Omnichannel Transformation: On the way to omnichannel 2025
Consumers' expectations are changing at lightning speed. Driven by the latest digital trends and technological developments, the major digital players such as Amazon, Apple and Google have set a standard that consumers have become accustomed to. The vast majority of customer experiences of today are a combination of online and offline processes, whereby a customer instinctively and implicitly switches between channels. It is difficult for companies to get a grip on this. The Omnichannel Transformation expert group of the ShoppingTomorrow research platform has spent the last year investigated how different kinds of organisations can learn from each other to really how to put the customer first, build the organisation on innovation and customer satisfaction, and how to let technology and data to be properly supported.
Three themes
The ideal omnichannel customer experience is determined by three themes and associated challenges:
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Customer experience
The challenge is to define the relevant customer journeys and to align them with the needs of the customer at that time. How can you really get to know your customers and build a relationship?
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Organisation
The challenge is have the whole organisation pursue the same goal. And how can you stop the customer journey from being managed by one team, while other teams have their own KPIs? Additionally, it is a challenge is to stimulate initiatives and to give people the right freedom to grow.
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Technology & data
The challenge is to choose a technology that supports the relevant parts of the customer experience, and to have a clear picture of what the first steps are the organisation needs to take. Expertise is needed to integrate new platforms into the existing ICT landscape and to make the most of technology. An organisation must be able to link products to context and, in turn, to be able to link relevant offers to that. Commerce, content, marketing and service are not isolated procedures, but will be supported by information from integrated systems.
To be able to meet these challenges with regard to customer experience, organisation, technology and data, the expert group proposes a step-by-step plan that starts with the definition of a clear vision and strategy. This is translated into the right organisation and technology that will jointly support the ideal customer experience. By measuring the customer experience and building on the current situation, you create an iterative process of nonstop improvement. Read more about this step-by-step plan and the case discussed in the blue paper by the Omnichannel Transformation expert group . This expert group was made possible by: Accenture Interactive en Oracle.