By Bernard Louvat, TouchCommerce
The name of the game is omnichannel, and engaging with your customer is the object of the omnichannel game. With the ever-expanding array of engagement channels, there are many tactics involved…. So how do you win?
1. Pull all your strategies into one game plan. That’s what omnichannel is all about — making multiple channels of engagement all a part of the same game. The customers who found you on their laptops are the same customers who continued interacting with you on their smartphones when they got to your physical location. The game didn’t change for those customers, just the strategies used to play it. Don’t make them start a new game just because they changed the way they interact with your business.
2. Execute your strategies smoothly. Your game plan will be disjointed if there is miscommunication among the team members. As you develop and implement your business’ omnichannel engagement strategy, the various players involved have to work together, understanding that each move being executed is all a part of a group effort, with one goal in mind — the conversion and loyalty of your customers. You may decide to bring in specialty coaches or players (vendors) to optimize your game; if so, make sure you choose a vendor that will play as part of the team, adding not only professional skills and knowledge, but strength and support on your road to victory.
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3. Stay in the game. Don’t step out for a break. Stay with your customer the whole way through the game. Imagine customers who have their own personal associates moving along with them as they search for the right items, ask questions, look for special deals, get their friends’ opinions, make the purchase, and return the next week for accessories. A customer having the same associate assisting him or her throughout the journey makes for a unified, personalized experience. That’s how your customers should feel about the omnichannel experience your brand gives them. Their journey history should move along with them as they switch from device to device, from online to offline, to online again.
4. Remember who you’re playing for. This is a customer-centric game. Consider their favorite plays and use those in your game plan, making the experience personalized and meaningful. In other words, proactively engage with them on the channels they use and don’t present content that doesn’t interest them. Act upon the customer preferences and weave them across the entire journey, whether in the store or on their desktop. Essentially, you’re giving the customer control of how the game is played.
Win The Omnichannel Game
Games are not played very well with multiple strategies that don’t complement each other. Remember to combine your strategies, making the game smooth and effortless. Want die-hard fans? Learn who your customers are, and play the game they love.
Bernard Louvat is the President and CEO of TouchCommerce, the innovative leader in omnichannel engagement solutions for market-leading brands. He has 25 years of expertise and passion around retail and e-commerce innovation, having held leadership roles at Lancôme, Office Depot, Disney, CitySearch, Bain & Company, and others. Louvat came to TouchCommerce (then inQ) in 2005 with a vision to assist online shoppers to buy online. Drawing upon his specialty retail and online experience, he embarked on creating a set of innovative technology solutions to target, engage and assist online shoppers and returning customers and create a more personalized online shopping experience. He holds an MBA with Distinctions from Harvard Business School and a BA in Business Administration from HEC, Paris, France. Follow Louvat at twitter.com/blouvat or at www.linkedin.com/in/blouvat. For more information on TouchCommerce, please visitwww.touchcommerce.com.
