The SmartVideo Blog

This post is part of a monthly blog series where we highlight the diverse and exciting staff of SundaySky.

“I’m investing in SmartVideo for NPS impact, and am paying for it with the financial ROI it’s delivering.” This is one of my favorite anecdotes said by the CMO of a Fortune 500 company. More than ever, the C-suite is implementing video for both financial impact and deeper levels of brand engagement. Yet, companies recognize if they only focus on financial ROI, they can easily miss the boat on customer experience.

I recently joined SundaySky as Head of Customer Success, to support our customers with the strategic delivery of their performance-focused SmartVideo programs. I was excited to join the team at a time when SmartVideo is disrupting the video and customer lifecycle space. The team is motivated and super smart, plus I get to work with the most recognized brands who are totally invested in building the most engaging and impactful customer engagement experiences.

Last month, we reached a milestone mark of 100 million SmartVideo views since our first video was generated back in 2009. This week, we are publishing “The SmartVideo Index: In Brief,” a three-part infographic that shares a snapshot of where SmartVideo stands today, collected from 40 programs across 38 brands within 5 industries.

Last week I attended Forrester's Forum for Marketing Leaders in Los Angeles, focused on strategies for leveraging big data to better manage marketing communication programs in a world where half of adults globally will be perpetually connected to the Internet by the end of 2013, as Forrester predicts. The bottom line: every moment is a chance to connect and service customers. The opportunities for creating brand affinity and value are truly boundless in this hyper connected, hyper personalized global techno-village. However, these opportunities simultaneously carry an overwhelming capacity to bombard and frustrate customers and brands managers alike, who fail to properly plan and/or harness the great power of data-driven communications.

Ninety-seven percent of IT budget decision-makers in the US insurance industry agree: technology is critical to serve and support customers, stated a 2012 Forrester trend report. This is especially true for customer-centric insurers looking to enhance and differentiate the customer experience while simultaneously reducing care costs. Enter the smart explanation of benefit (EOB) video.

A burgeoning ecosystem of buyers, publishers, ad networks and technology companies congregated at ad:tech in San Francisco last week to participate in what amounts to nothing short of the complete transformation of the advertising industry. 

I recently attended Loyalty Expo 2013, hosted by Loyalty360 in Orlando, and took away some great examples and educational nuggets around how brands, specifically in the travel industry, are enhancing their customer loyalty initiatives. A common mantra among customer-centric companies is that customer loyalty is not a destination, but a constant journey to support customers and deliver an optimal experience. Through every channel – in-person, online, through a call center – and at every customer touch point, there is an opportunity to drive and deepen a customer’s brand loyalty.

I am excited and proud to announce this major milestone in SundaySky history. From the first SmartVideo generated in 2009 for Overseas Adventure Travel, to 38 live programs today, we have reached over 100 million views. Fresh off of our inaugural SmartVideo Summit last month, 2013 is serving as a momentous year for us. This is how we are feeling today, fist pumps and hugs included… 

Telecommunications, financial services, insurance and healthcare providers are all industries where companies establish a recurring customer relationship with a monthly statement or bill delivery. However, bill shock and product complexity of statements can lead to excessive support costs, churn, and higher barriers to expanding customer relationships. Proactively addressing the complexity of billing and statement administration with personalized SmartVideo is proving to address these challenges.