So what is Omni-channel experience & how retailers are using it?

Omni comes from the word Omnis which can mean all or universal.

Omni-channel is about true continuity of your experience and has become heart of Digital Transformation.

Today, we live in an Omni-channel world where we often flip channels to complete a single transaction. We research a purchase on the internet, check social media for peer reviews or friend’s suggestions, ‘showroom’ the products in retail stores, then complete a purchase online or in store and then in case of issues, contact service provider with whatever channel possible.

These Omni-channel customer journeys are complex, but if understood properly, offer limitless opportunities for brands to engage and influence customers in new and exciting ways.

Customers now expect to receive service from your organization on the channel of their choice, which might be voice, email, SMS/text, web, mobile or social media. Companies are beginning to provide service on all of these channels – but too often, those channels may exist in silos. This multi-channel service can be taken to the next level with an Omni-channel solution that integrates channels to provide a consistent customer experience.

Top retailers understand their customers in even greater detail such as gender, demographic, location, website browsing habits, search habits, and where they shop in-store. They track the customer's journey through each channel, like TV, display, search, email, and direct mail providing a holistic view of how a valuable customer makes a purchase.

By measuring these valuable actions beyond clicks, phone calls, cross-device conversions, and even store visits, retailers can see how their digital efforts are affecting in-store sales.

How retailers are exploiting Omni-channel for revenue generation:

• Measure cross-device and online-to-store shopping behavior
• Provide Omni-channel shoppers with relevant, local information
• Create an organizational structure that supports Omni-channel marketing

Further organizations have to take care of consistency, transparency, internal alignment & measurement to make Omni-channel experience as breeze.

Here are some great examples of great Omni-channel integration:

Disney: Disney's Omni-channel starts with your initial experience on beautiful, mobile-responsive website. Even their trip-planning website works well on mobile, which is a rear phenomenon. Once you’ve booked a trip, you can use the My Disney Experience tool to plan your entire trip, from where you’ll dine to securing your Fast Pass. In the park, you can use your mobile app to locate the attractions you want to see, as well as view the estimated wait time for each of them. The Magic Band acts as a hotel room key, photo storage device for any pictures taken and a food ordering tool. Plus, it even has Fast Pass integration. 

Starbucks: free rewards card that you can use whenever you make a purchase. But unlike traditional customer loyalty programs, Starbucks has made it possible to check and reload your card via phone, website, in-store, or on the app.

A fully implemented Omni-channel solution creates -

• Cost efficiency 
• Reduced customer frustration 
• Better issue resolution when customers can quickly resolve basic issues via the self-service channel of their choice, 
• Freeing up your staff to dedicate their efforts to resolving more complex customer queries.

With Omni-channel, it’s all about making the customer’s life as easy as possible.