The Birth of the Omnichannel Enterprise (and How to Become One)

In an effort to outline the most prominent benefits of adopting omnichannel strategies, Gartner suggested that "transparency" and "proactivity" were the biggest areas of focus. This is especially relevant in the context of exploring reasons for customer uncertainty, customer churn, loss of interest, and brand switching.  

"Proactivity" and "transparency" make the customer’s tasks easier. That’s why they become key ingredients for enhancing customer experiences.  

That being so, omnichannel interactions must bring together the back, middle, and front offices. And that's precisely why the "birth of an omnichannel enterprise" hinges upon the ability to set up an integrated business continuum. It makes the most sense to build an enterprise that can seamlessly handle an array of customer touchpoints and interactions alongside employee needs. 

Why Pursue Omnichannel? 

Because digital-native customers have become accustomed to the way they want to be communicated with, they will not settle for anything less than the most convenient interaction. It's imperative to keep in mind that a single touchpoint is not enough anymore; multiple touchpoints are the norm, and this is what drives engagement. 

But let's dive deeper and look at the drivers of an omnichannel enterprise. 

Unprecedented Convenience at the Doorstep 

If we ever map out a customer's journey from "discovery" to "conversion," we'll notice that it's an aggregation of micro-decisions across all touchpoints. 

All these touchpoints are connected. To move the buyer’s journey forward, they must deliver the highest levels of comfort, reliability, and cross-channel interactivity.  

A recent study by Linnworks uncovered that 76% of shoppers prioritize convenience over cost. "Convenience is king."  

So, customers expect the experience to be consistent every time and everywhere they engage. This consistency could be accommodated by a consistent UI, action prompting microcopy, converting copy, device and OS agnosticism, etc.  

The same applies to employees accessing enterprise systems, tools, and workflows from a range of devices, networks, and apps.  

It's this consistent convenience that must be embodied in an omnichannel experience. This is about having an enterprise that is capable of handling a customer's multiple journeys at once, from purchase to services, from marketing to interaction. 

Unparalleled Personalization All-Around 

The modern enterprise can collect and amplify data points, which then enable precision and help the enterprise deliver an experience with much-needed context.  

Context is crucial in a seamless customer journey. Enterprises that define it successfully become omnichannel powerhouses by creating a personalized experience that is always in sync with the customer's real-time needs.  

And on-point personalization results in: 

• 76% of consumers instantly inclined towards purchasing the product 
• 78% of customers making repurchases 
• 78% of customers recommend the product in their social circle 

Effective personalization is also the key to improving employee experience. This is because it directly contributes to the seamlessness of an employee's journey right from onboarding to retention (and everything in between!). 

Unified Ecosystem in Place 

If we ever explore the fundamental tenets of omnichannel, we'll realize that they're directly linked to the way enterprise ecosystems operate. Ideal ecosystems are characterized by: 

• Unification and centralization of customer data 
• 360º customer interaction across all channels (email, social, web, mobile, apps, smart devices) 
• Integration of marketing efforts and resources 
• Employee support and automation (workforce optimization)
• Analytics and reporting with business intelligence  
• Full-spectrum customer experience and loyalty management 
• Community involvement and stakeholder relationship management, etc.   

Now, suppose you have an ecosystem that is based on all these tenets. In that case, you are also setting up an overlying framework that is able to drive omnichannel success and sustain such an ecosystem.  

How to Become an Omnichannel Enterprise? 

Obviously, being an omnichannel powerhouse isn't something enterprises can achieve overnight. You have to start with a strong core foundation that is rooted in true omnichannel prowess.  

Enabling Easy Discovery 

All omnichannel journeys start with a discovery phase that is in sync with the customer's needs across channels.  

If you want your customers to discover your products and services, you have to make it as easy as possible for them to find and gain knowledge. That's why mobile-friendly websites, responsive web design, micro UX design, and consumable content are essential. 

The more visible and immersive your brand becomes, the more chances you have of enlisting new customers as they span channels in their search.  

Fostering In-House Collaboration 

A digital enterprise has complete control over its digital presence and assets. This implies that you have the power to customize your message, the way you present it, and the way you engage with your customers. 

It sounds incredible, but there's a catch. This calls for careful streamlining of the workflow and aligning your content flow with the audience's needs. And to make this possible, you must remove any roadblocks that prevent seamless communication across channels.  

Most organizations are fragmented. And they keep struggling to achieve communication optimization between departments due to an ineffective, antiquated enterprise ecosystem.  

This is why the first step towards building a solid omnichannel foundation is to develop and implement an all-embracing ecosystem capable of supporting multichannel content sharing and collaboration, and problem-solving.  

How's that done? Technology. 

Employing a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System 

Customer-specific cases, chats, and case management reports are all elements that are part and parcel of a CRM system. With CRM in place, your enterprise can tie customer data points to each department to create a holistic, 360º view of the customer. 

Employees can now share customer data, investigate cases more efficiently, and resolve issues with precision.  

Leveraging AI in Customer-facing Technologies 

AI-powered chatbots and apps offer a seamless and personalized customer experience in sync with the customer's location, current context, and real-time needs. They also provide customers with an unmatched level of personalization.  

With conversational AI in place, customer service automation goes a long way in saving time and resources, which ultimately helps the enterprise achieve cost optimization. The chat on such systems can be stored, allowing the employees to pick up the conversation later on (if need be).  

Tapping into the Power of Commerce Cloud 

By now, we're well aware that the omnichannel facility isn't limited to customer-facing digital interactions. If you aim to build a robust and unified engagement ecosystem, you have to put in place an eCommerce platform that can support the enterprise's end-to-end workflow.  

SAP Commerce Cloud, for instance, acts as the backbone that ties together your enterprise's digital presence (digital store, market initiatives, etc.). And it does so by managing the entire lifecycle of your products - from creation and development to marketing, selling, delivery, and servicing. 

Such a solution encompasses the accommodation of previously mentioned technological facets (CRM and Conversational AI) 

Summing it Up 

Building an omnichannel foundation is neither a one-way street nor an overnight process. Setting up an omnichannel tech stack entails continuous foresight and innovation.  

If you have the right people and processes in place, you're well on your way to achieving omnichannel sophistication. 

Liked what you read? Drop us a line and let us know how we can help your enterprise get started on the omnichannel journey.