Back in the day, marketing was simple. You could use one of three primary advertising channels — newspapers, TV, and in-store ads. Then, we have the Internet and mobile devices — a lot has changed for business owners and customers. Nowadays, customer journeys have multiple touchpoints. The key to success is to provide users with a seamless and integrated shopping experience — from the first touchpoint to the last. This is what the omnichannel approach is about. A ‘frictionless’ service across diverse platforms strengthens your customer relationship, thus leading to higher conversion rates and ROI. With an omnichannel experience, your customers can reach you instantly. Your brand is literally ‘one click away.’ This also means that your brand is exposed to a broader audience. Furthermore, if your brand is visible and reachable on various devices and platforms, it’s a much higher possibility that your customers will stay loyal. They don’t have to make much effort to interact with your brand or make another purchase. What is more, the complex approach with all touchpoints covered keeps your users satisfied. They won’t seek another solution. The omnichannel experience fulfills their needs.
Omnichannel experience results in higher conversion rates because the users can move between channels seamlessly. What are the differences between omnichannel and multichannel experiences? Here’s a short list:
1. Multichannel:
– The users can access various options via different channels;
– The options are not integrated and synchronized – they vary by channel. 2. Omnichannel:
– The users can access a broad spectrum of options via different channels;
– The options are the same for each channel, thanks to synchronization and integration.
Although both experiences use multiple channels, they’re not the same. A quick example – using the omnichannel experience, the user can perform the same action (i.e., make a payment) via an app or website – on a tablet or other mobile device or desktop. Multichannel does not work that way – it may ‘force’ the user to use the app, as the option can be unavailable on a desktop. Think of it as a user – which option is more convenient for you? No doubt you would want to use all the features, no matter what device or channel you use.
According to a study presented on Customerthink.com, the companies that implemented the omnichannel approach experienced benefits that are crucial for their success in the long term. These benefits are:
– Retain over 89% of their customers;
– Noted a 9.6% rise in annual revenue.
Omnichannel experience also affects your brand’s awareness and perception — the message and pitch for your products or services stay cohesive on every channel. Moreover, the omnichannel experience provides massive loads of data about your customers’ behavior. With so many touchpoints covered and various platforms and devices used, it’s easier to figure out and implement an effective strategy for further marketing actions.
Personalization is crucial for being successful in business. We mean personalized offers, of course. Why should you not underestimate this topic? Again, we have numbers that speak for themselves. According to Epsilon, 80% of shoppers purchase if the offer is personalized. Also, Forrester Consulting found that 77% of consumers are willing to pay more/recommend or return to a brand that offers tailored-to-needs service or experience. Stay cohesive and relevant in your communication. It pays off.
The omnichannel approach is about users’ experience and consistency in all channels. From a business perspective, the omnichannel strategy delivers customer satisfaction and money to your company. Here’s a summary of what you need to know about the omnichannel experience:
– It’s about personalization in a brand-new dimension;
– Remember about fast and efficient payment methods;
– Innovative technologies are welcome;
– Integrate social content to achieve better results;
– Use technologies to provide 24/7 customer service.
Customers want to save time and have a convenient way to get what they need. Personalization saves time — they are provided with tailored-to-needs offers to spend time researching and checking the product or service. Returning customers want to skip the stages of entering the card number, billing address, and any other information. Use safe and fast payment checkouts to help your customers make instant purchases. Attractive offer? Maybe you should consider AR and VR while creating a new customer journey. Social media are powerful, and you can sell your products and services directly there. The question is — can you afford not to use the potential of social media? As for 24/7 customer service — your customers can make purchases anytime. This means they can have questions anytime, so think of a solution for their convenience.
The omnichannel experience puts your customers at the center of your strategy. Why is this the best option? Your customers are using various channels. If you wanted to reach them with separate pieces of content via each channel, you would have to put a lot of effort into that action. It is time-consuming and requires other resources to succeed (i.e., additional team members to perform many tasks). By implementing the omnichannel approach, you save your resources. You provide your users with relevant and consistent content (and experience) across all platforms. Furthermore, your brand gains a single view of the customer through all channels. This solution requires less effort and provides precise results.
Our client – Itaka – is a perfect example in the described field. The Itaka and Axabee collaboration provides a seamless and integrated experience for users. We created complex solutions and developed the omnichannel strategy simultaneously. In the realm of mobile app development, we have built one of the biggest e-Commerce services for purchasing organized trips – in Poland and worldwide. What is worth emphasizing is that the website is available in multiple languages and enables users to pay in various currencies. Also, there are other options, such as mobile applications and additional solutions – like RevBee (reviews collection system). Our solutions allow users to access various channels with a seamless and convenient experience. That does not mean we forgot about traditional media – the brick-and-mortar points. Itaka’s client can start purchasing a trip in one of the offices and finalize the process via mobile device. It also works oppositely – we care about our customers, providing them with complex solutions. Itaka’s users can purchase a trip most comfortably via 'analog’ or digital channel, or both.
What’s important – our solutions are dedicated to various platforms, such as:
– Mobile devices (including tablets);
– Desktops;
– Brick-and-mortar points;
– TV ads.
This is truly a great example of what an omnichannel approach should look like. Tailored-to-needs communication, contactless and instant payments, responsive website version, and all this is constantly evolving. It’s e-Commerce and m-Commerce combined, with cohesive communication and user-centric strategy. Thanks to Axabee, you can experience the omnichannel approach and get into the user’s shoes. Do you want your brand to provide such an experience to your customers? Then, higher conversion rates and a rise in ROI are at your fingertips — contact us. We will make your business level up!