Nowadays we hear a lot about the urgency of companies to be present on all channels.
In a recent McKinsey survey , users were given the choice between traditional (or human) interactions, remote interactions, and the self-serve option for autonomous shopping. The result not only showed that the preference was balanced, but that most users expressed that they did not want to give up any of these options.
Statistics prove it: consumers do not opt for a specific channel, they prefer hybrid sales .
Now, have you considered that multichannel is not the same as omnichannel?
Multichannel
Multichannel is a company's ability to be present on different channels through which customers can buy or simply come into contact with the brand.
For example, a company may sell through its own website, on Amazon, in a physical store... and contact customers through its stores, social networks, email, phone calls, etc. This would be an example of multi-channel.
In the case of multi-channel, the company has a range of france whatsapp data channels, but they are not connected to each other.
Omnichannel web - CatalogPlayer
We could say that, in many cases, multichannel is not a concrete strategy, but rather a reality resulting from the needs of the current context. Users who come into contact with the brand are multichannel, so the company applies it and adapts to consumers in this sense. What we could call a reactive, and not a proactive, strategy .
Cross-channel strategies
We could add cross-channel strategies here . In this case, multi-channel is taken a step further. In this case, different aspects of the same purchasing process are carried out on different channels. For example, a cross-channel strategy allows the customer to find out about a product on social networks, reserve it online and then pick it up in a physical store.
That is, with a cross-channel strategy there is a certain continuity between the different channels . However, this does not mean that they are really connected to each other. The customer consciously moves from one channel to another throughout their Customer Journey , but there is no integration of the channels , so it is impossible for the company to track the entire process.
In addition, the customer does not have a comprehensive shopping experience, which greatly increases the chances of abandoning the purchase at some stage of the Customer Journey.
Omnichannel
When we talk about omnichannel, we refer to when the different channels are interconnected with each other and form part of the customer's overall purchasing experience.
In other words, there is an integration of channels that allows the customer to feel secure throughout the Customer Journey, and not moving from one channel to another without knowing exactly where they are.
Multichannel WEB - CatalogPlayer
Omnichannel is the only strategy that ensures a seamless experience , that is, a completely fluid “seamless” customer experience . This makes it easier for the customer to be at the center of the strategy at all times, which is what we call Customer Centricity , an approach that is key in today's sales.
At the same time, this integration of channels is the only way to ensure that the company can monitor the purchasing process at all times.
How to apply omnichannel?
New digital technologies are the key to implementing an omnichannel strategy. There are tools that facilitate the integration of all the company's contact points with consumers.
In the case of B2B sales, a digital Sales Enablement platform is the best way to implement an omnichannel strategy. A platform that allows you to stay connected with the customer throughout the entire Customer Journey in a global way: from the moment they first discover the brand, until they buy and become loyal.
Omnichannel is key to customer loyalty and ensuring that we continue to boost engagement after the purchase.