If having customer-centric marketing leads the customer to the store, a robust operation allows the fulfillment of the customer’s needs and expectations. The store operation is crucial, not only for the customer’s physical shopping experience but also as a decisive last step in harmonizing the omnichannel experience.
Some retailers still suffer from a poor store experience, overflowing the customer with a huge variety of products and with long shopping courses, with the goal of increasing the average time spent in the store. At the same time, the online and offline channels lack connection and integration, leading to disruptions in the customer journey that can cause a non-returning client.
It is fundamental to integrate the online and offline experiences, achieving an integrated customer journey. At this point, some questions should be answered:
Technology plays an important role in this omnichannel orchestration, allowing communication with the customer in a seamless way, and enabling an efficient store operation. As an example, store operators should be able to query stock levels at different stores, informing the client where is the stock available, or if there is any movement they can make that best suits their needs.
Operating retail sales both offline and online certainly presents some challenges, and there may be constraints when managing different sales channels and creating synergies between them. That can be addressed through different initiatives, where analytics plays an important part. Above all, it is crucial to keep track at all times of the different points of contact with the customer, setting the foundations for an impressive omnichannel experience.
By: Paulo Sousa
