Introduction
Imagine walking into your favorite clothing store and having the employee know your name, past purchases, and even preferred sizes and colors. That’s the power of an omnichannel experience. By creating hyper-personalized and consistent encounters across any consumer touchpoint, brands can increase customer happiness and, in turn, boost sales.
Recently, the Harvard Business Review published a study showing omnichannel customers spend 10% more online and 4% more in-store than single-channel customers —and in a recovering global market, these numbers can make all the difference.
In this article, we’ll discuss this marketing tactic in detail, providing you with an eight-step guide to building an omnichannel experience and helping you deliver something unique: value through convenience.
Omnichannel definition
Omnichannel is a multichannel approach to sales. It seeks to provide customers with a seamless and consistent experience, whether interacting through a brand’s physical stores, website, mobile app, social media, or any other touchpoint.
The end goal of Omnichannel is to create a cohesive and integrated customer journey, regardless of the channel used, to improve customer satisfaction, loyalty, and sales.
What is an omnichannel experience?
Omnichannel experience design looks at the overall customer and brand engagement quality rather than focusing on single-channel exchanges or the most popular channels.
With omnichannel, brands need to create a strategy that offers a comprehensive solution at every potential customer touchpoint.
Omnichannel vs. Multichannel
Multichannel refers to a business approach that uses multiple channels to reach customers and sell products or services. Whether a physical store, an online shop, or a mobile app, customers can use any of these channels to make purchases or seek assistance.
On the other hand, omnichannel takes the multichannel approach one step further by integrating and aligning all channels, providing customers with a seamless and consistent experience. In an omnichannel strategy, all channels work together to create a cohesive customer journey, consistent branding, messaging, and information across all touchpoints.
Omnichannel strives to create a unified and integrated brand experience, whereas multichannel aims simply to be present across multiple channels.
Why your brand should invest in an omnichannel experience
The omnichannel experience is important for several reasons:
- Customer Satisfaction
Omnichannel creates a cohesive and seamless customer experience, leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Increased Sales
An omnichannel approach can increase sales by allowing customers to shop and receive the same support across multiple channels.
- Competitive Advantage
Companies with an omnichannel experience have the edge over competitors due to offering a superior customer experience.
- Better Data Insights
Omnichannel tracking and analytics allow businesses to gather more comprehensive data on customer behavior and preferences. This can inform future decisions and strategies.
- Improved Operations
Omnichannel streamlines operations and reduces friction in the customer journey, making it easier for customers to purchase products and receive support.
Overall, an omnichannel experience gives businesses a better understanding of their customers and offers a more personalized and seamless experience, which drives customer loyalty, engagement, and sales.
Your 8-step guide to building the perfect omnichannel experience
To get started, we recommend following these eight steps:
1. Define your brand identity.
Establish a clear brand identity and consistent messaging across all channels.
2. Gather customer data.
Collect data on customer behavior and preferences, including their preferred channels for communication and purchase.
3. Integrate systems.
Link all systems and channels so customer data can be easily shared and accessed across your organization.
4. Provide a seamless experience.
Ensure the customer experience is seamless and consistent across all channels, with consistent branding, messaging, and information.
5. Personalize interactions
Use customer data to individualize interactions and provide tailored experiences, such as personalized product recommendations or targeted promotions.
6. Invest in technology
Implement technology solutions, such as CRM, marketing automation, and omnichannel analytics, to support an omnichannel strategy.
7. Train employees
Train employees to understand and implement the omnichannel approach and to provide excellent customer service across all channels.
8. Continuously improve
Always gather customer feedback, analyze data, and make adjustments to improve the omnichannel experience.
By following these steps, you’ll be on your way to building the perfect omnichannel experience.
Here are some brand inspirations for omnichannel experiences
1. Starbucks
Starbucks has mastered the art of omnichannel marketing by offering a seamless experience to its customers both online and in-store. They use their mobile app to allow customers to place orders and make payments, track their loyalty rewards, and access exclusive offers. The app also integrates with its in-store ordering systems to create a unified experience.
2. Nike
Nike has an omnichannel approach to marketing that includes a strong online presence, engaging social media campaigns, and an in-store experience designed to inspire and connect with customers. They use their online store to offer personalized product recommendations, and their loyalty program rewards customers for making online and in-store purchases.
3. Amazon
Amazon has made omnichannel marketing a cornerstone of its strategy, allowing customers to purchase products through their website, mobile app, or physical stores. They use data analysis to create a personalized shopping experience for each customer, offering recommendations based on past purchases and browsing behavior. They also offer same-day delivery options and allow customers to return products to physical stores, making the shopping experience as convenient as possible.
4. Sephora
Sephora uses omnichannel marketing to create a seamless online and in-store customer experience. Their mobile app allows customers to book appointments, purchase products, and have exclusive access to offers. They also use augmented reality technology in their app to enable customers to try on makeup virtually, improving the online shopping experience. In-store, Sephora provides a personalized shopping experience, with trained beauty advisors available to assist customers.
What’s next?
Omnichannel experiences are rapidly becoming the new normal. Shoppers expect seamless, integrated experiences, no matter which touchpoint they use, and brands must adapt to deliver a cohesive message and experience across all channels.
The future lies in providing individualized, convenient experiences that meet the customers’ ever-evolving needs. And the brands that embrace omnichannel will be well-positioned to remain competitive in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
