The boundaries between online and offline ordering are blurring. However, there are still major differences and they have a major impact on the customer experience (CX). It does not matter whether you mainly sell products or services online, offline or in a mixed form. Customers drop out due to obstacles. How do you remove those obstacles?
There are of course major differences between online and offline marketing. Customers also experience differences when they order something. How they experience this differs per type of customer or product group. Some products you really want to try and experience in the store first. In other cases, the convenience, time savings or price of online ordering weigh heavily.
More and more companies are active online and offline. Is your desired hand blender not in stock? Order it directly online! This development continues. Outdoor sports shop Bever has been named the best omnichannel retailer in Europe by Google this year. Their stores are full of technology, such as barcode scanners and screens that provide product information and help with ordering. A golden combination with the good knowledge of the staff and the good customer service.
Differences are becoming increasingly important
While the boundaries between online and offline shopping are fading, the differences are becoming increasingly important for companies. Even if they are only active online or offline, because what is the competition doing? And how do customers experience that? And those who are active on both fronts must above all offer a uniform customer experience. Digitization can offer solutions, but it can also turn out wrong and create barriers.
That's risky. That is why measuring customer experience is crucial. Transactional measurements (about and immediately after the purchase) are especially valuable for this. Questions about online or offline thresholds can also be submitted directly.
Action through insight
With the measurement results, these companies can immediately initiate actions to remove obstacles and improve experiences. Online, for example, customer trust is an important factor. This is not only about the reliability of a webshop, but also about clarity of information and the removal of uncertainties about, for example, delivery, service, warranty and return options.
With small adjustments, great progress can sometimes be made immediately, also in the store. It's just what your customers need. Make sure you have this clear.
