The way we do business has changed significantly in recent years, and the main goal of companies remains the same: to satisfy customers. Among the transformations that have occurred, adopting an omnichannel strategy stands out as one of the most important. According to a survey by Opinion Box , 77% of consumers prefer physical and online stores to be integrated, which makes this approach an essential competitive advantage. Integrating all the channels used by a company, both physical and virtual, allows the consumer to have a fluid and limitless shopping experience.
What is omnichannel?
Today, consumers expect to be able to start their shopping journey on Instagram, ask questions on WhatsApp, and complete the purchase in a physical store, with the same prices and conditions. In addition, offering the convenience of buying online and picking up in store provides a more complete and satisfying shopping experience. In the past, having a website or being present on social media was enough, but today this is just the basics.
With the variety of channels available for customers to interact with a brand, integrated communication becomes essential, not only facilitating the purchasing journey, but also ensuring a closer connection between the company and the consumer.
Each consumer decision points to several country wise email marketing list factors, such as price, quality and convenience. The KANTAR report also presents a graph that illustrates how the frequency of purchases and the number of sales channels have changed over time. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been an increase in the use of purchasing channels, which has stabilized recently. During the lockdown periods in 2021, for example, there was a spike in the use of purchasing channels, highlighting the flexibility of the Latin American consumer in adapting to the conditions imposed by the pandemic.
The omnichannel customer profile
The omnichannel customer profile reflects a platforms with smtp server included consumer who increasingly uses technology as an essential tool to make their lives easier. With the growth of e-commerce and the popularity of shopping via mobile devices, these consumers have come to demand an integrated shopping experience, where online and offline channels complement each other. They expect to resolve their needs quickly and without complications, using the channel that is most convenient at the time.
For example, a customer might discover your product through an Instagram ad, visit your website for more details, and then decide to go to your physical store to try out the product in person. Another common scenario is for a customer to make a purchase online and lithuania phone number choose to pick up the product in-store. However, if the channels are not integrated effectively, issues can arise, such as the product being unavailable in the physical store, even though it was purchased online. This not only causes frustration, but can also lead to a loss of customer trust in the brand.
Furthermore, with the rise of social commerce (a sales strategy that uses social media to drive sales and reach new customers) and the trend of live commerce (a way of selling products online using live broadcasts on social media), it is increasingly important for companies to offer a cohesive experience across all touchpoints, personalizing the purchasing journey according to each customer’s individual preferences. This level of integration and personalization not only increases customer satisfaction, but also strengthens brand loyalty, creating a sustainable competitive advantage in the market.
How to become omnichannel?
To deliver a truly omnichannel experience, it is essential that your company adopts a unified platform that can identify consumers at all points of contact and integrate sales information, since more than 60% of consumers change channels throughout the purchasing process, according to research by Opinion Box. This migration can include the transition from an online search to an in-store purchase, or from an interaction on social media to a telephone service.
It is important to note that this integration does not mean that one channel should override or replace the other. Each channel has its own specific characteristics and functions. For example, social networks are effective tools for attracting and engaging customers quickly and informally, while your website or e-commerce is the main channel for converting sales. Integration can be done, for example, through features such as “buy” buttons on social networks that direct the customer to the desired product on the website, or by adding a WhatsApp button on the website to facilitate communication and resolving queries in real time.