{"id":153789,"date":"2021-12-15T19:51:22","date_gmt":"2021-12-16T00:51:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalmainstreet.ca\/?p=153789"},"modified":"2021-12-15T19:51:22","modified_gmt":"2021-12-16T00:51:22","slug":"the-future-of-omnichannel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalmainstreet.ca\/fr\/the-future-of-omnichannel\/","title":{"rendered":"The Future of Omnichannel"},"content":{"rendered":"

The global pandemic changed and shifted many aspects of daily life, especially the way consumers buy and sell. For a business, however, selling online doesn\u2019t necessarily equate to building a sustainable omnichannel strategy. If you\u2019re looking to keep tabs on consumers\u2019 changing habits, learn what\u2019s next in eCommerce, and see what the future holds for\u00a0omnichannel retail<\/a>, this post is for you.<\/p>\n

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What are the key differences between omnichannel vs. multichannel marketing?<\/h2>\n

There probably aren\u2019t any marketing aspects that create more confusion or have more overlap than omnichannel vs. multichannel\u2013two of marketing\u2019s most trending buzzwords.<\/p>\n

Because these two marketing styles have similarities, it\u2019s often tough to distinguish the key differences.<\/p>\n

Multichannel marketing means you\u2019ve got your business in front of consumers everywhere, from your physical store to your website, and social media. While that\u2019s great, there\u2019s a disconnect between all these different channels\u2013silos of data.\u00a0Omnichannel marketing\u00a0<\/a>is everything a multichannel approach offers, only better\u2013everything is connected for a seamless experience. Customers enjoy a single brand experience regardless of the fulfillment channel. But what makes omnichannel marketing a success? According to David Nagy, Founder of\u00a0eCommerce Canada<\/a>, \u201cBrands that do omnichannel marketing well are usually driven by data. They have great customer relationship management; they understand where their customer has come from and the multiple ways that they\u2019ve been touched by the brand [from brick-and-mortar stores to online sales].\u201d<\/p>\n

Multichannel marketing offers all this same customer data, but gathering it requires multiple tactics. Omnichannel ties it all together so you can see all touchpoints a customer has with your brand\u2013all in one place. \u201cOmnichannel is\u2026the holistic global effect of pulling [it] all together and drawing from one resource to do your marketing.\u201d<\/p>\n

How can companies get started with an omnichannel strategy?<\/h2>\n

Before jumping in, guns ablaze, it\u2019s important to take a step back and really understand the differences between a multichannel and omnichannel customer experience. Because omni is one of the newest marketing trends, a small business owner might feel impulsive at first\u2013ready to grab the bull by the horns and hold on in hopes of generating better business.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s really important to get educated about omnichannel vs. multichannel retailing methods first. Managing Lead at\u00a0Digital Main Street<\/a>, Darryl Julott, says, \u201cIf you\u2019re a smaller business, you need to look holistically at your business, your customers, and your current omnichannel marketing strategy to see where you have gaps and where you can actually begin implementing a full-fledged strategy\u201d because you don\u2019t want to get \u201cso far down the road\u201d and \u201cinto the weeds\u201d with no direction. Pull back before you jump in\u2013figure out how you\u2019d be able to \u201ccorrect things and make adjustments on the fly.\u201d<\/p>\n

How have consumer expectations changed over the last two years?<\/h2>\n

The greatest change in consumer expectations has been akin to the 1980s when microwave ovens became the newest gadget for the impatient. Today\u2019s consumers want what they want, when they want it, where they are. Being able to meet customers where they are with a personalized experience through an omnichannel approach is perhaps the most influential aspect of business today. What does this mean for the customer journey? For customer engagement?<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the pandemic started, the first thing we did\u2026was cultivate a superhuman customer experience,\u201d said Laura Carinci, Head of Brand Marketing and Partnerships at\u00a0Jenny Bird<\/a>. \u201cCustomers\u2019 expectations have absolutely increased over the past two years. Customers are at home, and they\u2019re on mobile apps on their phones or tablets. And if they need something, they need it, and they want it right away, they expect a quick response, and they also expect human interaction. Moving away from scripted responses and treating all customer interactions with a one-to-one approach is important. No matter where customers come to you, you\u2019re meeting them there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Can Square\u2019s resources and tools help small businesses start or refine their omnichannel strategy?<\/h2>\n

Square\u2019s resources, such as\u00a0Square Marketing<\/a>,\u00a0Square Messages<\/a>, and even\u00a0Square Point of Sale<\/a>, can help small businesses start or refine their omnichannel strategy across all sales channels. Chris Sheridan,\u00a0Square<\/a>\u2019s eCommerce Head says, \u201cOn Square\u2019s website, we [have] starter kits and setup guides that really outline step-by-step our recommendations for a successful launch [of omnichannel for] food and beverage experiences, physical retailer experiences, or service industry experiences. We rely very heavily on our Seller Community, which is made up of sellers and Square staff answering questions and providing advice. We also have an account management team and folks in Support that are very trained on giving specific advice for sellers.\u201d<\/p>\n

How an effective omnichannel strategy can humanize the eCommerce experience<\/h2>\n

Really nailing the omnichannel strategy comes down to meeting the customer where they are, when they\u2019re ready. This always-on, constant availability adds a human element to a brand. Laura explains, \u201cThe pandemic actually presented a really interesting opportunity to rethink humanizing the one-to-one experience and really becoming customer-centric.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to remember that the medium [you use] is [also] the message. If you\u2019re going to invest in really rich content, you [have] to repurpose it. If you\u2019re sending an email out one day, your Instagram [should] mirror that email to hit the customer in both places. And you need to consider that you may have a different customer on TikTok than you do on Instagram. You need each medium to serve its intended purpose or the intended customer that\u2019s going to be there ingesting that content.\u201d<\/p>\n

On challenges businesses face when adopting an omnichannel strategy
\nWhen a small business attempts a big change, such as omnichannel marketing, it can pose challenges the owner might never have considered, such as staffing or customer service issues. Can your business handle it? According to Chris, \u201cStaffing is a huge challenge right now. You have to ask yourself: \u2018Am I staffed enough to support pickup, delivery, and my in-store operations operating [all] at once?\u2019 It can be overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s okay\u2013but having no success or too much success all at once are two sides of the same coin. \u201cI think businesses need to be aware that it\u2019s okay to turn off online ordering sometimes. It\u2019s okay; everyone does it. A lot of these tools are very advanced to provide really good ways to manage your business, and more importantly, manage your staffing and other resources, and prioritize the most important things.\u201d It\u2019s a bit of breathing room.<\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s ahead for omnichannel?<\/h2>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re entering the era of the marketplace, where there\u2019s a demand for understanding marketplaces, development, and new marketplaces\u2014not just Amazon or other online eCommerce sites. The demand for b2b eCommerce is probably as prevalent as direct-to-consumer right now. There is much opportunity for technology and customer experience development that still has to be explored,\u201d says David Nagy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

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