What’s New in Dynamics 365 Customer Insights – Journeys
Microsoft’s latest updates to Dynamics 365 Customer Insights – Journeys offer powerful tools for marketers, enhancing audience segmentation, improving compliance, and streamlining engagement. This November update introduces several impactful features—from journey splits and double opt-in compliance to enhanced segment data exports and conditional journey steps—that make it easier than ever to create tailored customer interactions. In this blog, we’ll explore these new features and how they can help elevate your marketing strategy in Dynamics 365.
Key Takeaways
- Journey Splits: Segment audiences for targeted experiences.
- Double Opt-In: Improve compliance and engagement.
- Segment Data Export: Export data for offline analysis.
- Wait for Segment Membership: Personalise journeys based on segment entry.
- Flexible Channel Enforcement: Customise enforcement for SMS and custom channels.
- Form Layout Enhancements: Improved accessibility and responsivity.
November 2024 Update
Split Audience into Groups for Unique Customer Experiences
The new journey split tile in Dynamics 365 Customer Insights – Journeys enables marketers to divide audiences into distinct groups. Whether you need a random subset or a specific number of customers for targeted messaging, the split tile provides a solution.
How It Works
Marketers can use percentage-based splits for randomness or number-based splits for specific audience targeting. This feature is especially useful for sending surveys, testing new experiences, or offering limited-time promotions.
- Example: Imagine you want feedback from a small group. Using the split tile, you can select a subset for a survey, sparing time and configuration.
Improve Engagement and Compliance with Double Opt-In
Ensuring customer engagement while meeting privacy laws is easier with the double opt-in feature. After a customer subscribes, they receive a follow-up email to confirm their subscription preferences.
Benefits of Double Opt-In
- Improves compliance with data protection laws.
- Enhances brand experience by reducing spam complaints and bounce rates.
- Builds trust: Customers who opt-in are likely to engage, improving open and click-through rates.
Marketers can choose whether to send the confirmation email after every form submission or only for new subscribers, providing flexibility for different campaign needs.
Export Segment Membership Data for Offline Analysis
Customer segmentation often requires offline analysis for deeper insights. The segment data export feature supports up to 100,000 rows per segment.
How to Use Segment Data Export
- Export directly to Excel without complex integration.
- Predefined columns include Contact/Lead ID, First Name, Last Name, Email, and Phone Number.
- Custom columns are not supported currently, maintaining data simplicity and consistency.
Wait on Segment Membership to Trigger the Next Step in a Journey
Adding more control to customer journeys, marketers can now wait for customers to join a specific segment before proceeding to the next step. This wait-for-segment capability personalises the journey based on real-time actions or criteria.
Example Use Case
If a journey involves sending an activation email for credit cards, marketers can wait until the customer activates the card before sending a follow-up welcome email. If activation doesn’t occur, a reminder email can be sent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the main new features in Dynamics 365 Customer Insights – Journeys?
The recent updates include audience split capabilities, double opt-in for email compliance, segment data export, the wait-for-segment feature, and expanded channel enforcement models.
Q. How can I split my audience in Customer Insights – Journeys?
Using the journey split tile, you can divide your audience based on percentages for randomness or specific numbers for targeted experience, allowing more personalised campaigns.
Q. What is the benefit of double opt-in?
Double opt-in ensures better compliance with privacy laws, improves sender reputation, and enhances customer engagement by confirming customer intent to receive future communications.
Q. Can I export segment data in Customer Insights – Journeys?
Yes, the export segment data feature supports up to 100,000 rows, allowing detailed analysis of customer segments offline. The export includes basic customer details but doesn’t currently support custom attributes.
Q. What does the wait-for-segment feature do?
The wait-for-segment feature lets you pause a journey until a customer enters a specific segment. This enables conditional actions based on real-time customer behaviour, such as waiting for a credit card activation before sending additional emails.
Q. When will outbound marketing be discontinued in Customer Insights – Journeys?
Microsoft will remove the outbound marketing module from Customer Insights – Journeys on June 30, 2025. Users are encouraged to transition to real-time journeys before this date to prevent service interruptions.
Q. How can I access the latest updates in Customer Insights – Journeys?
Updates are pushed automatically to instances of Customer Insights – Journeys. However, you can also manually update by following instructions provided by Microsoft.
Q. Can I try Dynamics 365 Customer Insights for free?
Yes, Microsoft offers a 30-day free trial of Dynamics 365 Customer Insights, allowing users to explore new features and assess how the tool fits their marketing needs.