Please can you introduce yourself and provide a brief history of your digital marketing journey?
James Dolling working for Arriva Rail London as Head of Customer Proposition. Role focuses on three core areas our strategy to deliver for the customer, how we optimise and introduce systems and technology to support this and how we can deliver with colleagues and stakeholders the programmes/initiatives to have lasting effect. I work closely with TfL on understanding how we work best pan London consider all our customer diverse needs in the communities we serve.
What aspects of the ‘Panel: The power of automation and personalisation’ session at DMWF Global on the 25-26 June 2024, are you most excited about as a speaker?
I am most excited about hearing out of industry stories and best practise which I can bring back into the rail and transportation sector. I have found it immensely useful throughout my career gaining detailed peer reports and feedback on how strategies and plans have failed or provided learning opportunities and hope to gain some great insight for the day.
Which project from the past year stands out as your proudest achievement?
The partnership we as ARL have played with TfL over the rebranding of the London Overground network splitting a complex network into six defined routes to result in significant improvements in the Wayfinding and Navigation of our stations. The names have been devised to promote underrepresented stories and align to the communities they serve. I am excited to work towards the full launch towards the end of this year with colleagues and stakeholders.
What marketing advancement and trend are you most enthusiastic about in the digital marketing landscape?
I am fascinated by how the role and Artificial Intelligence and improvements in the generative space will be able to assist customers to self-serve and access information. This I feel has huge benefits within the transportation sector if embedded right. I see the hybrid role of how technology, physical assets and our people can provide a more rounded, personal experience as well as meeting a more diverse need of people. Being able to understand our customers requirements in a much more granular way will enable us to tailor messaging and content right for the individual building loyalty and trust.
What single piece of advice would you give to a friend working in the digital marketing space?
The significance of focused customer personas to test concepts and initiatives and how they impact the customer journey and experience. Often ideas work on paper but being able to rationalise against core/unique customer groups I have found grounds understanding, assists in setting benchmark targets and humanises the approach.
Lastly, could you share what is your favourite marketing campaign and why it resonates with you?
GWR’s Famous 5 Adventures – I felt this campaign brough nostalgia given the books they advert derived from, context in relation to the places of interest and key details without being overly promotional. It managed to hit the key customer group (leisure travellers) and brough the sense of adventure to the railway which was often missing given the continues focus on the captive commuter market.
Make sure you get your pass for DMWF Global on 25-26 June at Olympia London and catch Andrew on the Panel: The power of automation and personalisation. Click here to get book your pass and we will see you in June!
