Original post by CommonWealth Magazine
How can brands create a seamless customer journey in the OMO omni-channel integration era? Building a “people-based” shopping, marketing, and fulfillment experience is critical.
The customer journey includes every touchpoint between the brand and the customer, such as search, evaluation, purchase decision, and post-purchase experience. Understanding customer needs, motivations, and behaviors to provide personalized experiences enhances satisfaction and loyalty.
It is noteworthy that a report by Google in 2022 indicates that 56% of consumers gather information both online and offline before making a purchase, averaging 7 to 12 information channels. To avoid losing opportunities at various touchpoints, brands should address this issue from three main aspects to eliminate these gaps.
People-Based Business Interactions: Creating a Low-Friction Omni-channel Shopping Experience
To ensure a consistent shopping experience across different touchpoints, brands must eliminate omni-channel disruptions. Customers shop online for efficiency and visit brick-and-mortar stores for try-ons and purchases. Wherever they shop, points will accumulate simultaneously, and discounts can be applied across channels, providing suitable purchase options based on the situation.
For online channels, brands should use intuitive interfaces on websites and APPs, making it easy for customers to add items to their favorites, place them in the cart, and choose payment and delivery options with minimal friction.
For offline experience, store staff can access the brand’s CRM system via tablets to check customer purchase history and preferences, offering enticing upsell combinations and increasing average order value. Seamlessly integrating online and offline channels allows brands to leverage first-party data for subsequent marketing efforts.
People-Based Marketing Communication: Delivering Precise Messages Without Scattergun Approaches
Using data for multidimensional analysis allows brands to understand consumer preferences, interests, and behaviors, enabling them to deliver precise marketing messages and product information. Personalized marketing can attract consumer attention and increase brand recognition and conversion rates.
Combining first-party and third-party data helps brands identify new customer segments interested in their products, ensuring ads reach the right audience. Customers who receive relevant product information are more likely to purchase and develop a positive brand perception.
For existing customers, brands can use first-party data from APPs and website backend systems for customer segmentation based on consumption habits and preferences. Sending targeted push notifications via the APP can increase order rates. From the customer’s perspective, receiving tailored recommendations and coupons enhances their willingness to repurchase.
People-Based Fulfillment Experience: Enhancing OMO Inventory Integration for Smooth Delivery
The final disruption of the customer journey often needs to improve during delivery or pickup, leading to order cancellations. A joint survey by CommonWealth Magazine and 91APP revealed that 30% of retail brands face “inventory management” issues. Traditional “pre-allocate then sell” models lead to disconnected online and offline stock, causing inefficiencies and customer dissatisfaction.
91APP suggests adopting an “OMO inventory integration” management approach to ensure smooth delivery. Integrating all channel information systems allows brands to monitor real-time products, orders, and shipping progress, flexibly allocating stock across channels to respond to market changes and avoid stockouts.
For example, centralized warehouse shipping delays can extend delivery times during shopping festivals like Double 11 or Double 12. With OMO inventory integration, the system can assign nearby stores to pick up and ship orders, significantly improving logistics efficiency and ensuring timely delivery for better customer experiences.
People-based marketing communication, business interactions, and fulfillment experiences are crucial to maintaining customer journeys and preventing loss. Maximizing the value of a people-based approach helps brands build strong customer relationships, gain a competitive edge, and continuously create business opportunities. For more details on implementing people-centric brand strategies, download the “2023 Brand Commerce Trend Report.”