Providing a seamless, consistent experience across all communication channels is no longer a choice for ecommerce businesses, it’s a demand that needs to be met. New-age consumers utilize a plethora of platforms to engage with a brand, whether it’s through online searches, social media, videos, mobile apps, and more. Adopting a strategy that is omnichannel for ecommerce is a sure-shot way to meet their expectations.
In this blog, learn about:
- The concept of omnichannel customer experience
- Role of ecommerce contact center software in boosting CX
- Benefits of omnichannel customer experience in e-commerce
What does omnichannel for ecommerce mean?
Omnichannel ecommerce is an integrated approach that focuses on providing a consistent and cohesive customer experience across all touchpoints and channels. Typically, this can be achieved by aligning messaging and branding across all customer interactions. Simply put, implementing an omnichannel strategy for ecommerce entails offering your customers a way in which they can pick up from where they left off. Omnichannel ecommerce ensures that each touchpoint feels like a continuation of the previous one. It aims to deliver a personalized and relevant experience to the customer, regardless of the channel they use.
Use-case: Omnichannel customer experience
To understand how an omnichannel strategy works to enhance customer experience, let’s take an online furniture store as an example. A potential customer is browsing through Instagram and comes across an advertisement for a dining table that they like. They click on the ad and are directed to the store’s Instagram page where they learn more about the table and read customer reviews. From there, they click through to the store’s website to make a purchase but find that the shape and size of the table they want aren’t available at the moment. They then use the live chat feature to inquire about its availability.. An agent informs the customer that the table they are looking for will be available in 24 hours. The agent reserves the dining table for the customer and the next day, the customer receives a direct message on Instagram Messenger from the online furniture store with a payment link. The customer makes the payment, the keys are in the delivery address, and the dining table is shipped off to them.
Through this process, the customer had five distinct touchpoints with the company: Instagram ad, Instagram page, website, live chat, and payment link. Each touchpoint was seamlessly connected to the next, providing a smooth journey through the sales funnel, from awareness to purchase. This is a prime example of an ideal omnichannel experience.
What is the difference between Multichannel and Omnichannel eCommerce?
The best way to distinguish between multichannel and omnichannel for ecommerce is to identify their focus on personalization. Multichannel marketing integrates messaging across all channels but may not tailor it to individual customers. On the other hand, omnichannel for ecommerce positions the customer at the center of the strategy, optimizing messages to their specific needs and preferences at every touchpoint.
When focusing your marketing strategy on the customer:
- Messages align with the customer’s specific stage in their journey
- Positive experiences lead to increased customer interactions and access to more data
- Integrated data with robust omnichannel for ecommerce leads to enhanced personalization
- Improved sales and stronger brand loyalty as a result of enhanced personalization.
What are the advantages of using Omnichannel for eCommerce?
Since a large number of organizations, irrespective of their size, have adopted an omnichannel strategy for eCommerce, its effectiveness is no longer an element of surprise. Having said that, it’s important to highlight the effort required for such a transition and the potential outcomes. Here are some of the benefits or advantages of using omnichannel for ecommerce.
Omnichannel ecommerce increases the rates of purchase
A slew of factors can influence the outcome of implementing an omnichannel for ecommerce, but it’s worth considering the statistics. According to a study, marketers, across all industries, are utilizing at least three channels for communication with their audience and experience a purchase rate that’s 287% higher than those who restrict themselves to one channel. This 14.8% increase from 2018 is expected to rise as customers become more accustomed to engaging through multiple channels.
Omnichannel ecommerce urges customers to spend more
On top of that, not only are customers more likely to purchase from omnichannel brands, but they also spend more. In fact, marketing campaigns run across at least three channels prompt buyers to spend 10% more than on single-channel campaigns. This goes to show that omnichannel customer experience urges customers to spend often and spend more.
Omnichannel ecommerce promotes consistent messaging
A prime advantage of implementing an omnichannel approach to ecommerce is the consistency of brand messaging for customers. Regardless of the touchpoint, customers will receive a coherent message about your brand. This empowers customers to stay loyal to your brand and spend more as well.
Omnichannel ecommerce helps track customer behavior
Adopting an omnichannel strategy for ecommerce gives you the opportunity to collect, track, and use customer data to understand their buying behavior. It enables your business to integrate customer information from various channels and gives you a comprehensive view of customer demographics. With this information, you are well-equipped to offer your customers a shopping experience that meets their expectations. Additionally, shifting to omnichannel marketing for ecommerce empowers your brand to personalize customer experience by catering to individual-specific needs.
What does an ecommerce contact center software do?
An ecommerce contact center software’s objective is to scale up sales, resolve customer inquiries, and troubleshoot issues before or after a purchase. By setting up this software, your brand can enhance the customer experience, retain clients, and nurture brand loyalty. Typically, an ecommerce contact center’s function can vary from customer service, support, or sales, depending on the nature of your business. Thanks to eCommerce contact center software, a contact center can offer various communication channels for customer convenience. In addition, analytics tools provide the opportunity to measure performance and gain insight to enhance the customer experience.
What are the advantages of using ecommerce contact center software?
At a high level, contact centers offer the advantage of relying on a dedicated and skilled workforce that focuses solely on meeting the needs of your customers. Trained call agents who specialize in customer service flaunt a level of proficiency when addressing customer inquiries. To deliver the same for online retail businesses, you need an efficient and appropriate ecommerce contact center software:
A few other benefits of implementing an ecommerce call center software for your business are:
Increased brand affinity with First Call Resolutions
One of the key benefits of using an ecommerce contact center software is the ability to achieve first-call resolutions. Features such as IVR, call queues, and call transferring allow calls to be directed to the appropriate agent, enabling prompt and efficient handling of customer inquiries, and leading to increased brand popularity and retention of customers.
Secure payment methods
An ecommerce contact center software helps process payments in a secure and timely manner. Customers can shop freely without the hassle and worry of revealing their transaction details like credit card numbers and other vital information.
Speedy call routing
The faster a customer manages to connect with an agent, the quicker the purchase happens. To make sure nothing or no one comes in the way of the buyer and the sale, work with an ecommerce contact center software. Call routing capabilities on a cloud-based phone system alert agents to transfer calls to the appropriate person or department before or during the call, ensuring efficient handling of customer inquiries.
Boost sales conversion rates
eCommerce contact center software automates the progression of lead generation throughout the sales process. This helps increase sale conversion rates which is a best-case scenario for any and every ecommerce business.
The Takeaway
If you’re looking to optimize your ecommerce business to provide superior customer experience, adopt an omnichannel strategy to drive the best outcomes. Essentially, omnichannel customer experience is a byproduct of using the advantages of omnichannel marketing to meet the needs and expectations of buyers. Implementing a cohesive ecommerce contact center software will give your brand the ability to make customers happy and retain them in the long run.
