Hint: It’s all about the Customer Experience
We partner with XMPie, the leading software for audience engagement and personalised communications. The technology we use enables you to reach customers across multiple channels and touchpoints. The two main approaches are multi or cross-channel, and omnichannel. But what do these mean and how do they differ?
This guest blog from our colleagues at XMPie explains the difference.
The terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a distinct difference. If you’re considering how to improve your entire customer journey, here are the options.
Omnichannel Marketing vs. Multichannel Marketing
The main difference between the two relates to the ‘Customer Experience’. You’ve probably heard this term a lot! Developing customer-centric strategies helps brands to re-define their communication approaches. At the highest level, the customer experience is the sum of all interactions that a customer has with a brand.
Multichannel Marketing
With cross-media or multichannel marketing, the focus is on hitting a variety of channels. It refers to a single strategy, implemented across multiple channels. The goal is to maximise opportunities, engagement and action among consumers.
Multichannel aims to give customers a choice, enabling them to buy how and when they want.
Omnichannel Marketing
Omnichannel marketing is an extension of this but is more strategic and targeted. It aims to build a stronger customer-brand relationship over time. With this tactic, the brand will still use a variety of channels. However, they will offer an integrated, personalised journey to ensure a consistent experience.
During an omnichannel campaign, each interaction is a seamless extension of their previous interaction, regardless of the channel or device. Their context and history will continue to the next channel with them. The channel itself isn’t important anymore. What’s important? Delivering a seamless customer experience.
Delivering a Customer-First Experience
The customer isn’t interested in channels or devices. They don’t want to jump through hoops. They want an effortless and seamless interaction when they connect with a brand and they want to feel valued.
Although the omnichannel campaign might be delivered on a massive scale, each customer will still feel that they are the single recipient of the campaign.
To create these individual customer journeys effectively – and to scale, you need the right tools to orchestrate and automate your campaigns.
That’s where XMPie comes in. We use it to deliver exceptional customer experiences for retailers, charities, sales organisations and membership firms. It puts the customer front and centre across a variety of print and digital touch points.
Brands can choreograph five-star customer experiences, where data and business rules align across multiple channels. Whether a campaign consists of print alone or a combination of media – the data is always synchronized, enabling a truly holistic brand experience.
The shift to Omnichannel
We’ve seen that an omnichannel approach is the best way for brands to improve the customer experience and foster customer loyalty. Rather than focusing on individual touch points, such as an email, direct mail or coupon, a winning customer experience is carefully choreographed. It’s seamless for the customer and is critical to campaign success.
Omnichannel can be a challenge, but the potential results and ROI are huge. That’s why we’re seeing a massive shift, as brands seek to leverage their data and deliver well-executed customer experiences.
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Read more > Using Data To Drive Customer Engagement
Contact us to find out how you can utilise omnichannel marketing. Call Nicki on +44 (0)20 7846 0004
Abridged with permission. Originally published at www.xmpie.com on 20 February 2018.