Case Study Vodafone integrates web, email and mobile to enhance prospective customers’ online shopping experience

Experian Marketing Services transforms Vodafone’s abandoned basket process with true mobile optimisation — helping to turn prospects into customers and realise robust ROI

“It may sound simple, but the use Background of cookies to link web and email is Vodafone launched the UK’s first they’ve previously added products fundamental. By throwing mobile mobile phone network nearly three to their online shopping basket, but into the mix, we were asking for decades ago, going on to become haven’t completed the transaction. one of the largest mobile operators in Customers receive an email a truly multi-channel approach the world. It is success that’s built on containing a link to return them to but we were confident it could state-of-the-art approaches — and the basket as they left it, with content be achieved with the right team identifying partners who are similarly recreated from information contained at the cutting edge. in cookies left on their computer involved.” when they shopped. However, if Vodafone is working with Experian customers initially browse the online Charlotte Crideford, Marketing Services, calling on its shop on their laptop but receive and unparalleled know-how across all open the reminder email on their Marketing Manager - Mobile mobile platforms, the ability to smartphone, there is no cookie to and Multi-Channel Innovation, create mobile architectures that recreate the basket — and valuable Vodafone support business objectives and sales opportunities are lost. deep email marketing expertise. It’s a partnership that is, for the first When the vast majority of emails time, fully integrating web, email and were accessed from a desktop, mobile — allowing Vodafone to better Vodafone could produce messages understand, acquire and retain its that encouraged click through customers. and conversion. When accessed via mobile devices with different Challenge operating systems and screen sizes, however, desktop email features Smartphones are becoming often didn’t work, display properly or ubiquitous; with mobile email one render at all. of the many applications driving their uptake. As a leading UK mobile Solution operator, Vodafone needed to develop a comprehensive, mobile optimised Vodafone asked Experian Marketing experience for its customers whilst Services to deliver definitive being able to measure its mobile integration of web, email and mobile marketing impact to increase the platforms. It was no easy task, as efficiency and impact of its future Charlotte Crideford, Marketing campaign activities. While this posed Manager, Mobile and Multi-Channel some technical challenges, the Innovation explained, “It may sound potential return on investment could simple, but the use of cookies to be significant. link web and email is fundamental. By throwing mobile into the mix, we One of the key challenges to unifying were asking for a truly multi-channel the mobile and desktop journey is approach but we were confident it the use of cookies. Vodafone uses could be achieved with the right team cookies to remind customers that involved.”

Experian Marketing Services Experian CheetahMail 80 Victoria Street Building One, The Heights Cardinal Place Brooklands, Weybridge, London Surrey, KT13 0NY SW1E 5JL T: +44(0)1932 422300 www.experian.co.uk/digital www.cheetahmail.co.uk [email protected]

To achieve Vodafone’s objectives and Using this, it’s possible to identify deliver a new, cookie-free and mobile the device on which email traffic Charlotte Crideford, said, “We optimised experience, Experian was initiated to deliver a perfectly originally asked Experian Marketing Marketing Services started from rendered message. Services to enable us to recreate scratch, re-building the abandoned baskets without cookies. What basket email process from the Results we got was a cookie-free, mobile ground up, both in terms of back-end maximised and device optimised construction and front-end look and Experian Marketing Services’ email engagement solution — usability. work with Vodafone has helped to turning prospects who may have re-define its approach to channel lost to us into customers. It’s that Experian Marketing Services has integration, and it’s a project that kind of added value and broader developed a new form of ‘Deep was developed, tested and refined understanding of business Linking’ tracking that captures in just six weeks. In addition, while objectives that sets Experian customers’ behaviour across the project was initially focused on Marketing Services apart.” websites. This information is then improving the experience of a single gathered by Experian Marketing marketing email, Experian Marketing Services’ CheetahMail platform Services’ intimate knowledge of and integrated into the abandoned web, email and mobile platforms is basket reminder email. It delivers all transforming the way that Vodafone the data Vodafone needs to recreate communicates with its customers. the customer’s basket as they left it — including the phone, tariff It’s an elegant solution that and add-ons — without a cookie in encourages far greater interaction sight. Customers can now access with the Vodafone online store, their basket wherever they are on driving traffic to the website, whatever device they choose. converting prospective web visitors into customers and delivering At the front end, Experian Marketing bottom-line, business process and Services refreshed the dated look customer benefit: and feel of the shopping basket email so that it displays perfectly across • over 40%1 of Vodafone all email clients. The result is that customers who receive now, rather than choosing between responsive emails open feature-light emails that work for them on their mobile device, both desktop and mobile, or feature- demonstrating the importance rich emails focused for desktop of an integrated approach; and mobile separately, Vodafone is • from roll out, orders from able to deploy a single email that formerly abandoned baskets automatically recognises and is have leapt by 30%;2 optimised for the device it’s opened • pioneering tracking on. technologies bring business process improvement, with This is possible because of Experian the ability, for example, to see Marketing Services’ unique insight how long transactions take and across the entire mobile architecture. continually refine the process A combination of innovative tracking to make it easier and faster for techniques and coding designed customers; specifically for Vodafone allows the • detailed metrics allow Vodafone capture of customer behaviour data to see which campaign in granular detail. components generate the most revenue, and focus marketing resources where they will deliver maximum returns.

© Experian Limited 2013. 1. Mobile tracking was carried out by Experian CheetahMail The word “EXPERIAN” and the graphical device are trade marks of Experian and/or its associated companies and may on a variety of Vodafone’s marketing campaigns over a be registered in the EU, USA and other countries. The graphical device is a registered Community design in the EU. period of 10 months. All rights reserved. Experian Ltd. Registered office: Landmark House, Experian Way, NG2 Business Park, 2. Data collated by Vodafone Nottingham, NG80 1ZZ, United Kingdom, Registration No. England 653331