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What is Omnichannel?
Omnichannel is a strategy that uses all the company’s communication channels in an integrated and synchronous way. Its objective is to strengthen the customer-company relationship and, to this end, it seeks to offer a consistent experience on all channels.
The translation of omnichannel can be described as “all channels” since the prefix “Omni” comes from Latin and means “everything”, and “channel” has an English origin and means “channel”.
What is the Difference Between Omnichannel and Multichannel?
Although the meaning of omnichannel is “all channels”, its concept goes further. The omnichannel concept is based on valuing the customer experience, not the product.
Here, it’s worth making a distinction between omnichannel and multichannel. While the former promotes integration between channels and values the customer journey, the latter focuses on the product since the media work independently.
In addition, the omnichannel concept has the essence of eliminating all barriers between channels, whether online or offline and thus seeks to offer a unique and integrated experience. In contrast, the multichannel experience is segmented.
How does Omnichannel Work?
The client chooses the channel of his preference, suppose it is the company’s website.
While there, investigate the product you like; if the website responds quickly, has good navigability and has an attractive design, the customer will stay on the page and consider purchasing the product or service.
However, you decide to ask questions about the merchandise via chat or phone. These questions have to be answered clearly and in a short time, so the consumer will feel satisfied and will make the purchase or be closer to making it.
You will then return to the company’s website and decide to make the purchase. In this process, you find your preferred payment method and a transparent checkout; that is, your experience is also good, and that is how you make the purchase.
Once at home, the question arises of how to use the product. So you decide to go to the company’s Facebook page and ask the question on the social network, where your query is also answered quickly and efficiently.
After a while, the company employee calls the customer and asks how the purchase process went; the customer clarifies some doubts about the product. Finally, the advisor tells him that he can offer him an exclusive offer on the second product if he makes a second purchase in addition to the effect he purchased.
In other words, the client had a complete and consistent experience both in the online and physical environment, in all the channels they accessed. In other words, he had an omnichannel experience.
What is Omnichannel Marketing?
Omnichannel marketing focuses on the customer and spares no effort to offer a complete and seamless experience on all channels, extending this strategy to the entire brand universe.
In other words, all the company’s channels, from the website, Facebook, chat, WhatsApp and even through commercial support, must be align and know the customer’s history.
What is an Omnichannel Store?
An omnichannel store offers the same experience both online and offline. It focuses on the convergence of all its channels and allows its customers to move between channels without noticing any difference between them.
To-Do This You Must Show
- Unified information
- Prices and data on products/services the same in all channels
- standardized communication
- Same shipping policies for all channels
- Empathetic and humanized service
- A software that concentrates all customer data
To Deliver this Omnichannel Strategy, the Company Needs
- Get to know the person thoroughly
- Understand what stage of the funnel your customer is in to move them to the next step
- Segment the customer base
- Personalize the experience
How Does the Omnichannel Service Work?
The omnichannel service is carried out through a platform that brings together all the company’s communication channels in a single environment.
This omnichannel platform must be able to
- Unify all interactions to optimize responses
- Offer interaction tracking and the ability to prioritize them
- Allow viewing of relevant customer details such as previous conversations and events
- Allow customers to interact with the brand through their preferred applications
- Integration with other tools
- Be open and flexible
What are the Benefits of Omnichannel?
Promotes Customer Loyalty
since the shopping experience is much better because the customer can have the same great experience regardless of the interaction channel chosen.
Increase Sales
According to Harvard Business Review, consumers who use more than five channels spend approximately 9% more in a store than those who access only one.
Improves Brand Reputation
An excellent omnichannel experience brings a positive perception of the company; this encourages users to leave good comments on social networks and other media.
Increases turnover as the purchase journey is positive and its operations are carry out smoothly, the appearance of new orders is stimulated. Furthermore, by navigating between different channels, customers have contact with other goods, contributing to improving sales.
Conclusion
Omnichannel is a communication model use by companies to improve their customers’ experience. Allowing them to be in constant contact with the company through multiple channels simultaneously. It has applications to different financial services, retail, and telecommunications industries.
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