It’s Sunday morning in a busy business hotel in a major U.S. city. You flew in late last night from Heathrow, and now you’re nursing a bit of jet lag. With hours to spare before meetings kick off, you ponder whether to step out for coffee or shoot a text to your colleagues to see if they’re awake.
Scrolling through social media, it hits you: across the ocean, 20 Formula One drivers are about to start a race that could clinch the World Driver’s Championship. You switch on the TV, but it’s all local cable and news. Not the best. Instead, you grab your tablet, connect to the hotel Wi-Fi, and dive into the F1TV app. In moments, you’re listening to David Croft and Martin Brundle, feeling right at home in your hotel room.
This access is a clear sign of how far Formula One has come since Liberty Global took over in 2017. Back then, Bernie Ecclestone controlled everything, running a B2B operation that focused on hosting races and selling broadcast rights. Evolving from that rigid structure, Liberty saw the potential for deeper connections with fans. Matt Kemp, F1’s head of CRM and customer operations, said that when Liberty came in, the fan database was barely a blip. They recognized the importance of understanding their audience better to build a direct-to-consumer strategy.
With new funding and a fresh approach, F1’s teams embraced innovation. Before, they were stuck in a cycle of data collection, churning out emails week after week without a coherent strategy. They realized they needed to unify the data to enhance the fan experience and attract a younger audience. By 2018, the launch of F1TV and a Netflix partnership with “Drive to Survive” marked a turning point for engaging fans.
Fast forward to now, and the numbers speak for themselves. Nearly half of F1’s fans are aged 18-34, and there’s a significant rise in female viewers. Matt reflects that the exciting racing of 2024 is the result of years of hard work to refresh the sport.
Teaming up with Salesforce in 2019 was a game changer. F1 junked Excel spreadsheets for a comprehensive CRM system, allowing the organization to manage ticketing and fan outreach more effectively. This shift has helped F1 craft personalized experiences for fans, from tailored emails to unique engagement strategies based on individual preferences. Kemp mentions that open rates for emails have jumped by 27% thanks to this more focused approach.
After someone buys a ticket to an event, they enter a personalized journey. F1 provides essential information, making sure fans are ready for race day with parking details and weather alerts. For premium experiences, Kemp envisions greeting guests personally and anticipating their needs, enhancing the overall experience.
But let’s not forget, fewer than 1% of fans attend races. Many are just drawn to the glamor of the sport, following their favorite drivers off the track. This wasn’t something Ecclestone would have considered, but it’s now a key area for F1 to explore.
As Salesforce rolls out new AI capabilities, F1 is keen to integrate these tools into fan engagement, particularly for handling inquiries. With 70% of incoming queries related to the F1TV app, there’s plenty to address. Kemp explains they’ve been testing AI to streamline interactions, minimizing response times and boosting satisfaction rates.
For now, the AI won’t interact directly with fans. Kemp emphasizes the importance of ensuring every response meets the highest standards before it’s used publicly. While there’s potential for fans to engage with AI for simple tasks like password resets, more complex issues will require a human touch.
The bottom line? Trust is paramount. F1 must ensure its use of fan data yields valuable, accurate responses that become part of an enhanced support system. AgentForce should boost efficiency and quality alongside human efforts.
As for the lighter side of F1, Roscoe Hamilton is enjoying some beach time and snagging attention on social media. And by the way, Max Verstappen secured another championship.