Connecting with customers, improving convenience and providing a better experience are 3 of the things customers are always wanting.
But how can businesses provide these key areas – they need to use omnichannel.
In this article, we’ll explain why omnichannel is important for your business.
What is omnichannel?
Omnichannel is a strategy for businesses to create a seamless shopping experience for all customers, whether they’re on desktop, mobile, in-store, or any other platform.
A business with an omnichannel strategy would mean customers will have a consistent experience with each platform they visit. They can also expect the same experience with the brand’s image, tone and messaging.
Why omnichannel is important?
Omnichannel can be a key implementation for your business. It provides a consistent experience across all platforms, no matter where your customers are. However, there are so many other impactful elements to using an omnichannel approach.
Improve lifetime value
Omnichannel will increase the customer lifetime value by using multiple channels to support their customers. As customers visit all channels, they’ll continually see deals, sales, perks, and other interactions from the business.
The constant exposure of a company (in a non-pushy way) breaks down the barriers easier for customers to take it upon themselves to interact with the business.
*Quick tip – the easier a customer can interact with your business the better. Limit the number of barriers it takes for a customer to connect with you.
Improve retention rates
Omnichannel provides an increase in retention rates with a 90% increase compared to a single channel. Businesses that only operate on a single channel, are missing out on exposure and the chance for customers to connect with them.
Omnichannel uses multiple channels to connect with your customers. All of these different channels with the same messaging and image of your business all continually move the customer in the same direction.
CRM software can also help with retention rates. Read more from our article about customer retention.
Improve customer experience
Customers are expecting a better experience with each business they interact with. Adopting an omnichannel approach for your business can quickly create a better customer experience.
Whether a customer visits the website on desktop or mobile, social media, or in person, they can continue to have a consistent experience.
Another way to increase customer experience is for a business can gain data on one channel and use it on another. No matter the channel the customer can pick up right where they left off.
Examples of omnichannel
Reading about omnichannel doesn’t always create a clear image, let’s see a few in action.
The popular coffee chain Starbucks creates a seamless omnichannel experience across all of these platforms.
Starbucks uses social media, its app, its website and in-store to connect with customers.
All of the messaging and branding across this platform is consistent, even down to the staff interacting with customers.
It creates a familiar experience so you know what you’re getting with each interaction no matter the platforms. A step further into Starbucks’ omnichannel strategy is with the app.
The app lets you order ahead and pay or pay through the app while in the store. It creates an easy-to-use experience for the customer.
Another business using omnichannel to its advantage is Amazon.
Amazon provides a seamless experience across desktop, mobile or even on their app.
You always know how to comfortably use Amazon because everything stays consistent.
Amazon even goes a step further, by syncing data between platforms. If you add an item to your account on the app, you can expect that item to be on the desktop as well.
Or if you’re searching for a product on the desktop site, you can receive similar recommendations on the app.
One key takeaway from these examples is familiarity. Customers like it when things stay consistent. They know what to expect and they know how to use it. This is one of the reasons omnichannel is so effective as part of your strategy.
