Think about the steps you take before making a purchase decision. What insights from other customers do you examine? Maybe you will make it a habit to read customer reviews. Or perhaps you rely on the number of stars or the customer ratings, which is easy to do—after all, for so many online retailers, the customer rating info appears above the price listing.
Your prospective customers will likely do the same, highlighting just how vital customer satisfaction is to successful marketing strategies. When customers have a great experience, they share it, creating powerful organic marketing that money can’t buy. Traditionally, marketing focused on bringing customers in the door, while CX handled retention. But today, the most successful brands are those that blend these functions seamlessly, delivering a consistent and satisfying experience from start to finish.
As marketers face budget pressures in 2025, they can play a crucial role in shaping customer experience (CX) by using cost-effective tools like intelligent virtual agents (IVAs) to create personalized, effective campaigns that drive retention and sustainable growth.
Understanding Marketers’ Role in the Customer Journey and CX
The marketer’s role extends far beyond attracting new customers. These days, it includes being an integral part of the entire customer journey, shaping experiences that influence loyalty, and even advocacy. CX and marketing teams need to collaborate closely to ensure every touchpoint—from awareness to post-purchase—offers a consistent, seamless experience.
When marketing messages align with the customer experience, you build trust and strengthen your brand. Remember, a satisfied customer is more likely to leave positive reviews and recommend your brand. Done well, marketing contributes to the cycle of loyalty, advocacy, and organic growth, making CX a vital part of the strategy for businesses of all sizes.
Using IVA Data to Drive Personalized Campaigns
IVAs capture valuable insights from every customer interaction, giving marketing leaders access to detailed data on behaviors, preferences, and pain points. Marketers can use this data to create highly targeted, personalized campaigns that genuinely resonate.
If, for example, IVA data reveals common customer frustrations, that presents an opportunity to realign messaging to address those frustrations by strengthening touchpoints to feel personal and timely—whether through email, SMS, push marketing, or social media. When campaigns reflect individual customer journeys, brands connect with target audiences more meaningfully.
How IVAs Help You Retain Customers and Extend Lifecycles
IVAs provide proactive, ongoing support, making customers feel valued and reducing friction at critical moments. By addressing customer issues in real-time, IVAs prevent frustration and make it easier for customers to get the help they need. Beyond helping customers quickly resolve the issue at hand, IVAs offer the ability to engage customers throughout their lifecycle. Marketers can show customers that you’re invested in their experience—whether through a proactive check-in, special offer notification, or helpful nudge about the products left behind in an abandoned cart.
Think of IVAs as tools that strengthen your relationship with customers over time. Companies with strong levels of customer success, as measured by high retention rates, grow faster. By supporting the CX team’s efforts, IVAs help create a consistently positive experience that keeps customers coming back.
Aligning Marketing and CX for Long-Term Success
Budget planning season is the ideal time to maximize ROI by prioritizing high-impact, data-driven campaigns. IVAs offer insights that help brands target the audiences who are most likely to engage—including the customers they already have. Never forget that acquiring a new customer can cost five to 25 times more than retaining an existing one. However, budget-friendly, IVA-driven strategies can make a big difference in keeping customers engaged and satisfied.
By collaborating with CX teams and creating a consistent experience, marketing leaders are transforming IVAs into powerful marketing assets. IVAs elevate the ability to personalize campaigns, engage customers meaningfully, and build stronger relationships. And when marketing and CX work hand in hand, you’re not just meeting customer expectations—you’re exceeding them and setting your brand apart.
