Why is the Omnichannel Customer Experience Vital for Your Businesses

Are you aware that customers now expect consistent interactions tailored to their needs and preferences? 

If you fail to provide a seamless and personalized experience across all touchpoints, your sales will drop, leading to a business shutdown. Do not follow a recipe for disaster. 

Discover five proven tactics to improve the omnichannel customer experience.

This article will explore why an omnichannel customer experience is critical for you if you want to survive and thrive in today’s cut-throat market.

We’ll answer why you should incorporate omnichannel marketing into your eCommerce growth strategy.

Finally, you’ll meet Jack and Jane and follow them through an excellent and catastrophic shopping experience and the impact of the omnichannel strategy in both cases.

What Is Omnichannel Customer Experience

An omnichannel customer experience is an integral approach to customer interaction that seamlessly envelops all touchpoints customers have with a company, including

• mortar stores,
• eCommerce website,
• social media,
• mobile apps,
• email.

The omnichannel customer experience approach leads to improved customer experience ecosystem, brand loyalty, sales burst, and revenue growth.

Omnichannel Journey and Customer Experience

Customer omnichannel journeys consist of 7-12 different phases. We’ll list the ten most often used.

Here are the 10 steps of the omnichannel customer journey:

1. Awareness: The first step in the customer’s omnichannel journey is when they become aware of your brand through various channels. The omnichannel approach covers all possibilities: social media, emails, news, influencers, outbound marketing, promotions, etc.
2. Research: If the customers feel the need or get interested, they will research the brand and product offerings across various channels, including the website, mobile app, and social media.
3. Consideration: This is the most critical part of the omnichannel customer experience. If you do your job well, the customer will evaluate your brand and products and decide whether to buy from you.
4. Purchase: The decision is made. The customer completes the purchase through a preferred channel, such as in-store, online, or via mobile apps.
5. Fulfillment: The product is fulfilled, either through shipping or in-store pickup.
6. Support: Do not neglect this phase. No matter if the customer needs post-purchase support, such as troubleshooting, returns, or exchanges, stay in touch. Let them know you are available 24/7 on the channel of their choosing. If you can’t organize 24/7 professional support, consider outsourcing customer experience services.
7. Loyalty: The chances that a customer will become loyal by engaging with the brand through social media, email, or loyalty programs are up to three times higher than without them.
8. Advocacy: Convert your customers into the best brand advocates. Buyers trust other buyers. Leverage that psychology. Satisfied customers share their opinions and enjoy sharing them. They will leave positive reviews, post on social media, and spread word of mouth eagerly.
9. Repeat purchase: Numerous case studies show that after a great experience, repeat purchases will grow by up to 90%.
10. Feedback: The best way to improve and outrun competitors is through customer feedback. Encourage them to tell you what they like and dislike. Appreciate any critique you get. Each pain point you discover will guide you to excellence. It will cost you a lot if you neglect feedback and continue under the illusion that your customers are happy.

What Defines A Good and Bad Omnichannel Customer Experience

The best way to describe the good and bad omnichannel customer experiences is through the example of imaginary customers Jim and Jane.

Example of the Good Omnichannel Customer Experience

Here’s an example of each step of Jim’s great omnichannel customer journey:

1. Awareness: Jim is scrolling through his social media feeds and sees an advertisement for a new fitness tracker. He is curious about the product, as he has been improving his fitness lately. Following the social media post link, he lands on the seller’s eCommerce website. The product is beautifully presented, with numerous images and excellent product descriptions. There is also a video, which Jim clicks on and enjoys watching on YouTube.
2. Research: Jim is a cautious buyer. He wants to research other brands and visit several online stores. Additionally, Jim scans posts on social media and explores review websites.
3. Consideration: After browsing the web and social media, Jim realizes that only one brand is present on all channels he investigated. He becomes confident that purchasing from that brand would be his best choice.
4. Purchase: The decision is made mostly due to omnichannel brand marketing and excellent reviews. Jim completes his purchase online, noticing that the checkout process is smooth and easy. He is delighted that after submitting his information, he got a discount coupon for the next purchase.
5. Fulfillment: Jim receives a confirmation email with information about his order a minute after finishing the checkout. The email doesn’t seem machine-generated. It has nice branding, a worm message, and a notice that emails will keep coming notifying Jim about shipment progress. Jim is delighted, knowing he doesn’t have to sit anxiously and wait at home. In addition, the next day, Jim receives an email suggesting several complementary fitness products to maximize exercise and its positive effects. The content is not aggressive, and Jim leaves the email in his inbox for further consideration. He won’t order anything else until he receives the package and checks if everything is as described in the product description and images.
6. Support: Jim receives an email two days after the purchase saying the courier will arrive in the next two hours. And he does. Jim doesn’t know how to assemble his new fitness machine. But he’s relaxed because the first thing he saw when unpacking was a phone number he could call for support. After the third ring, a polite human voice answers and helps Jim assemble the tracker.
7. Loyalty: Two days later, the seller sends Jim personalized emails with tips on making the most of the fitness tracker and offers exclusive discounts for loyal customers. Jim feels valued as a customer and appreciates the personalized attention from the brand.
8. Advocacy: Jim shares his positive experience with his friends and family on social media. He feels proud to be associated with the brand and hopes others will have a similar experience.
9. Repeat purchase: Based on his positive experience, Jim purchases additional fitness tracker accessories from the brand’s website. He feels confident in the brand’s products and knows that his next purchases will also be of high quality.
10. Feedback: Jim receives a follow-up survey to provide feedback on his experience. He shares his positive experience and suggestions on how the brand could improve its omnichannel customer experience even further. Jim feels his feedback is valued and hopes it will help the brand improve.

