Single sales-channel strategy is no more

You simply can’t rely on a single sales-channel anymore. That’s a relic from the past, or is it not?.

Companies with a strong omnichannel strategy hold on to 89% of their customers. The worldwide average is 39% says Aberdeen Group Inc. A rather big increase. But what exactly does an ‘omnichannel’ approach mean? Most businesses think it’s nothing more than having multiple sales-channels. But it’s much more than meets the eye.

When you’re focussing on a single or multichannel approach, you’re basically diversifying the different channels and locations where customers can buy your product. So for example; your customer wants to buy a pair of trousers and looks up the trousers in a webstore app. Needing more information, she goes to the website and finds out that the price varies from the app. When the customer in the end decides to buy the trousers in the physical store, the price is the same as in the app, but there is a different return policy. Confusion all around.

I think you notice the problem here, right?

With an omnichannel strategy, the company operates as one seamless organisation that has every bit of information structured so that the customer has the smoothest experience. The customer sees an ad on Facebook. clicks on it and lands on the website. When opted to buy, she gets an option to pick it up in the physical store just a couple of clicks away. After purchasing she has one more question, so she opens the app and clicks on the chat-function. Her question is answered and she immediately lets her friends know about the amazing purchase that she just made. One connected and seamless omnichannel experience.

This most likely means a very happy customer that will come back. And keep in mind, – and yes it is cliche- but it is really easier to hold onto existing customers than acquiring new ones. So what about you? Are you focucussing on a single- multi- or omnichannel strategy?

#omnichannel #multichannel #singlechannel #businessguide