Personalization is not the answer to everything.

I listened to a CEO give an interview today where he discussed personalization as if it - and it alone - creates a great experience.

Is personalization an important feature of engaging customers? Absolutely.

But using a customer’s name or remembering their details is baseline table-stakes today. No one is raving about that as a great experience.

No CEO should be talking about personalization as if it’s a game changer by itself. If they are, they are merely chasing the back of the pack.

So, what’s the answer? Those leaders who are acutely aware of their customers’ experiences with their brand are now talking about the power of multi-layered storytelling, the unexpected details, and the Signature and brand defining experiences that no one saw coming - but now everyone wants.

The days of providing a basic level of personalization, claiming success, and raising your hands in victory, are long, long gone.