Big C Engages Its Customers Across Southeast Asia with Personalized Marketing

Symphony RetailAI, the leading global provider of Artificial Intelligence-enabled decision platforms, solutions and customer-centric insights that drive validated growth for retailers and CPG manufacturers, today announced that Big C is implementing its SR Personalized Marketing solution.

Headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, Big C is a leading omnichannel retailer in Thailand and Southeast Asia with hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience, health and beauty formats, and online and ecommerce channels. With Asia accounting for four out of the top 15 countries globally where internet users spend the most time on social media worldwide, the region’s consumers are highly connected, tech-savvy, socially fluid and vocal. They want personalization, crave rewarding experiences and have a strong desire for convenience and immediacy.

Shifting strategic engagement to meet cultural changes in what consumers want

Thailand is undergoing significant lifestyle changes. Urbanization, millennial influence, mobile technology, and rising incomes are driving demand for and the rapid growth of the convenience channel, with Big C alone opening two new convenience outlets every three days. Already one of the leading nations for eating away from home, Thais have significantly increased their appetite for ready-to-eat options from convenience channels. Adding to these significant shifts, the country currently has one of the highest social-media adoption rates worldwide. With this as a backdrop, Big C relaunched its loyalty program which had been initiated years prior, but wanted to engage its 6.2 million customers on a deeper, more emotional level.

The company is now aggressively moving to build a new personalization program founded around the customer lifecycle. It is working towards personalization at basket and/or category level(s) and sending personalized digital offers via text, a mobile app and a program website. In addition to using SR Personalized Marketing — an omni-channel solution that leverages embedded algorithms and a relevancy engine to ensure that each shopper’s communication is appropriate, timely and individualized — Big C is adopting the solution’s mobile capabilities. This will allow the retailer to leverage a geofencing mobile app that interacts with shoppers at the right moment and in the right place, delivering timely and relevant messages. This is a key component of the Big C strategy around its changing customer demographic.

“The Southeast Asia region is one of the most rapidly changing regions of the world when we consider grocery,” said Gary Hardy, Chief Operating Officer, Big C. “Our customers are demanding more variety, convenience, flexibility, and an enhanced service. They want ‘round-the-clock omnichannel experiences that match their changing lifestyles. As a result, we need to engage customers on a more 1:1 basis, focusing on digital touchpoints and moment marketing to improve the entire shopping experience for our customers.”

“We’ve had a great working partnership with Big C for over six years,” said Oscar Garcia-Velasco, Regional Vice President, Symphony RetailAI, Asia. “We are very excited to see Big C taking this next step in their ongoing evolution to serve their customers. Understanding how to best use customer data to enhance relationships through more relevant, personalized offers is key to success. Embracing the role of mobile in how their customers want to engage with them, will help Big C create a competitive edge and increase customer loyalty.”