From multichannel to omnichannel

How are retail spaces changing, as hybrid touch points of consumer activation?

The evolution of virtual channels has had a major effect on the relationship between retail and the consumer, making the consumer the undisputed protagonist of the buying process, which is governed by the fine balance between the satisfaction delivered and the growing range of possibilities the web makes available.

Starting from a multichannel position, in which customers can use a variety of independent channels while buying, the need that has emerged is to move to consistency, simultaneity and a uniform experience across all the offline and online means that contribute to a unique and rewarding shopping experience.

Omnichannel means the integration of a brand’s physical space and its technological devices. Retail becomes digitail to enrich the experience and create immediate value that an ever more demanding and hyper-connected user can perceive, offering additional information, customised products and services, and personal experiences that go beyond simply buying a product.

Innovation and inspiration for change are the ideas to refer to. Consumers expect multichannel experiences that are coherent, consistent and integrated. Only the most attentive and up-to-date retailers have picked up the changes under way and taken action to meet these needs; see Omnichannel = Personalisation (in Italian).

The evolution under way in retail is Consumer First. It draws strength from a human to human approach that steers the relationship towards listening to consumers’ needs and behaviour, with the aim of strengthening a brand’s dimensions in a fluid ecosystem.

Consider that 54% of customers buy products online every week and 34% see their smartphone as their main buying tool, with 60% of decisions influenced by reviews on social media. At the same time, 70% still prefer human contact as the hallmark of a positive consumer journey.

How to respond strategically?

• Strengthen the brand identity with consistent, cross-media communication that conveys values and tone of voice, in line with an integrated customer experience.
• Develop an adequate online presence, with responsive websites and a presence on social media, monitoring communities and nurturing relationships with your target through quality educational and emotional content.
• Invest in CRM and analytics to profile, get to know and retain your customers and propose personalised offers.
• A multichannel dimension makes it possible to remove geographical boundaries, offering services and products here and now according to your audience’s needs.
• Introduce personalised services such as in-store pick-up, the same payment methods online and offline, dedicated apps, online stock visibility, augmented reality, digital fitting rooms and QR/RFID, to offer immediate and personal experiences.
• Adopt a human-to-human relationship able to integrate the software and hardware sides of a store: it is people who make the difference during the buying experience.