1-800-Flowers has a history of embracing new platforms early. It was one of the first companies to purchase a 1-800 phone number; one of the first companies to power a keyword on AOL; and one of the first to partner with Verizon's data-marketing operation, Precision Marketing Insights.

That enthusiasm for new platforms and new information streams gave the company a head start in the race to keep up with the torrent of data marketers have to think about today. Today at the Ad Age Data Conference, Mr. Shah shared insights into how these partners and data sources have the ability to revolutionize customer relationship management operations. In the years to come, Mr. Shah said, cold, hard data will have the ability to create much more involved, more intimate connections.

As those platforms and networks continue to diversify, Mr. Shah said it will be important for marketers to understand what they do for a brand's customers. Here, he shares his thoughts on how he and his colleagues approach new platforms they're looking to partner with.