The importance of omni-channel retailing

Making retail omnichannel is the challenge these days. Difficult to achieve but essential for the success and growth of your business. It consists of working and establishing a strategy that keeps the customer's interest by taking advantage of the different media channels through which you communicate with them. It favors an in-store shopping experience that lives up to their expectations: concise and fluid.

The boundary between digital and physical interactions is increasingly blurred, because everything is intrinsically connected. Consumers come to the physical space expecting to be advised, or to find products, in exactly the way they need them. They assume you know them. If you don't, they solve it the easy way: they go to another competitor who does.

But how do you meet the standards of these new customers who have access to a myriad of choices, prices and brands? How do you know what they want to buy, when, where and how?

The current situation

Sometimes the consistency of the channels through which we communicate at the point of sale is not given the importance it deserves. The full potential of communication tools to generate mutually beneficial relationships and interconnection is not being reached.

Customers expect that even when they are in the shop, both the staff and the products or services they find in the physical space take into consideration the interactions they have previously had with the brand through other means. If there is no omni-channel consistency, customers do not bond with the brand. It is as important what they are looking for and when they need it, as where they will buy or use it and how.

Common challenges in setting up omni-channel retailing

As we have previously discussed in other articles, if the shopping experience is "king" in retail today, and omni-channel is crucial to making it successful, the challenges are mainly related to knowing who your customers or potential customers are. Discovering the right methods and tools to create a comfortable environment through communication channels and devices. Making customers feel that the physical space is theirs.

Collecting, analysing and using data efficiently

Businesses often accumulate a lot of information and data, but have few hands, time or tools to analyse it in the best way. Harnessing Big Data is a fundamental part of getting to know your customers. As well as to detect possible areas of improvement in your processes, and to plan strategies oriented to your objectives following accurate information.

Make content relevant

Once we can understand our customers, and the different people that make them up, we must plan a content strategy that accompanies them throughout their journey and contact with our business. It is essential to take into account the relevance of the message, when it is delivered and in what form it is delivered. The same ad does not work for everyone. Not every moment is the right one. We should not fall into doing the same as always, because we are not in the same situation as we were a few years ago.

Get the team aligned with processes and messages.

It is not uncommon to find a discount that no one in the shop knows about, or that the message of the brand advertisements are not the same as those used by the sales people to make the sale. To address this weakness, first uncover it, then provide the training advisors need. Encourage collaboration between teams and organise frequent meetings where the vision, objectives and strategy behind new actions and communications are shared.

Optimise communication with external partners

Let's imagine that we have already established an assertive dialogue with our customers, listening to them while communicating what they want. Also that the marketing and sales teams are working hand in hand. For our strategy to really work we must also think about communication with other external but very important actors, suppliers or shipping services for example. These are also part of an omni-channel strategy. How these processes, sourcing and delivery work also speaks for our shop.

In summary, we feel it is important to emphasise that in order to talk about omni-channel retailing, all areas must be part of it. Not only the classic communication channels that we can imagine, such as screens and advertisements. As we mentioned, the staff must help in an adequate and cohesive way, the content must be perfectly planned to give the right message, the way in which the purchase is carried out must be organic, the available stock and its shipments as well, everything must be aligned. Think about coherence and collaboration between all teams and processes related to sales, marketing, operations and logistics. An end-to-end strategy is needed, and for that a technological solution that accompanies and guarantees the success of the process.

Take your business to the next level with Ladorian

Ladorian's tools and equipment achieve an optimised integration of all media and devices in physical spaces, creating a cohesive process and seamless communication at the point of sale. Enhancing the likelihood of delivering unforgettable experiences, and creating a bond of loyalty between your brand and customers.

With our solutions you can optimise your omnichannel in-store strategy, you will be able to:

• Personalise your content and recommendations with the use of
• Artificial Intelligence.
• Connect different channels and devices
• Create a comfortable physical space for your customers
• Unify systems and have more efficient processes
• Increase sales by 30%.
• Obtain greater loyalty and brand awareness
• Recover your investment in less than a year
  

Find out more about how we work and our smart tools. We have helped clients from different sectors and with different objectives. We offer a state-of-the-art recommendation engine, we do data modeling, we have smart distribution channels for your content. We are both outside and inside your shop and our solutions are interactive. Contact our sales team without obligation. We will be happy to help you to ensure that your business is not left out of omnichannel retail.