Debenhams launches SMS marketing campaign that initiates ‘customer conversations’

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UK retail department store Debenhams has launched an SMS mobile marketing campaign which runs on the same platform and in conjunction with its email marketing in a move designed to extend the retailer’s cross-channel marketing capabilities.

Following a major campaign encouraging shoppers to opt-in to receive its mobile marketing messages, Debenhams has since alerted customers to the Debenhams’ Sale and to many special offers and promotions. For example, a personalised, unique voucher discount code within one major SMS promotion can be redeemed in store or online.

The service is based on technology provided by Neolane, which offers, in its words “conversational marketing technology”. The Neolane platform tracks each customer’s response behaviour to campaigns in any channel – via email click-throughs and text voucher redemptions for example – and drives event-triggered follow-up conversations where appropriate. This cross-channel, ‘single customer view’ data is analysed by the Neolane software to define what stimulates an individual’s interest, enabling future communications from Debenhams to be ever better targeted, personalised and relevant.

“Centralising all our enterprise-wide customer marketing on Neolane, whether mobile or email, we can conduct channel-coordinated, consistent and customer relevant communications generating high response rates and sales,” says Rob Unsworth, head of trading finance and commercial insight at Debenhams. “We defined our mobile marketing requirement, enabled and tested the Neolane mobile component in just four weeks, enabling us to launch our first campaigns in October 2010 – perfect timing for the Christmas season.”

“Debenhams is an excellent example of a retailer taking advantage of the fantastic opportunities of mobile marketing, whilst maintaining an integrated cross-channel approach,” adds Etienne Viellard, Neolane’s senior director of marketing in Europe. “Neolane enables marketers to ensure both brand and content consistency in communications whilst orchestrating cross-channel interactions via email, direct mail, web, mobile and the call centre to stimulate reactivity, sales and loyalty.”

For all campaigns, Neolane’s clear analyses and reporting allows Debenhams to prove which campaign ideas and customer journeys are delivering the best results, helping the retailer’s marketers to optimise return on marketing investment.

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