Personalization is key, but it's a journey: Google

Becoming a more digital business is about more than just throwing ideas against the wall to see what sticks—it requires trust between agency partners, a sense of curiosity and a willingness to share business objectives. And, it's a process.

This is all part of what Natalie Green, head of industry: food and beverages at Google Canada, called a data-driven journey that starts with the initial focus on tech and ends at "mecca"—multi-moment marketing that allows company's to personalize the customer experience.

In the past, businesses used to cast a wide net when trying to connect with customers in meaningful ways; today, it's more like using "insights to go fly fishing," and Google can "hopefully help accelerate the process," said Green during a Q&A session Monday morning at Restaurants Canada’s annual trade show and conference in Toronto.

Green used Domino's Pizza as an example of a company that was once stagnant, but successfully transitioned into an innovation and data-driven organization.

A decade ago the American pizza restaurant chain was faced with a decline in marketshare and stock prices—today it's changing the way people order pizza. For instance, Domino's launched a pizza-builder app and also a feature that allowed consumers to follow the progress of their delivery order from the oven to their door.