Today, many companies include the term "omnichannel" in their strategies, and although not everyone knows exactly what it means, 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 brick-and-mortar stores to online platforms and social media, customers expect a smooth and consistent experience across all touchpoints.
As we have pointed out, 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 sets us apart from multichannel.
To achieve true omnichannel capability, there must be a methodical approach, and this only occurs if the following conditions are met:
- AVAILABILITY: Ability to execute any customer journey across all existing channels, interrupt it at any stage, and continue it on the same or another channel without any extra effort required for the change.
- PERSISTENCE: Having the ability to allow the customer to switch from one channel to another in the middle of a journey, without losing information or requiring the customer to redo any work. This ensures sustained, continuous, and permanent management of the steps taken, which is required for any customer management process.
- TRACEABILITY: The ability to obtain information about the status of any type of management or request, in any of the channels, regardless of which channel(s) were involved in the management up to that point.
- HISTORY: Centralized access to management history, including all interactions, usage, or concerns raised by customers over time, regardless of the channel through which these actions were performed or the channel through which the query is made.
In conclusion, omnichannel retailing is not a matter of systems, but of customer experience. It is not something that depends on IT, but rather on having a truly centralized base. Whether in physical stores, websites, mobile applications, or social networks, the goal is to offer a seamless and consistent shopping experience at any point of contact. With an omnichannel strategy, companies can provide customers with the ability to interact and conduct transactions 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 goals and, therefore, maximize their profits. So when a company asks us for help with its strategies, to confirm that the omnichannel objectives set out are being met and taking into account the Omnichannel Maturity Model (OMM) framework, we propose the following project stages:
- Diagnosis: Identify the level of omnichannel customer journeys through comprehensive and exhaustive studies and analyses of the current situation, detecting gaps, and prioritizing actions for improvement.
- 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, which translates into greater customer satisfaction, increased brand loyalty, and ultimately, a competitive advantage in today's market.
Channel management must be based on each "Customer Mission," and it is important to bear in mind that customers do not value having more channels, but rather that the existing channels are omnichannel. The true success of the strategy will not make headlines for using the most advanced ChatBot together with ChatGPT, but rather for the persistence of a consistent and fluid experience. Apple, for example, is a paradigm of omnichannel and does not use chatbots at all. There must be a reason for that, right?
In an increasingly competitive and digitized business environment, investing in an omnichannel strategy has become a necessity for companies that want to remain relevant and meet changing customer demands.
In addition, an omnichannel strategy allows 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 touchpoints, from physical stores to websites and social media, an omnichannel strategy gives companies the opportunity to increase their reach, tap into new market segments, and create a significant competitive advantage.
Photo by Adrian Trinkaus on Unsplash
