Omnichannel Strategy: Why Brands Need a Unified Customer Journey

Learn why brands need an omnichannel strategy to create a seamless customer journey, boost loyalty, and drive sales.

In a fast-paced and digital-first world, consumers expect frictionless experiences everywhere they interact with a brand—not siloed channels with disparate journeys.

Customers purchasing a product or service desire a unified, personalized path across all channel touchpoints. A shift in consumer behavior has elevated omnichannel as a major priority for ecommerce brands looking for sustainable direct-to-consumer (DTC) growth and long-term customer loyalty.

Mastery of omnichannel strategy as an ecommerce brand is not a choice today. It's a necessity.

Omnichannel Strategy: Beyond Multi-Channel

Effective omnichannel strategy outperforms traditional multi-channel approaches by creating an integrated shopping experience across online and physical channels.

For example, a shopper discovers a product online, checks availability at a nearby retail store, video chats with a sales associate, elects for in-store pickup, and can return the order by mail. This seamless experience, made possible by connected systems and a customer-centric mindset, is the model for omnichannel success.

To achieve this level of being in sync, brands need to align things like inventory management, point-of-sale (POS) systems, order fulfillment, client data, and a strong technical foundation.

With their recent enhancements, Shopify has become a leader as an ecommerce platform bridging online stores with their POS app and hardware. A digitally-native brand that does a pop-up shop at a local event or market can immediately take orders and sync customer data using their mobile phone, even accepting express payment options.

Additionally, brand identity and creative aesthetic should align, providing a consistent look and feel for every interaction, and creating an emotional connection. Omnichannel strategy is about creating an experience where shoppers effortlessly receive personalized service based on their preferences and needs—meeting the customer anywhere.

Omnichannel Customer Journey: A Unified Experience

An omnichannel customer journey recognizes that consumers interact with brands across multiple touchpoints throughout the consideration and purchase phases. To deliver best-in-class experiences, brands need to map out and optimize the end-to-end journey.

By dissecting each part of the journey with qualitative and quantitative data, brands can identify potential pain points and white space opportunities to go after. UX research tactics like user testing and surveys, interviewing customers and non-purchasers, and conducting A/B tests, can all provide actionable data for every channel.

A successful strategy defines and personalizes the journey at each step and utilizes all communication channels. Brands can send product recommendations via email and text messaging, targeted promotions by direct mail, or robust loyalty programs to enhance the relationship.

For example, whether purchasing online or in-store, a skincare brand using customer data could offer tailored product ideas based on skin type and order history, share relevant content and tips, and encourage future purchases with loyalty points.

The fulfillment and return experience should also be customer-centric. Brands with both a retail presence and online store could offer a variety of fulfillment options, such as buy online pick up in-store (BOPIS), buy online ship from store (BOSS), and even same-day delivery in major metropolitan areas. On the flip side, if a customer needs to make a return, it should be as simple as dropping it off at the store or a local carrier like FedEx or USPS.

Brands that put the customer first understand that easy returns actually improve customer retention. Happy Returns is a provider helping DTC brands bring this to life—using their service, customers walk into shipping carriers without having to package the item, and everything is taken care of with a QR code scan.

By breaking down channel barriers and focusing on the customer, brands can unify the journey while gathering valuable data.

The Power of Omnichannel Analytics & Personalization

Data driven insights captured from a holistic view of the customer journey become the central core of omnichannel strategy. By properly connecting cross-channel analytics, brands can gain valuable looks into customer behavior, preferences, and overall effectiveness of omnichannel initiatives. 

Key performance indicators (KPIs) like customer lifetime value (CLTV), customer acquisition cost (CAC), and channel attribution help brands with measurement. Even underlying health metrics like net promoter score (NPS), customer satisfaction (CSAT), and product reviews are helpful to track. With artificial intelligence (AI), it’s easy to aggregate and analyze these large data sets or generate summaries of customer service tickets, social media commentary, or reviews for easily identifiable trends and themes in brand sentiment.

More advanced analytics strategies and data science, such as predictive modeling and customer segmentation, can be used to optimize marketing efforts. For example, a brand might use browsing behavior to predict a persona and serve up relevant content and product carousels.

