By: Maria Rabadad
According to TechTarget, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) comprises of “practices, strategies, and technologies that companies” are able to take advantage of in order to analyze their customers’ interactions “across different channels,” such as the “company’s website, telephone, live chat, direct mail, marketing materials, and social media.” Knowing how the customers use these resources and for how long will provide managers with enough information to know how to tailor their business to their customers. There are a variety of software options available to aid companies in managing their customers’ use of the company’s resources; Microsoft, SalesForce, and Oracle are among the well-known CRM systems. As exciting as it is to know how the CRM systems operate, more information is available in their websites provided at the end of the blog. This blog post will mostly talk about an exercise app that uses the customer relationship aspect of CRM.
The mobile application is called “Zombies, Run!” It is an app that is meant to either introduce non-runners to running or to enhance expert runners’ running experience. Yes, this means that “Zombies, Run!” provides options for their runners to allow accommodations for those who have never ran before…Like me! I started using the running app in January 2016, when I could not run for more than 45 seconds, but as of today, I am able to run 1.1 miles without stopping and have run a few virtual races and am working my way to participating in live races.
What is it?
Zombies, Run! is an immersive mobile application that provides a zombie apocalyptic storyline to listen to as you walk, run, or jog anywhere! You are able to use the app outside, indoors, while cycling, during a race, and anywhere else. While doing an active activity, story runners are collecting supplies, which can be used to upgrade the runners’ bases either online or right in the mobile application. Not only is Zombies, Run! providing a unique experience already, but the creators, Six to Start & Naomi Alderman, also provide customer relationship features that will give each runner a unique experience.
Customization:
One of the main principles of customer relationship management is being able to provide a unique experience to each customer by providing a service that is customizable. Zombies, Run! provides two apps: Zombies, Run! 5k training and the ‘normal’ Zombies, Run!. The 5k training app is for novice runners who have never ran before; it provides guidance on when to train, how long to run, provides different stretches, etc. while the ‘normal’ Zombies, Run! doesn’t give as much guidance but does provide training sessions in completing more advanced races: 10k, half marathons, etc.
5k training customization is not as grand as the Zombies, Run! app. Besides training for novice runners, the app lets the runners decide which music to play, whether to shuffle the music or not, and what type of tracking the app should use to track steps (GPS tracking or accelerometer for indoor/treadmill use; if accelerometer is selected, options of whether the phone will be held in hand, in an armband, or in a pocket show up for selection in order for accurate tracking).
Zombies, Run! app not only provides a greater selection of options to customize each and every run but it also provides in depth storyline. Customization options include:
- 10k beginner, 10k intermediate, and half marathon beginner training plans
- Preset interval training, runners are able to create their own training
- 5k, 10k, 20k races
- Free run while listening to the “Radio Abel,” a ‘broadcast radio’ with the characters à able to customize the time or distance the characters cut off music to ‘broadcast,’ how to track the workout (step counting, GPS, set a constant pace, or no tracking)
- Ability to turn on or off ‘Zombie chases’ (zombie chases are when the characters say, “Zombies are catching up to you, run!,” and runners have to increase their pace in order to avoid being caught and losing hard earned supplies)
- Length of the run can be customized: the shortest run is 20 minutes and the longest run being 60 minutes
- Selection of music playlist
A lot more features are able to be customized in the running app in order to create a unique experience in every run.
Customer Relationships:
Six to Start & Naomi Alderman, communicate with their fan base through many communication outlets. Being based in London, it is not as difficult for fans around their area to visit them in their office, but they really use social media to their advantage in order to reach fans around the globe: Twitter (specifically), Facebook, Tumblr (their blog), email, and phone. In their Tumblr blog, Six to Start & Naomi Alderman try to incorporate work from their fans, such as advertising fan art and the artists’ pages, asking fans to send in recordings about their running experience to create a mashup to post in their blog, posting about fans’ running accomplishment in their experience, publishing a ‘Community’ blog dedicated especially for fans, and much more community-based publications.
If fans have any issues with the app, there are several ways they are able to contact them for help. A quick tweet through Twitter often results in a fast response from Six to Start & Naomi Alderman, who provide guidance. A help page is also provided featuring FAQs and their solutions, as well as a dedicated link for fans to ask the actors and creators anything (the actors might even record themselves answering the questions!). Offering a way for customers to reach the company in some way to ask for help or for troubleshooting questions is a customer relationship positive; not only will customers receive help but the company will see what they need to improve on either in their instructions or in their products to make it more user-friendly.
Using social media will allow Six to Start & Naomi Alderman to not only reach their audience, but also to also keep track of feedback they receive, giving them ideas on what to change or add to Zombies, Run! This is another important principle in customer relationship management: continually improving the services around the customer’s needs.
