Many are saying 2015 will be the year of the customer which means brands need to focusing on the overall customer experience. In 2014 we saw a lot of developments in the world of retail and in-store tech - both online and offline. Without a doubt, 2014 saw us launching further into an omni-channel era of retail in which superfast connectivity and smart mobile devices are transforming the shopping experience.
Marketers have started to recognise that they need to up their game to capture the connected consumer’s imagination. The connected consumer no longer reacts to the traditional ‘path to purchase’ strategy used by marketers to target them. Shoppers already use smartphones, PCs, laptops and tablets to research brands and products and the next step is to experience the brand or product in ultimate ‘try before you buy’ fashion. This can be anything from a phone call with a human being representing the brand to immersive experiences.
Omni-channel retailing will be the norm
Retailers are finally starting to focus omni-channel as the norm when it comes to offering the best possible customer journey. So if a customer wants to view an item online, purchase it using their phone and return it by dropping by the store, they can do so in the smoothest way possible. More still needs to be done to connect the online with the offline experience as many retailers offer great online experiences, which tend to lead to disappointing offline experiences.
Time to hire a Head of Omni-channel
Just like there is now a space for the data scientist job role, there is also an opening for the head of omni-channel - and if there isn’t, there should be! This is someone who will ensure the seamless experience of the customer journey through the different channels available - from online search, social media, phone to face-to-face. The head of omni-channel can ensure all the systems and points of contact of the consumer are streamlined and smooth.
Immersive experiences
There’s been a lot of hype recently on the concept of virtual reality (VR) and immersive experiences, with devices such as the Oculus Rift, social virtual reality world Second Life and apps such as Google Goggles not only taking over the imagination of geeks and tech enthusiasts, but also shaping the future of marketing and the consumer experience. VR has been used for years for training programmes by the military, in medicine and psychological therapy, with the next step being retail - we think.
It remains to be seen where concepts like virtual reality and head of omni-channel hires will end up in the retail space, but if marketers ignore this trend and keep up with mobile ads, offering little context, that will only give short-term engagement. They should embrace the consumer’s appetite for immersive and interactive content - social and creative content are the key to building long-term relationships with customers. Simple push notifications and mobile ads with little context are no longer enough.
By Bhavesh Vaghela, CMO of ResponseTap.
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