CIM Members who attended our let customer experience drive technology for business success event in Cirencester on 6 March 2018, were treated to an engaging and thought provoking experience, led by a very experienced and passionate, internationally experienced B2B marketing leader.

Helen Christopher FCIM Chartered Marketer, who is Marketing Manager (UK & Ireland) & Marketing Coach (Europe) for Bürkert Fluid Control Systems UK & Ireland, provided a timely reminder on the importance of putting the customer at the very centre of what we do as marketers.

As we know, Championing the Customer, is one of our core capabilities and sits at the heart of marketing and is relevant to all marketers regardless of their role, their industry sector or the stage that they have reached in their career and Helen’s presentation clearly recognised this.

For me, there were seven major messages:

1. If professional marketers don’t put the customers at the centre, who will?
2. There are no panaceas, customers and colleagues will all need different things.
3. You have to have empathy with your customers and your customer’s customers. You have to make life easier for them.
4. Always look for systems driven marketing solutions that follow clear processes.
5. Always be ready to respond appropriately to the “How hard can Marketing be?” views of your colleagues, who have many other pressures to contend with.
6. Don’t forget how important the implementation stage of your marketing plan actually is.
7. Be diligent with your choice of controls and measures and make sure you use them constructively.

Definitely very interesting and worthwhile and of course a great help to anyone who is about to prepare another reflective statement for their CPD records.  Well done Helen.