Another way Zombies, Run! creates a unique experience is by individualizing their running fan base/ community by calling them ‘Runner 5s;’in the storyline, the runner (you) is called Runner 5 by the other characters. This personalization is what creates a community of Runner 5s in which others who use the app can gather and run together. This customer-relationship is yet another way to create a unique experience with their customers by separating them from other running apps and other runners.
If you are just beginning the healthy journey of working out, or if you are an experienced workout/gym junkie, Zombies, Run! will take you on a journey where you are running in the real world while being a hero in another! Happy Running!
Their Social Media:
The game: https://zombiesrungame.com/
Tumblr/Blog: http://blog.zombiesrungame.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zombiesrungame
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zombiesrungame
Help Page: https://sixtostart.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/200201673-Zombies-Run-
Marketing Discussions 
Zombies, Run sounds like a very user friendly app. If I was a runner I would probably try it to help train. I think they gather a lot of information about the consumer through this app. They can find out where you are running, what type of music you like to listen to, information based on your comments. Zombies Run! Should utilize this information that they gather to create advertisements that correspond with the runner. It should be ads that don’t interrupt their training, but could be a good way to reach a specific audience. The more customization they have available, the more they can learn about their consumer. Zombies, Run! Could be a great marketing tool.
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Zombies, Run sounds like a creative app. It is a good app to use for marketing sports gear and running shoes. It would be very beneficial some for someone interested in racing or even running a marathon. It incorporates the user aspect to real life.
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I personally love the idea of customization of app. It is very meaningful for customers to use an app which is designed to fit their needs and wants. I would like to such customization in other industries too.
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This app sounds like it makes people enjoy running a little more. I like that it is a creative app and motivates people to keep going. It would be good for marketing other types of exercise gear because it has customization options, which people tend to like.
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I have never heard this app before. After the presentation and the article introduced this App. I feel it’s very interesting and I would like to have a try. I think this app is very creative, and it motivate people who really like sports and enjoy sports. As it fills many people’s needs, I think it has large space to develop.
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i feel like this app was made for people to enjoy going on runs more. It is also a creative app and provides motivation. I think they could improve by marketing some excercise gear and I think others would agree with that.
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I think this app is awesome. I know it is something that I would use, and might even give me more of an incentive to workout and get running. I think based on the customization and ways to find out what the customer likes, it could work as a great marketing tool. Their could be advertisements created based on the type of music the user listens to, what destinations they seem to go to, what stores and places are along the way of where they run. There seems to be a great amount of possibilities as well as success for this app. I think it is a great idea, and very neat!
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I think that this app is creative, unique and motivational. Pairing Zombie Run with athletic wear, sneakers and other exercise programs, as other people have mentioned, would be a great marketing tool. This reminds me of Nike plus where experiences with Nike products were enhanced through the use of an app.
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I love APPs like these. Anything that can get be more excited about an activity I do or want to do or maybe even struggle with is a win in my book. I also like the online community where a person can get support and encourage others that may be struggling or having trouble staying motivated. These are great marketing tools to get people interested in products and events.
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I loved hearing about this type of application. Having a workout companion that accommodates and personalizes music, routes, and timing is what motivates people and adds that gamification. The whole point is to create a better experience in whatever the user is doing. I do agree that marketers can benefit from this type of personalization if they can target users that already have that interest. Working off an app that already has that brand positioning is key.
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This is app sounds very fun and interesting and if I was a runner I would probably use it. It could be a great marketing tool if you found out what the customers interests were. I think this app is going to grow in the future and as word of mouth spreads more people will hear about it.
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I can see myself enjoying this app. It could be a big hit in the fitness demographic. It seems like a very easy user friendly app that can be used not only for more experience runners but the runners starting out. As the fitness market is growing the app will do very well
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“Zombies, Run!” is an interesting app to encourage both runners and non-runners to run more and to have more fun when exercising. It incorporates a video game type feel by runners earning points if they run fast enough to avoid the zombies. It is a creative way to encourage exercise, especially involving a long-term activity.
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Great presentation and article!! I feel as though this app could have a lot of potential! There aren’t many things out there such as this and I agree with Meg that not only is it a game but it is also encouraging people to get up and start moving and exercising! As a Health major, we are constantly talking about different ways to get people up and moving and I think that this is a great way! Definitely something which could be seen as getting much more involved in the future.
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This is a great app! I have seen the apps for the couch to 5K training to get people moving but this app seems to go one step further and actually get people interested and interact with the app. I have tried doing the running thing and have just not been able to get into it. Something like this may actually get me into it because you are not just running you are actually interacting with the app and making your run more interesting. Great article and concept!
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