How to Build an Omni-Channel Customer Experience for Retail Success

When it comes to customer engagement,  retailers have  more opportunities – and more challenges – than ever before. On one hand, there are more ways to engage with a new generation of mobile-first, digitally connected consumers. On the other, the ubiquity of technology in our everyday lives is blurring the lines between the physical and virtual worlds. Because of this, consumers expect brands to connect the dots across every engagement, whether they are visiting your retail store, calling your customer service desk, or connecting with your social media accounts. The modern consumer demands an omni-channel customer experience (CX) – personalized, meaningful brand engagements that occur seamlessly across all screens and devices. Omni-channel CX isn’t just a good idea, its a MUST for retailers that wish to remain competitive in the marketplace. Failure to make this a top priority could spell big trouble for your business in the long run.  

Meet Customers Where They Are

Sears’ descent into bankruptcy shows what can happen when retailers fail to invest in omni-channel CX. The 126-year-old retail giant held steady growth for more than a century and was once the nation’s largest retailer.  Sears dominated the retail market for decades with tactics like innovative product advertising, consumer education and corporate branding, even during economic downturns. But even giants fall. Despite having previously survived many market calamities throughout its history, Sears found itself in the throes of bankruptcy in late 2018, during a period of economic expansion.  Where did the retailer go wrong and what can other companies learn from their mistakes? The downfall of Sears offers important lessons for retailers. Sears didn’t fail because they fell behind on technology; in fact, they were one of the pioneers of the online retail space. Website functionality is certainly important for retailers, but the offline-to-online customer experience is ultimately what matters most. While Sears did a great job of staying current on technology, they did little to connect with their customers between online and offline channels. Today’s customers expect brands to provide  a personalized experience that occurs seamlessly across every channel. In today’s highly competitive market, retailers need to meet customers where they are and get their attention. Customers won’t be compelled to buy from you if they don’t feel a connection with your brand.  

Apply People-Based Marketing

Traditional marketing uses a multi-channel approach, which segments media campaigns by channel, such as linear television and digital media. The problem with this approach is that it creates silos in which data sets are disconnected from each other. Today’s brands must move toward a people-based marketing strategy, where the customer is the central focal point.  A people-based marketing strategy moves multichannel interactions into an omni-channel focus,  helping you gain a clear picture of how your customers interact with your brand across every channel. People-based marketing puts the customer at the core to ensure a completely consistent, unified experience at every touch point.         The Aberdeen Group  reports that businesses with strong omni-channel customer engagement strategies retain 89 percent of their customers compared to only 33 percent for companies with weak strategies.  Acting now could give you a heavy leg up on the competition.  Consider these recent findings:  

• By 2020, the demand for an omni-channel customer experience will be amplified by the need for nearly perfect execution.
• Just 9% of businesses have fully functioning systems that allow them to  consistently engage customers across channels
• Only 26% of companies have yet to take any action regarding an omni-channel strategy.

User profiles are a powerful tool for retailers looking to improve omni-channel CX . Profiles allow shoppers to take purchase and browsing history with them across channels. A user profile simplifies the process of multi-channel shopping. Customers can begin shopping online and visit brick-and-mortar stores to complete their transactions in person. Smartphone app technology can help simplify the online to offline customer experience by offering coupons and discounts, interactive in-store catalogs, and in-stock availability at brick-and-mortar locations. While retailers like Sears are struggling to adapt to the new omni-channel CX, others are revamping their systems to stay competitive in the marketplace. Big retailers like Target and Walmart are doubling down on their investments in technology to connect CX across their brick-and-mortar shops and e-commerce stores. Their investments reflect how important it is for retailers to build seamless CX across every channel that meet increasing expectations of today’s consumers .