Example of the Bad Omnichannel Customer Experience

1. Awareness: Meet Jane. While scrolling through post feeds, she notices an ad for the newest phone. – Not having an omnichannel marketing strategy, the only way to get noticed is to pay enormous sums on advertising.
2. Research: Jane is not a tech geek. Her research is based on “the best” articles. – Whenever customers don’t have easy access to reviews and influencers’ recommendations, they rely on suspicious information sources.
3. Consideration: Since neither brand stands out with its presentation, Jane decides that the price will be the deciding factor. Without an omnichannel presence, the brand is lost among thousand of similar offers. The price is one of the worst competing factors.
4. Purchase: Jane decides to purchase from XYZ MobTech due to the lowest price. She completes the purchase online, noticing that the checkout process was complicated.
5. Fulfillment: Jane waits for days for her order to arrive. Not getting any notifications, Jane sends WISMO inquiry email to XYZ customer service. Two days after her order arrives, she receives an answer.
6. Support: Jane unsuccessfully tries to reach XYZ customer support. Without an omnichannel presence, the modern customer becomes deeply frustrated.
7. Loyalty: Without post-purchase omnichannel marketing, Jane doesn’t feel any loyalty toward XYZ MobTech.
8. Advocacy: Unable to file a complaint and be heard by a well-trained customer complaint professional, Jane shares her bad experience on all platforms.
9. Repeat purchase: Jane will never consider XYZ MobTech for her next purchases.
10. Feedback: XYZ MobTech doesn’t have omnichannel post-purchase initiatives, and stakeholders don’t know about the bad reviews spreading on the internet. A year later, it is too late to react. Sales are non-existent. To learn how to easily get feedback and avoid poor practices, grab our eCommerce Surveys Guide.

Omnichannel Customer Experience Benefits

Establishing an omnichannel presence improves customer experience and satisfaction, loyalty, and sales, guaranteeing multiple benefits for a long time.

Here are all omnichannel strategy benefits listed by the stage of the sales journey:

Awareness:

• Increased brand awareness through consistent messaging and brand imagery across all channels
• More opportunities to reach potential customers through multiple channels
• No need for expensive ads

Research:

• Improved customer engagement by providing easy access to product information and customer reviews across all channels
• Increased customer trust by showcasing consistent product offerings and pricing information across all channels

Consideration:

• Enhanced customer experience through personalized and targeted marketing materials
• Facilitating purchasing decisions by offering seamless transitions between online and offline channels

Purchase:

• Increased sales volume through a wider range of purchasing options (e.g. online, in-store, mobile)
• Improved customer satisfaction by providing flexible delivery and payment options

Fulfillment:

• Enhanced customer satisfaction by providing real-time order tracking across all channels
• Reduced return rates by enabling customers to make informed purchase decisions through detailed product descriptions and reviews

Support:

• Increased customer retention by providing fast and effective support across all channels
• Improved customer satisfaction by offering personalized support that takes into account a customer’s previous interactions with the company

Loyalty:

• Increased customer loyalty by creating a seamless and consistent experience across all channels
• Improved customer satisfaction by offering loyalty programs and personalized promotions

Advocacy:

• Increased word-of-mouth advertising through positive customer experiences that lead to customer referrals
• Improved reputation through positive customer reviews and social media engagement

Repeat Purchase:

• Increased customer lifetime value through repeat purchases facilitated by personalized promotions and offers
• Improved profitability by reducing customer acquisition costs through increased customer retention.

