Is it multi-channel or omnichannel? That is the question. In this ever changing and speediest of worlds, we are tweeting from our phones, planning playdates on our tablets, and presenting via webcams on our laptops. Your customers are using whatever device they have in the moment. Multi-device is so prevalent, it’s difficult to tell the Mac lovers from the Droids.
How do you best serve customers when they are jumping from device to device while posting on your Facebook wall and calling your customer service line at the same time? What are their expectations from channel to channel? What about the old-fashioned ways of storefronts and face-to-face? Do they still work?
These are a few of the areas we’ll be exploring during May in our month dedicated to the multi-channel experience. We’ll also be exploring:
- Building loyalty through online and mobile experiences, and how they relate to the bigger customer experience
- How B2B needs to consider multi-channel mobility for clients, partners and employees to improve experience
- Mobile retail issues and how to work with customers instead of against them
- Social customer service and how it fits into the greater customer experience landscape
- Customer-centric strategy and leadership in this omnichannel world
- Processes to produce results in the multi-channel environment
- Understanding your offline experience and what to do to improve it holistically
- What financial services, healthcare and education must consider to stay current with customers
According to a recent study, the recipe for a bad Customer Experience includes:
- inferior websites
- too much email
- untargeted promotions
- and unresponsiveness on Twitter, Facebook and other social networks.
You simply can’t afford NOT to be where your customers are, and where they expect you to be! Several years ago, clients used to tell me they didn’t have a web site because “their customers weren’t on the Internet.” Now, that sounds ridiculous. It was then, too, and some of those companies paid dearly for getting into the game too late.
Today, the channels are popping up in ways Jules Verne couldn’t imagine. It’s easy to rationalize and claim because your company is B2B or serving Baby Boomers or “has always done it this way” you don’t need to worry about this multi-channel experience. But you do. And we’re here to help.
Hope you will continue to contribute to these conversations and help us explore what’s here and now and also what’s next. Happy May!
Photo credit: Kabacchi via Creative Commons
