Hoxnian: Empowering Millennials with an Omni-channel Solution
The word “omni” means “holistic, all, everything, always, completely”. True to its meaning, omni-channel is a marketing method that designs the shopping experience as an inter-channel process, unlike the multi-channel method with which it is often confused. In addition to channel diversity, the aim is to ensure that these channels work in harmony and integration with each other. Thus, it is possible to offer a perfect and “holistic” customer experience that meets every need, anytime, anywhere.
Why Omni-channel Method?
Omni channel is a marketing approach that is emphasized by brands that want to respond to the changing consumer expectations and needs and establish a more effective relationship with them, as the millennium generation (generation Y) joins us. Millennial generation; They expect their needs such as research, price, quality and accessibility during a shopping experience to be met at the appropriate time and their individual preferences to be taken into account. It is important to put this consumer at the center, understand the needs in the input-output relationship very well and design the shopping experience accordingly. Therefore, it is inevitable for brands to consider online applications such as e-commerce sites and mobile access, as well as physical stores and other social activities as a holistic process. At this point, it is necessary to choose channels in the target audience's interest and usage area for each link of the process chain.
If you wish, let's explain these expressions with an example: The brand follows the consumer with social media monitoring tools and brings the consumer and the product together on the social media platform. With this product advertisement, the consumer is directed to the e-commerce site, where he has the opportunity to review the brand's products and adds the products he likes to his favorite list. The store list with favorite products is sent to the consumer via mobile message. From these stores, the consumer goes to the store closest to him, examines the product in the physical environment and buys it. They can then call customer service and express their product return/exchange requests or complaints.
Basic Channel Preferences of the Millennial Generation
The rise of e-Commerce; It is known that the millennial generation, which grew up in the midst of digitalization, is a reflection of its commitment to technology. However, according to the 2017 Retail Report by Trendsource, millennials; For fashion, electronics and home improvement products, people still buy from brick-and-mortar stores. According to the report, this consumer segment finds online sites more usable in terms of product diversity and availability for all three categories; They prefer physical stores for purchasing, customer service, returns and exchanges. In fact, the process begins online for them, at the stage of examining product types and prices and receiving comments. They switch to physical stores to try the products and get comments from the sales consultant. Therefore, the consistency between what is promised to consumers on their mobile phones, what they see on their computers, and what they encounter in the store is becoming increasingly important. On the other hand, brands must monitor comments about themselves and their products and provide satisfactory answers to each of them, which directly affects the outcomes of the experience.
Omni-Channel and Social Responsibility Relationship
Of course, omni-channel applications are not limited to these. It is possible to use many methods as a link in this chain, such as taking part in social media platforms, staying in touch with consumers with pins and videos, club memberships, in-store online services, cashierless payment applications. If sales are made only through an e-commerce store, product-related promotional stands, events suitable for the intended use, and pop-up store applications can be a solution for physical contact with the consumer. However, it is of critical importance to respond to the expectations of the millennial generation as well as their concerns, which are at least as high as their expectations.
According to the survey conducted by Deloitte in 2017, 76% of this generation, who want to see more social and social responsibility projects, think that businesses can be more active in the face of the problems of the world and societies. This serves as an invitation for brands to focus on social responsibility (fair trade practices, social aid, environmentalism, sustainability, support for recycling, etc.). There are already brands making this investment. However, it would not be wrong to recommend that brands include these activities in the customer experience in order to meet the concerns of this generation.
You can download the full Trendsource 2017 Retail Report here.