Next-Gen Data: All About Adobe CJA

No matter the industry, location, or size, all companies today rely on customer data to make strategic and profitable decisions. An excellent customer experience starts with strong customer insights, which are only possible with data. But up until now, data platforms have been limited. Adobe's new Customer Journey Analytics tool takes data analysis to the next level for real-time customer insights. Here's everything you need to know about Adobe CJA and how to make it work for your company.

What Is Adobe Customer Journey Analytics?

Adobe Customer Journey Analytics, or Adobe CJA, is a next-generation analytics platform that brings together data from different sources. It builds on Adobe Analytics and the Adobe Experience Platform for deeper data connections.

In the past, analytics programs primarily pulled data from a single source, such as a website or app. CJA can bring in data from multiple channels, including Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, websites, apps, and databases, to provide companies with a better understanding of their people. Instead of simply providing basic, anonymous visitor data, Adobe CJA ties journeys and information back to people, providing companies with detailed and valuable insights about their customers.

Key Features of Adobe CJA

Adobe CJA is a robust platform with numerous features that companies can customize to meet their unique needs. Here are four key features and differentiators of Adobe CJA:

1. Tie data to individuals

Unlike other analytics platforms that provide basic or anonymized data (often broken into segments of customers), Adobe CJA provides insights for each customer. Users can track data sequentially and tie it back to an individual customer, seeing how they move from the website to the call center and then make a purchase. This detailed, personalized data is crucial to better (and more easily) understanding customers and their journeys.

2. Cross channels of information

Adobe CJA pulls data from numerous sources to provide a more complete and accurate view of each customer’s journey. Data can be from web, mobile, or other sources — including current or historical and from channels beyond Adobe systems. Adobe CJA can analyze, filter, and visualize years’ worth of data.

3. HIPAA-ready

Unlike other analytics platforms, which can’t work with private health information, Adobe CJA is HIPAA-ready and includes a healthcare shield that anonymizes data so that it can’t be connected back to individuals but is still useful for companies.

4. Easily edit data

Adobe CJA makes it easy for users to quickly edit and fix their data, which is a limitation of other analytics programs. Instead of being stuck with data that was collected incorrectly, Adobe CJA offers more flexibility to filter or update the data so it is as accurate as possible. Users can also sort, edit, and arrange historical data to dive deeper into data than ever before.

Using Adobe CJA To Improve Customer Experience

Adobe CJA provides powerful insights to help businesses analyze customer journeys across multiple channels and touchpoints. By tying data back to individuals, companies have a more complete understanding of their customers and can plan more engaging personalization efforts.

Instead of working with siloed data or an incomplete view of customers’ experiences and preferences, Adobe CJA makes it possible to know how customers behave across channels, such as if the same person from the CRM database is visiting the website. The modern customer journey moves across channels, with customers researching products online, shopping through an app, and chatting with customer service from a tablet. Adobe CJA connects the data to see how people progress across different digital channels.

These connections provide deeper insights into what customers are (and aren’t) doing. For example, Adobe CJA data could show that first-time customers search online, check reviews, and dive into product specs before ultimately making a purchase. Diving deeper, the data can also highlight certain customers who abandon their carts and the behaviors that led to that decision, such as spending too long with the contact center or reading negative reviews. With this understanding, a company can adjust its online materials and create personalized calls to action on its website.

More holistic insights support real-time decision-making and personalization across the customer journey. Adobe CJA can be used to identify previously unknown behaviors and customer segments, which informs the journeys to target. A company may find that customers who come via referral spend longer looking at new products, while customers who find a brand on their own target sale items. The unified, real-time view offers actionable, timestamped activity of every customer interaction for strong (and accurate) segmentation and personalization.

Aside from strong customer insights, Adobe CJA also has add-ons for various roles to help them maximize the tool. Project managers and product-facing teams can use add-ons focused on launches and retention rates for faster insights. These robust tools make Adobe CJA an essential and invaluable tool for more than just analysts.

Getting Started With Adobe CJA

Adobe CJA provides nearly limitless potential for companies. Making the most of this transformational platform requires strategy and planning. Consider these best practices:

Identify your goals

Adobe CJA has lots of capabilities, and it can be easy to get overwhelmed or try to do too much at the beginning. Start by identifying your goals and objectives. Are you trying to understand customer journeys across devices? Do you want a better view of segments or channels? Knowing your business needs can help you discover the best starting uses for Adobe CJA before you expand into other areas.

Prioritize privacy

As with all data-related platforms, privacy can be a major concern for users. When bringing in data from other sources, teams need to work closely with the privacy department or those in charge of governing data to follow the company policies. This could include updating the privacy policy and app terms and conditions and ensuring all data is collected according to the company’s privacy procedures. Companies also need to plan how they will respond to deletion and data access requests.

Align data

Adobe CJA pulls data from numerous sources, but each data source has its own format, processes, and storage options. To use the data most effectively, there needs to be a way to tie it all together and connect it back to a specific individual. Ensure that identity fields across data sources are aligned, and make IT updates if needed.

Work with a partner

Adobe CJA is fairly intuitive after it is configured, but its robust features can also be intimidating and come with a learning curve. To get help standing up a CJA instance and get the most from the platform, turn to a trusted partner like Rightpoint. Our experts can customize Adobe CJA to each company's unique needs and lessen the learning curve.

Adobe CJA is a robust analytics tool that can transform your customer experience strategy and take your analytics and experience to the next level. Ready to get started? Contact Rightpoint to partner with an Adobe CJA expert.