As we’ve explored in previous blogs, having the technology stack, flexibility and data insight to achieve a successful customer experience at scale is not easy.
However the team at Heathrow, together with Acxiom, have designed their marketing stack, processes and capabilities based on an approach that gives them an incredible level of flexibility; and ultimately makes a real difference to their customers.
This privacy-compliant, future-proofed, modular approach to the single customer view is the Open Garden philosophy.
With this approach, Heathrow:
- Can use the right data and technology they need to drive value to the customer and their business.
- Aren’t wedded to specific technologies or channels.
- Has a modular stack, with software that leverages standards and APIs, so there are minimal barriers to entry for agencies and publishers.
- Can pool first, second and third-party datasets, managed in a privacy-compliant manner, to get a complete picture of customer behaviour, and distribute this data to where it’s needed to enrich every customer interaction.
Understanding How Open Garden Works
Open Garden is an approach to marketing intelligence and operations that prioritises flexibility, privacy and marketing effectiveness.
Six things are core to making Open Garden work:
- Identity resolution so you can connect the right data to real people for maximum relevance
- Deep understanding through first, second and third-party data
- Connectivity with publishers and platforms to connect with people everywhere
- Closed-loop analytics to continuously measure and improve marketing effectiveness
- Trust, built from holistic, privacy-compliant practices
- Governance to maximise the value of your data and to minimise risk
Heathrow’s Open Garden allows it to deliver extraordinary levels of personalisation to its customers. It means its agencies and publishers have unprecedented insight into which segments they should target with their design and media-buying strategies. And crucially, it removes the barriers between separate businesses.
Open Garden in action
In order to fully understand the value of an Open Garden approach, it helps to consider the ‘Heathrow Rewards’ loyalty programme. It’s hugely successful, and the largest scheme of its type anywhere in the world.
But the programme still only comprises 3.3% of all travellers. After all, loyalty programs aren’t for everybody. So, rather than delivering personalised offers and experiences only to these comparatively few select passengers, Heathrow’s Open Garden also allows them to better understand and interact with the remaining 96.7% yet to join.
As a result, Heathrow can nudge people towards joining the loyalty scheme while simultaneously creating loyalty within each product line, by making the right offers in the right moments, such as when a visitor parks or signs up for WiFi.
As a result, Heathrow’s ‘Open Garden’, people-based marketing has driven:
- 22% increase in Heathrow Rewards retail spending
- 19% growth in membership
- 20% growth in active membership
- 23% increase in spending per visit
- 34% increase in reactivated members
All of which adds up to a better customer experience. Heathrow continues to expand its Open Garden philosophy to airlines, other partners and frontline staff, and not just to make lives easier for their marketers. The more important thing is that the most relevant marketing reaches more consumers at the right times.
This story is a testament to the massive difference great data and smarter technology can make to both a business’ top line and its customers’ experiences.
