OMNICHANNEL, DISCOVER ITS ADVANTAGES
Omnichannel consists of offering the customer an integrated, well-structured and consistent experience through all possible channels with which they interact. In other words, its objective is to offer the customer a satisfactory shopping experience, regardless of the way in which they interact with our brand.
In summary, omnichannel is a communication model that we use to improve our customers' experience, allowing them to be constantly in contact with our company through different channels at the same time. In this way, the client can connect with us through our physical location (our physical store, our offices or our warehouses), our website, but also through our social networks, live chat, mobile applications, the telephone communication, email or SMS.
The objective of omnichannel is for all these channels to be intertwined, so that the customer can access the information they need at the time they want and in the way they prefer, thus preventing them from escaping to the competition. As all the channels are related, the client can find what he is looking for in the shortest possible time.
Omnichannel is not the same as multichannel
It is common to confuse the concepts omnichannel and multichannel. But the truth is that they are not the same. The multi-channel experience has been around for years in the world of eCommerce. By combining an online store with a physical store we are already offering a multichannel experience. It consists of offering the client the possibility of choosing between a few channels that are not aligned with each other. In reality, it is the company that decides on behalf of the customer which channel is the most suitable for the customer experience.
Omnichannel offers a much more coordinated experience in which the customer is the protagonist. All the information is perfectly coordinated and agreed in all the channels and the client can always choose which channel to choose.
In an omnichannel experience, we will have the possibility to place an order online and choose to pick up at a physical store or home delivery. On the other hand, the return conditions and payment methods will be the same in the physical store, the online store and in the app.
Advantages of omnichannel
Increases customer satisfaction
The client, when he contacts our company, does not see the different channels that we offer. For the user there is only the brand. Only a correct omnichannel experience offers a complete brand image to our client, further strengthening the bond that unites us with him.
Companies with a consolidated omnichannel strategy retain 89% of their customers on average. The average customer retention in eCommerce is 39%, so the retention increase is considerable.
Increase in conversions
Contrasting the same information on different channels conveys a sense of trust to the customer. That translates into increased conversions.
Immediacy
Customer response time is reduced, as long as the different channels are well managed. At present, for the client, immediacy has become a requirement and offering an effective solution in the shortest possible time increases the positive emotional impact towards the brand.
bidirectional information
The advantages of omnichannel go both ways. The communication flow is reciprocal, it goes from the client to the company and vice versa. This presence of dialogue makes the client feel part of the communication experience.
Loyalty
One of the biggest advantages of omnichannel is loyalty. Thanks to the closeness, the proximity and the double communication that this strategy generates.
New customers
It is also possible to get new customers from brands with less visibility through omnichannel.