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There are many strategies to gain consumer attention and thereby increase business revenues. Corporations can choose from various ways to reach a customer, from street announcements to personalized online advertising. One of the latest trends that the company is following in communication with clients is omnichannel marketing. This paper aims to study that strategy both theoretically and on the example of a specific company.
By itself, omnichannel marketing is a logical continuation of the multichannel strategy. These two concepts are quite close; however, it is essential to distinguish them from each other. Multichannel marketing refers to the use of various channels to reach a customer, such as email, TV ads, and mall ads (Usquiano, 2017). On the one hand, the omnichannel strategy also employs the same customer interactions. However, a significant difference is the principle of their use, which is based on absolute seamlessness.
All-channel marketing aims to create continuous interaction with the services of a particular company. With the multichannel approach, the existing communication paths exist separately from each other. According to Hübner, Wollenburg, and Holzapfel (2016), the advantages of the first method lie in integrating offline and online systems and synergy with the buyer. The use of omnidirectional marketing allows for faster acquisition of client data, acceleration of service utilization, and targeting specific customer groups.
At the moment, many corporations use this very approach, and its effectiveness can be analyzed using Apples example. This company is known for its high-tech technology, created specifically for the convenience of the customer. To achieve the same goal, all the products that the business provides are united into a single network connected by Apple services. A person can take a series of pictures using a smartphone from this company, which will be automatically uploaded to Apples cloud service. After that, they can be instantly accessed from anywhere and from any authorized device. Thus, the company implements the principles of addressing the client at his location and integrating communications (Usquiano, 2017). All other Apple services operate in a similar way, including those aimed at the direct purchase of the necessary products.
The concept of omnichannel marketing is most often implemented in the form of interaction between the online and offline services of a company. Apple is no exception in this case, as it demonstrates high consistency in the work of both online stores and retail outlets. The main problem of implementing such a strategy is information exchange since two types of uncertainty arise (Gao & Su, 2017). First, customers may not always be able to evaluate a product using online services, which can lead to a refund. Secondly, there is often an insufficient connection between online outlets and offline points, which can lead to the physical absence of goods in the store, despite its presence on the site. However, Apple successfully solves both of these problems by continually updating information on the site. The pages dedicated to each of the products are as informative as possible and provide a massive amount of textual, technical, and visual information.
Also, a difficulty for companies is often the very use of many channels, since it is necessary to attract a buyer in some way. The leading indicators for assessing the quality of the all-channel method, in this case, are the consistency of processes, the breadth of services, and the transparency of the entire system as a whole. According to research by Lee, Chan, Chong, and Thadani (2019), Apple has been successful in meeting the challenge by keeping its staff professional and informative. This factor is especially important for sellers of high-tech goods since their sale involves many alternatives and, therefore, the need to distinguish their product from the rest clearly.
Thus, omnichannel marketing is a logical development of a multichannel strategy adapted to high technologies. This approach is currently used by many corporations, including well-known ones like Apple. This company provides a seamless connection between all of its services and retail stores, successfully implementing all the main concepts of the strategy under study.
References
Gao, F., & Su, X. (2017). Online and offline information for omnichannel retailing. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 19(1), 84-98.
Hübner, A., Wollenburg, J., & Holzapfel, A. (2016). Retail logistics in the transition from multi-channel to omni-channel. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 46(6/7), 562583.
Lee, Z. W., Chan, T. K., Chong, A. Y. L., & Thadani, D. R. (2019). Customer engagement through omnichannel retailing: The effects of channel integration quality. Industrial Marketing Management, 77, 90-101.
Usquiano, V. (2017,). Multi-channel vs. omnichannel marketing. [Video file]. Web.
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