Seamless Cross-Channel Connections

The old adage still resonates today – consumers still want service, convenience, quality and price; but achieving this promise requires anew perspective. In today’s multichannel world, consumers manage their lives with hand-held devices that provide instant connections to their networks of friends, brands and influences. They don’t understand why retailers can’t move with the same speed and agility. They expect seamless, personal service across every channel. They want to be treated as individuals, not part of a segment.

Meanwhile, retailers are often stuck in silos with distinct systems and platforms. Most can’t recognize an individual customer across different touchpoints, business functions or countries enterprise-wide, let alone provide her with a seamless cross-channel experience.

Fortunately, market leaders are finding ways to transcend these challenges. They’re stepping up to today’s data challenges, gaining new perspective through greater customer knowledge, and finding a competitive edge.

The retailer’s challenge: connecting the dots

A sea change in shopping habits is transforming retail. Today’s highly networked, always-on consumers have limitless options and limited patience. They shop at any time of day or night, from anywhere, using a mix of channels. They may search for products from their desktops, and seek out reviews and recommendations on social media. They’ll visit a store to evaluate merchandise. Check their smartphones for competitive pricing and discounts. Call customer service to ask about shipping options or warranties, and ultimately pay for their purchase with a digital wallet.

With so many touch points spread over multiple channels and devices, it’s no wonder that retailers struggle to connect all the dots. Yet that’s the challenge that retailers must meet in order to provide the seamless, personalized experience that customers have come to expect.

Retailers are testing many innovative approaches in the effort to attract and retain customers. Those innovations demonstrate the growing complexity, as we see:

• Pop-up stores and stores within stores
• “Phygital” environments
• Showrooming: Ecommerce
• Beacons and geofencing
• Predictive analytics

Read this whitepaper to learn how with the right approach, retailers can get a clear, holistic view of each customer, no matter how or where she
interacts.