The customer decides where, when and especially how they buy products and services. They browse products, do research, ask questions, compare, make purchases and return products to the channel that is most convenient for them at the time. They expect that there are multiple roads that lead to Rome, at least to your organization. And it shouldn’t matter which route your customer takes: nothing should get in the way of the customer journey, and thus the customer experience. But how do you ensure that you are accessible through the channels your customers choose and that there is a consistent brand experience across all those channels? You do this by developing and implementing a perfect omnichannel strategy.
It is not only the use of different channels that make the customer journey and thus the ultimate customer experience. It’s also about the service you provide as an organization. So we have included a number of trends in an infographic for you that you need to meet for a perfectly working omnichannel strategy.
What is omnichannel?
First, let’s dwell on what omnichannel actually is. Omnichannel means that different communication channels run flawlessly alongside, through and into each other. The goal is to create the ultimate customer experience. The customer is central and makes the choice through which she contacts your organization. With omnichannel, it is important that there is a uniform and synchronized brand experience across all channels.
Difference between single-, multi-, cross- and omnichannel.
Omnichannel? We already had something like that, right? That’s right. At least it looks like it, yet there are differences between them. There are several different channel strategies on which you can set up your organization. We explain them here for you.
Single channel
In single channel, one channel is offered to the customer. Example is a physical store or just an online shop.
Multichannel
In multichannel, the customer is served through multiple sales channels. These channels can include, for example, a mobile app, physical store and online shop. The channels are not connected and often different departments are responsible for them. Data is not shared with each other, which can lead to differences in pricing, customer experience, brand appearance and customer service. For example, customers cannot order a product online and pick it up offline.
Cross-channel
Crosschannel goes a step further than multichannel. In addition to being served through multiple sales channels, customers can take their journey to purchase through multiple channels. For example, they orient themselves in the mobile Web shop and make the purchase through another channel.
Omnichannel
Omnichannel is practically the same as cross-channel. Only, as told in the beginning, all channels run side by side, through and into each other (over). All information comes from one source and there is the same pricing and brand experience for all channels.
For example, a customer may ask in a bookstore if a particular book is in stock. If it is not, the salesperson can look up whether the book can be delivered to the customer’s home tomorrow. The customer decides to buy the book and provides his address and name. The seller can place the order on the registered account and the customer checks out. The book is delivered to the customer’s home the next day. Who can then find in his account via the app, desktop or on his mobile the complete order history including the book he had ordered in the store.
5 steps to your omnichannel strategy
Now that we know exactly what omnichannel is, it’s time to shape the strategy to create a flawless customer journey and ultimate customer experience. We do this using the following 5 steps:
Step 1: set goals
First, determine why you want to implement an omnichannel strategy. For example, do you want to do this to improve customer loyalty, because you want to increase sales or because you have another goal? Make your goals specific and measurable, for example using the SMART formula. Only then can you measure whether your omnichannel strategy is having the desired effect.
Step 2: know your customer
Omnichannel only really works well when you know who to target. With this strategy, the entire enterprise is designed around the customer’s needs. After all, they choose the channels that fit their situation and needs, and that differs from moment to moment. The organization must be designed to serve the customer in the best way possible and also retain the customer. It is therefore important to analyze your target group as well as possible and know its needs. You can do this by creating a persona of your target group: a fictional person with a detailed description of a user of your product or service.
Step 3: map the customer journey
In a nutshell, the customer journey is the journey the customer takes from the moment the need for a product arises to the purchase and after-sales service. As an organization, you want to be with the customer from the moment the customer gets the inspiration. What steps does the customer go through to their purchase process? What channels do they use to obtain information? And through which channels do they arrive at your website, for example?
This way, you get even more information about your customers’ behavior. Moreover, the idea is to tailor your omnichannel strategy precisely to this customer journey.
Step 4: Implement and create a unified and synchronized brand experience
The strategy has been conceived and worked out. Now it is high time to actually start implementing it. Set up the channels you want to use and create a uniform brand experience. You do this by aligning the content on all channels, creating the same corporate identity and evoking the same feeling in the customer.
The basis for enabling an omnichannel strategy is by integrating all channels into an ERP or CRM system, for example with our Pegamento Contact Center as omnichannel software. This allows you to have all communication come in to and communicate from one place. This ensures that you don’t overlook incoming messages. On social media alone, 55% of requests are not followed up.
In addition, all data is collected in a dashboard that provides the necessary insights for steps 1 and 5. And different applications can be connected and work together through APIs. This way you don’t have to switch between all kinds of screens to look for the right information. Also, all (customer) data is conveniently collected in one place. Nothing is more annoying for a customer than constantly having to share his data or ask his question again. A bummer in the customer experience.
Step 5: optimize and develop
Now that the omnichannel strategy is in place, there is a need to continue to optimize it. This means collecting data and analyzing it. That way you can continue to develop your strategy and improve results.
The ultimate customer experience with the perfect omnichannel strategy
Going through the 5 steps will help you create an omnichannel strategy that fits your target audience and organization. The basics start with knowing your target audience and their customer journey. But also finding a platform from which to execute your strategy. In this way, you ensure that multiple paths with a uniform and synchronized brand experience lead to your organization. The ingredients for an ultimate customer experience.
Want to know more about an omnichannel integration platform? Then contact our experts with no obligation.
