George Corugedo is the Co-Founder and CTO at RedPoint Global. George is responsible for leading the development of the RedPoint Convergent Marketing Platform.

Question 1: How do you define ‘digital strategy’?

“First, let’s be clear on one thing: adopting a ‘digital’ approach is not an ‘all-or-nothing’ thing for most enterprises. ‘Digital’ is not a replacement, but an addition to, and an enhancement of how companies are already interacting with their customers.

A digital strategy outlines how digital technologies can be used to design, implement and measure customer engagement across-the-board. While that will be different for every company, it still needs to encompass more than the ‘digital part’ of a company’s operations. Like the Chief Digital Officer title, it has to be comprehensive and cover both digital and traditional business activities as well as identify or support ways that ‘digital’ can complement and improve traditional approaches to driving revenue.”

Question 2: How do you feel about the Chief Digital Officer being in the “C-Suite”?

“Companies that are successful during periods of technologic or economic disruption are those who are willing to embrace change. However, organizational change is difficult, if not impossible, without someone at the top who acts as a catalyst for change.

Organizations are increasingly adopting progressive strategies that rely on technological innovation to drive customer engagement and, hence, revenue. This is a strategy that cuts across other C-level responsibilities. In order to maximize this approach, the responsibility for implementing this strategy is best assigned to one individual who spans the three disciplines: the CDO.”

Question 3: What kind of mobile device(s) do you have, and what are your three favorite apps? 

“I have a Nokia 1020 Windows phone and an iPhone, along with various tablets. I like the Windows phone the best as a phone and only use the iPhone for the airline apps that are not yet available on the Windows platform.

My three favorite apps:

1. Windows phone built-in email app – great application with all the expected functionality of Outlook.
2. Nokia Camera – It lets me do some amazing things with the powerful camera that is built-in
3. Office Remote – it allows me to use my phone as a presenter mouse for PowerPoint presentations, laser pointer, Word docs, etc.”

Question 4: Which three digital trends have affected RedPoint Global acutely over the past year?

“The digital trends that impact RedPoint Global are the ones that are affecting our customers:

1. There’s increasing recognition on the importance of both ‘big and little’ data to drive on-time, precise and relevant customer engagement. Marketers are more interested than ever in taking advantage of data-driven practices, some of which reflect traditional direct marketing practices. Others are emerging as Big Data solutions, including RedPoint’s own, making it easier for traditional business analysts to use familiar query languages derive insights from the data.
2. All customer data must be integrated and keyed in order to be useful. While Big Data initiatives are the rage, they are largely academic exercises until all customer data across all locations is keyed and linked in.
3. The speed with which consumers are embracing the ‘digital world’ – adopting social channels, mobile, near field communications, wearable devices, digital wallets, etc. – is pushing the need for technologies that help marketers more earlier deliver precise interactions and offers in real-time in both inbound and outbound channels. Marketers realize that making these engagements relevant means have a 360 degree view of the customer. At RedPoint Global, we have designed an architecture that allows the required level of flexibility and quick extension.”

Question 5: What advice do you have for aspiring digital professionals?

“Four pieces of advice:

1. Don’t just adopt Big Data because it’s the ‘new, shiny thing.’ Define a clear goal then start small, work to success, win approval, and repeat.
2. Understand the value that a 360 degree of your customers offers your organization. Work to achieve that goal in a way that gives your customer-facing professionals a way to quickly operationalize that data. Data is an organization’s biggest asset.
3. Work across silos. Adopt data-driven best practices from other disciplines. It’s always at the intersection of disciplines where the most interesting change occurs.
4. Recognize that to you it’s ‘digital marketing’ or ‘digital experience,’ but to your customers it’s just ‘marketing’ and ‘experience.’”

For more information about George Corugedo, follow him on Twitter (@GeorgeCorugedo), check him out on Linkedin, and visit the RedPoint Global website.