Feedback:

• Increased customer feedback through multiple channels leading to improved customer experience and service
• Valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences can be used to improve business operations and strategic decision-making.

The Future of Omnichannel Customer Experience: What the Statistics Tell Us

Here are seven examples of eCommerce latest statistical data and case studies about successful omnichannel customer experience implementation:

1. Best Buy: After implementing an omnichannel strategy, Best Buy saw a 15% increase in online sales. Their omnichannel customer experience covered in-store pickup and same-day delivery options to customers.
2. Disney: Disney had a 20% increase in revenue after implementing an omnichannel strategy, which included seamless integration across all channels and an emphasis on personalized customer experiences.
3. The Home Depot: The Home Depot reported a 35% increase in online sales after implementing an omnichannel customer experience. They introduced the model of buy-online-pick-up-in-store (BOPIS) options to their customers.
4. Macy’s: After implementing an omnichannel strategy, Macy’s increased revenue by 10% and customer loyalty by 20%.
5. Nike: Nike’s omnichannel strategy resulted in a 30% increase in online sales and a 60% increase in mobile app downloads.
6. Starbucks: Starbucks’ mobile ordering and payment system accounted for 13% of their total transactions. Their rewards program has over 17 million active members.
7. Walmart: After launching the omnichannel customer experience strategy, Walmart generated a 40% increase in online sales, with BOPIS accounting for 33%.

5 Ways To Improve Omnichannel Customer Experience

Before you develop an omnichannel strategy, we suggest performing a competitive analysis for your eCommerce niche. You’ll identify current market trends and customer preferences, benchmark your performance against competitors, identify gaps and opportunities, and learn from the best practices. Additionally, you’ll evaluate pricing and promotional strategies.

By leveraging insights gained from eCommerce competitive analysis, you will develop a stronger and more effective omnichannel strategy and align it with current market trends. Thus, you’ll outrun competitors and stay on the top.

The five most important ways you should apply to improve omnichannel customer experience are:

1. Personalization: Personalization is key to a positive omnichannel customer experience. Use customer data to provide personalized recommendations, promotions, and customer service across all channels.
2. Seamless transitions: Make it easy for your customers to transition from one channel to another without any difficulty. For example, if a customer starts the purchase online, they should be able to complete the purchase in-store or on their mobile device without any issues. Seamless transitions help to reduce friction in the customer journey and improve overall satisfaction.
3. Real-time communication: Real-time communication across all channels significantly improves the omnichannel customer experience. Provide real-time order tracking, customer support, and social media engagement. Customers want their WISMO questions and concerns to be heard and addressed promptly.
4. Data integration: Integrate customer data across all channels. Create a centralized database that stores customer information, preferences, and purchase history. Use all gathered data for personalized recommendations, promotions, and customer service across all channels. You’ll have real-time, invaluable insights into customer behavior and preferences. Based on big data analysis, you’ll improve business operations and strategic decision-making with a high success rate.
5. Explore and utilize the latest omnichannel eCommerce software: Use eCommerce software and automation for inventory and WISMO management and personalized support. Optimize for mobile devices, leverage AI for targeting, and analyze customer behavior with omnichannel analytics. Innovative technologies like beacon, AR, VR, and IoT also offer new ways to engage customers. Utilize some of the listed tools to build loyal customer relationships and boost sales.

Conclusion – Why Is Order Tracking A Must For Ecommerce

One of the software apps that became a must-have is order tracking, with personalized notifications and up-sell promotions. Your customers expect to be notified about delivery progress and real-time tracking. You’ll increase sales through personalized up-sell promotions. The cost of your customer service will drop by 20-30%. 

Use the extra time you gained to empower your brand, introduce new products and services, spread to new markets, and bring your eCommerce business to the top.

Implementation of the well-established omnichannel customer experience in eCommerce starts with order tracking.

No matter which communication channel your customer prefers, offer the same experience.

Choose order tracking software smartly. Explore possibilities. Take advantage of the free trial period to feel all the benefits of the automated software.

TrackMage offers a free trial. Try it and bring your eCommerce business among the successful companies with an omnichannel customer experience strategy fully integrated and utilized.If not ready for the first step, we suggest you book a TrackMage demo to explore all the benefits and possibilities you’ll have.