Tech is now about value and differentiation: Publicis Sapient's Nigel Vaz

Today, clients do not seek the cheapest solution, Vaz tells Sneha Bhattacharjee

What are the best ways for brands to connect and interact globally in a borderless world?

The world is becoming more global as well as hyperlocal. This is where data plays a critical role. It allows you to have a specific granular conversation with an individual as well as address large trends that you see in one part of the world that you might want to replicate in another part of the world. Brands are able to connect the dots with the data and have the conversation at an individual level locally. Basically, you are seeing broad macro and micro trends that are allowing companies to think both global and hyperlocal.
 

A small business manager can get easily overwhelmed by the various social media platforms and tools. What advice do you have for them to not lose their way and stay on track?

If I was a small business person today, choices for me are numerous. You can get lost in lots of complexities. What he needs to think ultimately is what is the highest value interactions he can enable that will improve materially the experience of his customers. All you need to do is reimagine the tools in the context of something that creates the best experience for your customer. For instance, social media might be a tool to market the product in a traditional way but it could be a better way to address the problems or help somebody with a problem. You will find that because you are creating utility or value for the people, you are building your customer because they are getting something back from you.

How socially active do you think the C-suite really needs to be?

It depends on the organisation. The C-suite might identify one or two individuals who are naturally more socially oriented. One of the things they have got to think is they are trying to lean in to the perspective of a team. For instance, a CEO who does a press release once a quarter and a formal message then translates the same on to Twitter once a quarter is not really social. But that is the person’s style. With the plethora of tools available, one can decide on what social media channel one would want to orient with. I think organisations need to identify which way particular executives lead in their own communication style and marry that to the platforms one would want to capitalise on. I also think that this idea that every CEO has to be an absolute social media leader is not untrue. It depends on their personal life. There are a lot of options for C-suite interaction these days.

What can a social media manager do when a service interaction with an aggrieved customer threatens to veer out of control?

The social media manager is just running the channel. The broader issue is the organisation. What is the business doing to address the needs of the customer? If you simply focus on the social media manager, consumers are now saying what they used to say to the family or friends, to millions of people. But what are you as an organisation doing to address the issue? First, it is important for an organisation to address the matter at the outset. Second, have an authentic and open communication style instead of trying to defend your brand. Last, try and be proactive. If you think or sense there might be a problem, tell people instead of waiting for people to react. 

What are some of the recent trends you have observed in the digital marketing domain?

Organisations have started to realise that brand is the experience and vice versa. No longer can you say something as a brand but allow a different experience. Second, all of this is powered by data. Every experience is being constantly refined. Last, marketing today is as much about technology, or the technology that powers it, as about anything else. It gives a new paradigm.

Where do you see Publicis Sapient in today’s competitive world of consulting and digital transformation?

Publicis Sapient (PS), pioneered the idea of digital business transformation (DBT) before it was even called so. PS came from Sapient; and back in the day, we were helping companies become internet enabled. From digitally enabling airlines to pick seats, to plan some of the world’s first online banks, retailers; that was nothing but the journey of getting into DBT. But back then, digital was a very small part of a company’s revenue or profit.