We talk quite a bit more about multichannel than omni-channel for a number of reasons. Omnichannel gets a little too much hype, and it’s only one piece of the overall puzzle. It’s one aspect of a new kind of strategy that will be required to be successful in tomorrow’s retail climate.
Omni-channel won’t get you there on its own, but it’s still important to understand. So, this week we’re featuring three good articles about “omnichannel”. What is it? How does it help your business? How do you do it?
Omni-channel Customer Experience
Just what is an omnichannel customer experience?
While I don’t agree with the writer’s claim that “omni-channel goes much further than multichannel”, his insight about omni-channel is otherwise helpful. It’s a good explanation of how important it is to provide a seamless experience across all customer touchpoints. A customer moving from your mobile app to your Facebook page to your brick & mortar store should feel like they interacted with the same company the whole time.
Incidentally, we believe that multichannel technology is the engine under the hood of that omni-channel experience.
Omni-channel Marketing
How Companies Are Using Omni-channel Marketing to Reach Customers
This infographic details some key metrics about the adoption of omni-channel marketing. Some notable stats:
- 78% expect or realize a sales life with an integrated omni-channel strategy
- 84% consider the website a critical touchpoint (interestingly on 24% only consider brick & mortar critical)
- 62% have plans to implement an omni-channel strategy
Bear in mind, this is a marketing-focused survey. But, the “complete view of the customer” and cross-channel experience are clearly priorities.
Retail Store Relevance
Increasing the Relevance of the Retail Store Environment
Retail stores and eCommerce websites are doing an interesting dance for customers. Some people participate in showrooming, where they visit the store to check out products, but then buy online. Others are “webrooming” where they do the opposite. This article dives into how you can optimize the experience of your retail store to capitalize on these behavioral changes your customers are making.
Join The Conversation