Retailers want to embrace the omnichannel methodology but they realize they can’t be all things to all customers. While it is true that today’s shoppers, and in particular Millennials, want to purchase goods and services through different channels, many retailers are still struggling to adapt to the latest iteration of retail reality in which shopping takes place 24/7, and may start in one channel and finish in another.
Retailers that can provide a seamless experience by integrating different types of technology can reap the rewards of improved customer loyalty. Because those stores have overcome the hurdles involved in perfecting an omnichannel strategy, shoppers perceive them to be ahead of the pack and responsive to their needs.
And who wouldn’t want to shop there?
What often plagues those efforts is a retailer’s unrealistic self-expectation that it can be everyone’s favorite company. Ironically, trying to please everyone leaves customers feeling ignored.
A more effective strategy is to learn who your target is and then increase that base. Those results will be more satisfying to everyone that matters. At a crossroads between being everywhere at once and still maintaining a quality shopping experience, retailers can’t afford for their omnichannel efforts to be seen as omni-failures.
According to Aberdeen Group via OneReach.com, companies with solid omnichannel customer engagement strategies manage to keep an average of 89% of their customers. Those with weak omnichannel efforts? They retain a meager 33% of their customers. Therefore, it’s critical to create and maintain a consistent customer experience across all sales channels. The trick is to do it in a streamlined and efficient manner.
