-owned Hawkeye and Epsilon, is expected to lead the Irish business as managing partner.

Le Shop will work with 20 brands including @BT/EE, Ovo and Birds Eye UK & IE owner Nomad Foods at launch.

“We’re in a new frontier of creativity where commerce isn’t just the transactional end of a traditional marketing funnel; today, everything can be a commerce experience," said Amanda Farmer , CEO of Le Shop.

"Our mission with LeShop is to bring creativity to build brands that are not just existing in commerce, but are designed for it."

Aoife O'Donnell moves to Heneghan

Strategic communications company Heneghan has appointed Aoife O'Donnell as account director as part of its growth strategy.

O'Donnell previously worked at Heneghan in the late 2000s and has more than 25 years of industry and educational experience in communications.

Her expertise spans the corporate and consumer sectors and most notably the healthcare sector, in which she has specialised for the past decade.

Previously, she managed the marketing communications for international healthcare brand Euromedic Ireland, and she also lectured in PR at Griffith College Dublin . She recently published the textbook Public Relations and Communications: from Theory to Practice.

O'Donnell previously worked at Heneghan in the late 2000s and has more than 25 years of industry and educational experience in communications.

Her expertise spans the corporate and consumer sectors and most notably the healthcare sector, in which she has specialised for the past decade.

Previously, she managed the marketing communications for international healthcare brand Euromedic Ireland, and she also lectured in PR at Griffith College Dublin . She recently published the textbook Public Relations and Communications: from Theory to Practice.

O'Donnell is a member of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland and works on its education committee. She also holds an MA in training and education.

“I had the opportunity to work with Heneghan in the early stages of my career and I am delighted now to have the opportunity to return to this dynamic and forward-thinking communications firm," said O'Donnell of her appointment.

"I look forward to bringing my own expertise and experience to the team and our clients as we look to an exciting future.”

Jennifer Stevens swaps Sunday Times for Irish Times

Jen Stevens has left her role as features editor at the Sunday Times to become group editor of the content studio at the The Irish Times

Stevens studied Journalism at Griffith College Dublin and has worked across newspapers and magazines during her more than 20-year career.

She has served as editor of Irish Tatler , U Magazine and Irish Country, assistant news editor of the Evening Herald, features editor of the Irish Examiner and freelanced as a content consultant for the likes of AIB , Diageo Ireland and SuperValu .

In a post on LinkedIn announcing her move, Stevens said her two years at the Sunday Times had been "one of the greatest privileges" of her career.

"Commissioning and writing lifestyle, travel, arts and culture content is one of the best gigs in journalism and I’ll be forever grateful to Nóirín Hegarty for bringing me on board."

Channel 4 crosses digital rubicon

Channel 4 has said it has reached a "crossover point" between linear and digital viewing.

The British State-owned, advertising-funded broadcaster saw digital advertising revenue increase 10% to ￡280m last year while linear advertising revenue declined 16% to ￡642m.

The company recently launched its 'Fast Forward' strategy with the aim of becoming a digital-first public service streamer by 2030.

Digital now accounts for 27% of Channel 4 revenue and is on track to make up 30% in 2024.

Overall, revenues declined 10% to ￡1.02bn, and CEO Alex Mahon said the broadcaster's ￡52m deficit was the “intentional result of financing our transformation from linear to digital."

“We chose to prioritise investment in content and recorded a significant deficit in 2023 as a result,” Mahon said, noting that surpluses and deficits are part of the “natural ebb and flow of Channel 4’s unique model”.

Channel 4 achieved 1.6bn streaming views in 2023, up 14% year-on-year, and expects to surpass 1.7bn this year.

October 10th 2024

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