By Rebecca Serviss
Omnichannel is exactly what the title says. It is a future for any company that focuses on the customer experience, making it seamless. This can be done in a variety of different ways (and there are many more positive implications). It will increase customer engagement and build much more loyalty than a corporation has ever experienced. It’s simple: technology is the future of omnichannel marketing. If a corporation takes advantage of mobile technology to improve the success and engagement with their customers, then loyalty will increase because customers will feel welcome and valued. There are numerous benefits from this future for companies who want to combine marketing initiatives with other technological advances.
How Mobile Apps are Already being Used at Store Locations
Corporations are already taking advantage of and bringing their digital resources to their store locations, bridging the gap between online and in-person interactions. One retailer that is already using its digital channels to improve the customer experience is Target. Target has done a fantastic job making the in-person shopping experience very seamless by making it easier for customers to navigate around the store based on their shopping lists. When customers create an account on the Target app, they can choose their favorite store location preferences or can use their location to find the nearest store and create a shopping list based on the store’s inventory. Once they create their list and start shopping, the app will automatically arrange the items based on the store floor to make it easier for customers to find exactly what they’re looking for in a timely manner. The Target app even provides a map of the store with the aisle numbers to avoid confusion or customers from getting lost.
To help make the shopping experience even easier, Target has also introduced Mobile Checkout. This allows customers to scan a barcode and automatically check out on their phones through the app. If a customer wants to get cash back on the item they purchased, they can simply print out a receipt and bring it to any regular clerk in the store, who will then process their credit card. When a customer is done with their shopping, they can simply scan their receipt in the app to make sure everything was charged correctly, and then can edit their list on the app or delete items if they no longer need them.
By integrating mobile technology into the in-person shopping experience, it allows customers to shop with ease. Target has done an excellent job at improving the customer experience for both those that love shopping in-store and digitally. The ability to have both channels with seamless integration allows customers to shop when, where, and how they want without any hiccups.
This is just the start of what utilizing mobile technology can do to create the ultimate in-store shopping experience. Let’s face it, most people are shopping online, so how can a corporation make the in-store experience more enticing?
More Potential for QR Codes
When shopping at store locations, finding exactly what you’re looking for can be tricky. In most cases, the specific item/brand at the location you’re shopping at is out of stock. Normally, a customer who needs a specific item would try to find it at another location.
What could be an awesome way to integrate mobile technology into the in-store experience is to use QR codes so that customers can easily scan the code using the camera o their phone and order what they’re looking for to have it shipped either to the store or their home. Not only will this save time and not leave customers scrambling to find the item, but it will also introduce them to the store app.
Going along the lines of using QR codes for out-of-stock items, QR codes can be very useful in clothing retailers. With these types of stores, each brand usually has a certain amount of inventory each location can hold and some brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Victoria’s Secret don’t offer extended sizes physically in stores and only online, which can be a hassle for many customers. Normally, these customers would be directed to a sales representative to make a purchase online, which can take up a lot of time. If stores used QR codes next to each item on display with signs like “Don’t see your size? Scan this code to order it online!’ What would make this option even more appealing is if retailers also offered an exclusive coupon code for free shipping on in-store pricing. That would be a win-win for both the customer and the corporation because it introduces the customer to multiple company channels and by offering incentives along with it, it builds loyalty and trust that the brand cares about its customers.
Another way to use QR codes is for the customer to scan a specific code and then find out more about that item. For example, if a customer were interested in a specific product, they can scan the code on the product and find out information about that particular brand. This would be very useful for grocery stores where customers can easily read about nutritional information. This would especially be useful for customers concerned about certain ingredients due to dietary restrictions or allergies.
QR codes also have the potential to bring multi-language support to all customers no matter what country they’re shopping in. When shopping online, customers can easily select their language preference to be able to understand the product description, making it easier for customers to choose the right item. However, when customers shop in person, it may be hard to find products in their first language. QR codes can help in this manner by allowing customers to view product descriptions and ingredients in the preferred language. When stores offer self-checkout, it can lessen the possibility of confusion or misunderstandings.
AI
AI is already making an impact on many different industries and two of the most present and well-known companies using AI in many capacities are Amazon and Apple. Both services offer shopping using the voice command service Alexa and Siri, but both services also allow for the customer to shop without speaking which is where AI comes in.