Real-time personalization is also possible—with tools like Bloomreach or Insider—to execute in-the-moment, relevant experiences based on current behavior. According to research by McKinsey, 71% of consumers expect personalized interactions from brands, and 76% get frustrated when they hit a disjointed experience. A bespoke omnichannel ecosystem is a great way to get the right product to the right customer at the right time. 

It's essential to use all customer data responsibly and ethically. Building trust through transparent data collection practices is crucial for having long-term relationships with consumers. Every brand has a responsibility to adhere to privacy laws and protect the data they collect. With reputation being so important, this is an area to be mindful of while scaling and trying to acquire new customers.

Real-World Examples of Successful Omnichannel Strategies

Brands across various industries have implemented omnichannel strategies and now deliver exceptional customer experiences to drive growth. The following are a few examples of brands with strong omnichannel tactics:

Here are just a few examples of companies with successful omnichannel strategies:

• EQ3 bridges the physical and digital experience with tools like ‘view in AR’, live video chat with in-store sales associates, and complimentary design services.
• Nike allows in-store custom colors, designs, and engravings on their shoes, extending online with tools like Nike By You. Their mobile app provides in-store product scanning for info and reviews, rewards tracking, and exclusive launches. They also leverage fitness trackers and apps like Nike Run Club to connect it all.
• Warby Parker allows five glasses frames for complimentary home try-on, or a virtual try-on tool on their website. Customers can easily track orders online and in-store, and as online customers still be serviced in-store. Order history is readily accessible across channels and they offer in-store eye exams for added convenience.
• The Home Depot website and app offers project planning tools and generates product recommendations and material lists. Customers can reserve items online and pick up in-store, and they also offer in-store services like paint color consults, tool rentals, and expert advice, blending online research with valuable physical support.

These brands help illustrate how omnichannel strategy can transcend industry and size of business. In each of their respective lanes, they’re able to use various tactics to execute with the customer in mind. They prioritize user experience and customer loyalty, and leverage technology to streamline online and offline touchpoints.

The Future of Omnichannel & Connected Experiences

Omnichannel strategies are continuously evolving, led both by technological advancements and consumer expectations. Trends like augmented reality (AR), voice commerce, video integration, and AI will foster more change. The term ‘phygital’ encapsulates the blend between the physical and digital world, and brands are innovating and experimenting ways to push the dial.

For example, a customer could walk into a store and use AR to visualize the entire lifecycle and product production process for any item, try clothes on virtually with a smart mirror, or use a virtual reality (VR) headset to transport to a virtual boutique. According to a survey by Accenture, 47% of consumers said these technologies connect them better to products and enable them to spend more. In addition, 55% said they’d engage with immersive tech, especially if it included personalizing recommendations for them. 

Software platforms such Obsess are already creating game-changing virtual stores for brands like Crate & Barrel, allowing customers to immerse themselves into product exploration and discovery.

Omnichannel experiential marketing will also be fueled by technology. Interactive displays, face recognition, VR product demonstrations, and in-store events will become more common, connecting customers with brands on a deeper level.

Brands are also increasingly leveraging video tools for more intimate selling opportunities. Plugging into tools like Firework allows brands to offer livestream shopping, 1:1 video chat features, and shoppable content that gives a voice to product experts and influencers. It’s a powerful conversion driver to co-browse with a customer, add items to the cart on their behalf, direct them to specific pages, and collect data for future concierge efforts.

Start Unifying the Customer Journey with an Omnichannel Strategy

Brands focusing on omnichannel competence and excellence succeed in the long run and unlock more profitable growth. Customers reward those that make their lives easier, getting them the right products through channels and experiences they prefer. It’s all about offering a consistent customer experience by leveraging technology and data to personalize touchpoints for every customers.

Pull off an successful omnichannel strategy, and customers will never forget you—and they’ll keep coming back for more, courtesy of industry-leading loyalty.

‍Get in touch with Ride Side Up—we’ll connect you with all-start talent experienced in omnichannel strategy to accelerate your brand’s growth.