Businesses today are laser-focused on customer centricity to drive sustainable growth and stay competitive. As technology continues to reshape industries, the roles of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) have become more interconnected than ever.

Almost two decades back, the CMO and CIO had little face time and worked in silos. CIOs concentrated on technology infrastructure and operations, while CMOs prioritized brand building and marketing campaigns via traditional advertising mediums like TV ads, print, outdoor, and sports sponsorships.

Marketing stakeholders used to depend on market research firms for pre and post-surveys to capture the efficacy of marketing campaigns. For example, they would undertake arduous surveys to understand consumer preferences before fine-tuning their messaging. In contrast, today, teams can run a myriad of messages quickly through digital channels and evaluate quickly what’s working for them. Similarly, companies would have run brand preference and recall surveys earlier, whereas today, brand lift studies are available online to measure these scores.

This shift in approach to marketing also transformed the CIO's role. The support-oriented function transformed into fully understanding and integrating marketing technologies and analytics capabilities in the business. On the other hand, CMOs began looking at a full tech stack to strengthen marketing efforts, and that’s when the association between a CMO and a CIO truly evolved.

I recall an instance of evaluating website platforms. The decision was not solely a marketing one but involved the CIO's organization due to technical dependencies, security, and hosting considerations. This example highlights the collaborative nature of modern marketing decisions between the CMO-CIO teams.

While the CMO’s role changed and became more data-driven over time, it will always be insight—and content-led. Performance marketing campaigns, even for consumer ads, began targeting specific personas and optimizing creatives based on data. This showcases the reliance on technology for modern marketing strategies.

The following questions became pertinent as the marketing function started getting more data-driven.

Integrating marketing tools has helped drive efficiency in marketing operations. CMOs are partnering with CIOs and CTOs to build their martech from the ground up.

Businesses can gain deeper insights into customer behavior, preferences, and needs by utilizing AI technologies such as machine learning, predictive analytics, and natural language processing. These insights enable personalized marketing campaigns and product recommendations according to customer personas and provide proactive customer support.

CIOs and CMOs are now working together to identify customer pain points, understand their evolving needs, and create targeted solutions. AI tools can be integrated into customer journey maps to enhance data-driven decision-making and optimize marketing efforts.

With this transformative shift in marketing, the CIO’s department became more than managing information on companies' hardware and software. They started investing in understanding sales, CRM systems, campaign management, and website platforms. Hence, the role of the CIO expanded by leaps and bounds to align according to marketing and business priorities. We also started seeing the emergence of roles like the CISO (Chief Information Security Officer).

Localising marketing strategies to comply with regional laws and regulations is imperative. CIOs play a vital role in providing solutions that integrate with the requirements of various countries where they operate and provide services. For example, the local laws within Australia and China drastically differ from those in the US. Due to GDPR, companies in Europe need to be transparent about their methods of collecting personal information for marketing purposes.

The benefits of the CIO-CMO alliance are manifold. Businesses can achieve greater alignment between technology and marketing strategies by fostering collaboration and shared objectives. This leads to more effective campaign execution, improved customer satisfaction, and increased brand loyalty.

Building a successful CIO-CMO equation comes with its own unique set of challenges. Cultural differences, varying priorities, and concerns about data privacy and ethics can hinder progress. To overcome these obstacles, organizations must cultivate a collaborative culture, foster open communication, and establish clear guidelines for AI implementation.

Numerous real-world examples demonstrate the power of such synergies among leaders in driving customer-centric innovation. Starbucks has created a seamless digital experience for customers. By leveraging technology, Starbucks has been able to personalize rewards, streamline ordering, and enhance in-store experiences, driving customer engagement and loyalty. Through AI-powered tools, businesses have been able to personalize customer experiences, optimize marketing campaigns, and improve operational efficiency.

The future of customer-centric enterprises

When CIOs and CMOs join forces, technology amplifies the voice of the customer and resonates across the organization. Businesses that nurture such partnerships are able to leverage the transformative power of AI. From cultivating customer loyalty to securing a competitive advantage and ensuring sustainable growth, they create truly customer-centric enterprises that thrive in the digital age.

(The author is CMO, LTIMindtree. Opinions are personal. The article is for general information purposes only.

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