Amazon has introduced Amazon Go which allows customers to shop with no cashiers and no lines at all. Amazon Go locations are still very new and aren’t in many metropolitan areas of the U.S. yet so only a handful of customers have gotten the chance to try this new cashier-less shopping experience out. For the thousands of customers who are in close proximity to an Amazon Go store, they are most likely familiar with Whole Foods, a grocery chain also owned by Amazon. Aside from serving as a grocery store, Whole Foods offers many incentives to Amazon Prime members such as same-day grocery delivery and Amazon Prime pick-up and drop-off services at the store. However, there are a lot of potential opportunities for AI to be integrated as well. For frequent shoppers who use their Amazon Prime accounts when checking out, the items they bought are stored on the receipt and their account for future purposes. If Amazon were to integrate both GPS technology to detect when customers are close to a Whole Foods location and AI to determine and remind customers what they need to re-stock such as eggs or milk, it could offer one of the most customizable shopping experiences and prevent situations when customers do grocery runs and accidentally forget the items they really need.
On the other hand, there is also a lot of potential for Apple to use AI at its store locations. Using GPS technology, Apple users with the Apple Store app on their phones receive a notification when they are near an Apple store location. Even when they aren’t right next to the store, some Apple users receive notifications nearby even if they are going in the opposite direction of a store location. This information can tell Apple users what products are in the store, but there is a lot of potential for AI to be integrated into the notification system. Let’s say you are a dedicated Apple user and your iPhone contract is about to expire. Apple can also use this technology to recommend a new device for you based on how you use your current one. AI at Apple can be taken even further with Genius Bar appointments. If your own devices could detect if there is something wrong with your device, it has the potential to run its own diagnostics and notify you if a repair is recommended. Along with that, it can help you set us a Genius Bar appointment at a store location nearby.
Accessibility
Utilizing mobile technology for in-person customer experiences brings many benefits to those with disabilities and special needs. The use of the internet and smartphones has customized shopping for customers who have physical or sensory disabilities. Bringing the comfort of online shopping to physical stores is a great way to increase sales for businesses, as well as being a safe environment for customers of all different backgrounds.
Accessibility is an important part of making in-store shopping accessible to disabled customers. Whether it is using the store app on their phones to signal for assistance, or being able to view product information with larger text or audio descriptions, or being able to immediately cross-reference prices and information for any product similar to the one they are shopping for in the store app, options such as these will allow people with disabilities to enjoy shopping just like everyone else.
Integrating AI into the in-store experience can also benefit those with special needs. People who are deaf and have hearing impairments have been especially hit by the high prices of text-to-speech apps. By integrating AI into in-store technology, this can be a safe alternative to paying $2.99 a month for text-to-speech apps. This can also benefit the hearing impaired by giving them access to audio descriptions of products they are shopping for, as well as giving you the option of reading product descriptions to them if able.
Accessibility resources that come from technology have so much potential to allow all customers to enjoy their experiences. Take for example theme parks and museums. Mobile technology is a great tool for visitors with visual and hearing disabilities. For rides and exhibits that focus on sights and sounds, offering resources and tools via a mobile application to provide audio descriptions and subtitles would allow all visitors to enjoy the experience and understand the story that is being told. Although this is a simple example, giving all customers the ability to learn about and be entertained it makes for a better overall experience.
Recap
Mobile technology is key to a seamless shopping experience. It offers a new customizable way to make everyday errands less of a hassle and more enjoyable to do so. Not only does it offer more convenience for shoppers, but it also offers new ways to improve the in-store experience by offering out-of-stock options on items, showing product information, including different languages, and offering more accessibility resources. A recent study by Forrester Research showed that the potential of mobile becomes apparent when considering enhancing in-store shopping experiences. This study is a good sign that many retailers are already utilizing mobile technology to create a seamless shopping experience for customers around the world.
The future of omnichannel strategies is all about bridging the gap between the digital world and the real world, allowing customers to become more independent, and helping companies solve many issues that have turned customers away from these experiences. It will be an exciting one for both companies and customers alike and this is only the beginning. There are so many doors that can open once companies start using mobile technology to their advantage, and it will be very interesting to see how things progress.