Five ways to implement a seamless omnichannel experience

Startup growth specialist Daniel Groves explains how to meet today's shoppers' expectations of effortlessly moving between online and in-store shopping and enjoying the same level of convenience and personalisation no matter how they engage with a retail brand.

Customers today are more demanding than ever when it comes to omnichannel retailing. Their expectations for a seamless shopping experience have never been higher. 

In this article, we’ll explore five actionable strategies to help you implement a seamless omnichannel experience in your retail business - looking at how to create a solid and streamlined omnichannel customer experience for you and your customers.

Dig into the data for personalised experiences

If you don’t know who your customers are, what they’re looking for and how to communicate with them, why would they buy from you?

Today, knowing your customers inside out is more important than ever. Data analytics can help you do just that by giving you a clearer picture of what your customers expect.

By analysing information such as what they’ve bought before, what they’ve looked at online, and how they interact on social media, you can start to understand their preferences better.

From here, you can create shopping experiences that feel personal and relevant. For example, if you know a customer has been looking for a winter jacket on your website but hasn’t made a purchase yet. Using data analytics, you can identify this interest and send them a personalised email offering a discount on winter coats, or even a reminder that the style they viewed is still available. 

If they visit your store, your sales team could be notified of this interest, allowing them to offer tailored assistance, such as showing the customer the exact coat they viewed online or suggesting a similar item.

Considering that 42% of consumers say that companies are not meeting expectations on personalisation, it's critical to tailor your messaging to resonate with their specific needs and preferences.

You don’t need to be a tech expert to make this happen, but you do need to use the right retail analytics software for accurate data collection. Data analytics tools can help you sift through all the information and find useful insights to make more informed decisions when looking at ways to improve the customer’s shopping experience. 

This way, you’re not just guessing what customers might like - you’re using real data to make smarter decisions. This can lead to happier customers who are more likely to buy again, ultimately increasing revenue.

Get inventory management systems in check

Keeping track of inventory across multiple sales channels can be a real challenge, but creating a super streamlined shopping experience needs to have a solid system in place. 

Imagine a customer finds a product online, only to visit the store and discover it’s out of stock. They’re not going to be happy. When inventory is synced across all sales channels - whether it’s the website, mobile app, or physical stores - customers get a consistent experience. 

To get this right, an inventory management system that updates in real-time is a prerequisite. This ensures that inventory counts are always accurate, reducing the risk of overselling or leaving customers with an "oops, we’ve run out of stock!" page. 

By integrating systems, retailers also gain better insights into what’s selling well and where, enabling better buying and stocking decisions.

Find CRM tools that work for the business

Building strong relationships with customers is key to keeping them coming back for more. To make this easier, you’ll need a reliable and functional customer relationship management (CRM) tool. 

CRM systems help keep track of all the ways customers interact with a brand, whether they’re browsing the website, visiting a store, or chatting with the support team.

Using a CRM should provide a complete view of each customer’s journey. For example, if a customer recently called the support team about an issue with a product, a CRM can log that interaction. This means the next time that a customer visits a store or shops online, the team can see this history and provide a more personalised service, like offering advice on related products or checking in to make sure the issue was resolved.

These tools also allow retailers to send targeted communications based on customer behaviour. Let’s say a customer frequently buys athletic wear from a store, the CRM can automatically send them early access to new arrivals in that category or offer them a loyalty discount on their next purchase. This kind of personalised attention makes customers feel valued and more connected to a brand.

Create a Unified Commerce Platform

We mentioned earlier how customers expect a seamless experience whether they’re shopping online, in-store, or through an app. So, to meet these expectations, creating a unified commerce platform should be high on any retailer's priority list. 

This means bringing all sales channels together into one integrated system, so customers get the same great experience no matter how they choose to shop.

Creating a unified commerce platform also streamlines operations on the back end. Instead of managing separate systems for the website, app, and stores, everything is synced. This means inventory levels, customer data, and sales reports are all in one place, making it easier to manage the business and make informed decisions.

It might sound like a big project, but it’s not that intense, plus the benefits are worth it. Not only does it improve the customer experience, but it also enhances your ability to respond quickly to changes in demand or market trends. 

Make payment easy and secure

Offering a range of payment options that are fast, secure, and convenient is beneficial for a number of reasons. In essence, whether they’re shopping online, in-store, or through your app, a retailer should want their customers to have a quick, easy and secure transaction process.

Some of the best payment options, such as Apple Pay or Google Wallet, allow customers to pay with just a tap of their phone, speeding up the checkout process and reducing the need to handle cash or cards. 

Security is a big part of this, too. Customers need to trust that their payment information is safe, whether they’re entering it on your website or using a mobile wallet in your store. Advanced payment solutions often come with built-in security features, like encryption and fraud detection, which help protect customer data and build trust. 

Conclusion

Nailing a seamless omnichannel experience couldn’t be more important for the retail world. By ensuring that all shopping channels work well together and focusing on making each customer interaction smooth and personalised, retailers can meet their ever-increasing expectations. 

This approach improves customer satisfaction and helps build lasting loyalty and success for your business.