Omni channel (also spelled Omni-channel) is a multichannel approach to sales that seeks to provide the customer with a seamless shopping experience whether the customer is shopping online from a desktop or mobile device, by telephone or in a bricks and mortar store.
Omni channel and Multi-channel are two words that are used in tandem in this era of digital disruption. There is a distinctive difference between these two terms. All Omni channel experiences use multi channels, but not all multi-channel experiences are Omni channel.
An enterprise may have a well-defined website, an efficient customer call centre, and a world class mobile app. But if they are all not tied up together, it is not Omni channel support.
The other day, I and a friend of mine went out for dinner. His phone battery died and my smart phone only had 2G data support. We had to book a cab to get back to our place from our restaurant. I could not even activate that cab service app on my mobile as that particular app does not function on 2G. I rang the fancy number of the cab service provider and tried booking a cab and the response I got was, “Sorry sir, we do not book cabs through calls. You have to book using our app”.
May be the cab service has multi-channel support; but they did not serve a customer like me. A leading social media network has come up with a lite-version of their app for their 2G data users. Such firms end up providing seamless service and fill all the gaps that stop them from providing a pleasant experience to the customer.
I am now contemplating on porting my mobile number to a leading service provider who promises 4G network to its users. This leading mobile service provider is very good in servicing their customers through their twitter account; but their call centre is pathetic. Yet another example of multi channels in place; but bad Omni channel experience to its users.
Organisations that focus on Omni channel support will deliver superlative customer experiences and such organisations will definitely have a major chunk in the revenue share.
Have you come across any organisation that provides seamless experience through Omni-channel support? If the answer is yes, please share your story