Nowadays, there are many companies that have the term "omnichannel" in their strategies and although not everyone knows what it means exactly, we have all heard it at least once.
It is important not to confuse the term "omnichannel" with "multichannel". In multichannel, there is no dialogue between the different operations. The concept of "omnichannel" is a natural evolution of multichannel and seeks to provide customers with an integrated and seamless experience across all available channels. From traditional physical stores to online platforms and social media, customers expect a seamless and consistent experience across all touch points.
As we have noted, the term "omnichannel" refers to a business strategy that seeks to provide customers with a consistent and seamless experience across all available communication and sales channels. This involves the integration of different platforms and channels, and is the key factor that differentiates us from multichannel.
In order to have a true onmicanality, there must be a methodical approach and this only happens if it is given:
- AVAILABILITY: Possibility to run any customer journey through all existing channels, interrupt them at any stage, and be able to continue them in the same, or in another channel, without any extra effort for the change.
- PERSISTENCE: Having the ability to allow the customer to move from one channel to another in the middle of a Journey, without loss of information or need for rework by the customer. Having in this way a sustained, continuous and permanent management of the steps taken that any customer management requires.
- TRACEABILITY: Ability to obtain information about the status of any type of management or request, in any of the channels, regardless of the channel(s) involved in the management up to that moment.
- HISTORY: Centralized access to the history of transactions, including all interactions, use or concerns raised by customers over time, regardless of the channel through which these transactions were made or the channel through which the query was made.
In conclusion, omnichannel is not a systems issue, but a customer experience issue. It is not something that depends on IT but on having a truly centralized foundation. Whether it's physical stores, websites, mobile apps or social networks, the goal is to deliver a seamless and consistent shopping experience at any touchpoint. With an omnichannel strategy, companies can provide customers with the ability to interact and transact conveniently across multiple channels, allowing them to switch seamlessly between them according to their preferences and needs.
At BRAINTRUST our mission is to help our clients achieve their objectives and, therefore, maximize their profits. So when a company asks us for help with their strategies, to confirm that the omnichannel objectives are met and considering the Omnichannel Maturity Model (OMM) framework, the following project stages are proposed:
- Diagnosis: Identify the level of omnichannel customer journeys through exhaustive and comprehensive studies and analysis of the current situation, detecting gaps, and prioritizing actions for evolution.
- Design: Design the omnichannel journeys that have been prioritized in the previous stage, following the strategy and including the construction of a detailed implementation roadmap, as well as estimates of effort and impact.
- Implementation: Follow up on implementation, supporting the coordination of internal teams, documenting improvements, training teams, monitoring potential gaps (design vs. construction) and proposing alternative solutions.
By implementing an effective omnichannel strategy, companies can offer their customers a consistent and seamless experience across all available communication and sales channels, resulting in increased customer satisfaction, greater brand loyalty and thus gaining a competitive advantage in today's marketplace.
Channel management must be articulated from each "Customer Mission" and it is important to keep in mind that Customers do not value having more channels, but that the existing ones are Omnichannel with each other. The real success of the strategy will not make headlines for using the most advanced ChatBot together with the help of ChatGPT but for the persistence of a consistent and seamless experience. Apple is, for example, a paradigm of omnichannel and does not use Chabots at all. There's a reason, isn't there?
In an increasingly competitive and digitized business environment, investing in an omnichannel strategy has become a necessity for companies that want to stay relevant and meet changing customer demands.
In addition, an omnichannel strategy enables companies to collect valuable data on customer behavior and preferences across multiple channels, providing key insights for strategic decision making and offer personalization. By connecting all touch points, from physical stores to websites and social media, an omnichannel strategy gives companies the opportunity to increase their reach, reach new market segments and create a significant competitive advantage.
Photo by Adrian Trinkaus on Unsplash
