Research has shown that more than 80% of global consumers prefer to do business with retailers that allow them to personalise and control where, when and how they interact through their preferred channel.
This is according to Steven Baxter, solution manager at NCR, who notes that consumers want a consistent experience across all these channels, interfaces and touch-points.
Baxter says that global industry trends are influencing omni-channel strategies - consumers are interacting with brands through multiple channels.
The key challenges in the retail sector are how to combine all the channels in the most effective, and efficient way while ensuring that customers are provided with a personalised and interactive experience that engages them in more relevant and convenient ways, says Baxter.
He adds that that although consumers make use of many channels for their pre-purchase decision making, they still prefer the in-store experience when it comes to making the actual purchase.
That is why system integration across all channels is so critical, says Baxter.
To enable a true omni-channel strategy, factors like pricing need to be consistent and customers need to be able to accumulate loyalty points whether they shop online or in-store.
In addition, in-store solutions can enable a better shopping experience that includes guiding selling and clienteling mobile tools for associates and endless aisle kiosks to combine the in-store and online experience into one.
In an omni-channel model, consumer information, inventory, product data, content and operations are integrated to function together, and not as individual silos separated by line of business, says Baxter.
The aim is to offer customers a similar, highly-engaging experience whether they are shopping in a brick-and-mortar store, on the Web or via a mobile device, he adds.
This experience ideally includes the ability for consumers to start their shopping trip in one channel and finish it in another. For example, they can order merchandise online and then pick it up quickly and conveniently in-store, he explains.
Ultimately, omni-channel retail is about improving the customer experience, which is what helps to ensure customer loyalty, states Baxter
Also, to attract and retain today's empowered shoppers, retailers must blend the physical and digital worlds into a seamless omni-channel experience that offers buy anywhere, fulfil from anywhere and return anywhere flexibility, he concludes.
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