Thoughts from the Top - Raj at Sapient

Raj has been with Sapient for over 25 years, including 8 years in government and more than 17 years in the commercial sector. He currently serves as the North America Industry Lead for Telecom, Media and Entertainment, and Technology, and is based in Arlington, Virginia.

Q: How would you compare the current telecommunications landscape in Europe versus the United States?

Q: How do you see Salesforce playing a role in the telecommunications space?

All client relationship management (CRM) platform providers have focused on promoting the unique capabilities of their platforms. However, success in the telecommunications space for any partner will depend on identifying relevant use cases. If you are speaking with a major player, there may not be much value in a conversation centered solely on product functionality. Instead, discussing how their first-party data can drive new innovations to manage loyalty, and how Salesforce’s capabilities can help predict churn and improve customer experience, is where the real value emerges.

For example, these systems can provide key data such as usage, revenue, and engagement at the account level. This enables clients to gain insights into their most profitable (or least profitable) customers and determine how to better serve them with new or related products. These are the use cases that executives need and want to hear about, and these are the solutions that have been implemented to work toward the overall goal.

Q: What is one of the stronger use cases that is being presented in Europe?

Regardless of region, a major use case can be built around loyalty. In Europe in particular, loyalty can be an interesting component of a business. While most people initially think of attraction and retention when it comes to loyalty, there is also the aspect of moving customers who may be a drag on the business’s profitability to more profitable products, such as pre-paid offerings.

When it comes to maintaining customer loyalty, companies can no longer provide just a functional experience. Customers’ expectations have been shaped by their experiences across all digital touchpoints—from Amazon to the post office.

Given the competitive landscape in Europe, there is an even greater opportunity to create those magical moments that are both impactful and meaningful to the customer.

Q: What is the best way for Salesforce to engage with Publicis Sapient?

When working with Salesforce, the most important consideration is how we approach the consultative process upfront. During the initial conversations with the client, we want to work alongside Salesforce to solve the business problem, allowing the product to take a backseat temporarily. The key question we should align on is: “What is keeping our clients up at night?” and what does a solution look like to alleviate those pain points? Once we have identified the solution, we can then consider which products will support the initiative. It is a longer process, but if we align early and often along the way, we can lead a successful cycle and ultimately achieve a joint win.

Q: What about the “Salesforce Ohana” and culture stands out in your mind?

Every time I’ve worked with Salesforce, there has been an alignment in values around doing good for the customer and doing right by them. I have seen an openness to new ideas, and despite the usual pressure to do things a certain way, there is never that feeling when working with our Salesforce counterparts. We are working toward a common goal of creating something great for our clients, not just pushing a sale to meet a quarterly target or a number. That mentality is incredibly valuable when working with a partner.