\n Stay Forward <\/h2>\n
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The future will not be 100% digital<\/h2>\n
At the onset of the pandemic, we predicted that the new normal would be shaped by our collective efforts to adapt<\/a>\u2014commercially, culturally, and personally. That prediction has largely held true. The last 12 months have not only accelerated developments in logistics, ecommerce, and data analytics, but brought about a sea change in our attitudes towards home working and conscious capitalism.<\/p>\n
The rate of change has been breathtaking, with an increasing number of organizations finally getting to grips with the concept of digital transformation<\/a>. But make no mistake: the future will not be entirely online. Instead, our new normal demands both digital and<\/em> in-person excellence. Look no further than the excitement generated by lockdown easing and the increasingly common sight of people delighting in simple physical experiences, from caf\u00e9 lunches to long-overdue hair appointments.<\/p>\n
By the same token, the most successful marketing strategies\u2014today and in the years to come\u2014will offer comprehensive omnichannel experiences through seamless digital and in-person interactions. The only problem? Let’s move on to the next point to find out…<\/li>\n
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Most marketing strategies are not omnichannel<\/h2>\n
Forrester found that only 15% of surveyed organizations have truly seamless omnichannel strategies. To put it bluntly, current approaches are stuck in the past as the majority of marketers continue to treat digital experiences and physical experiences as two distinct, disparate journeys.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\nAt key stages of the customer journey, most brands are leveraging online or in-person tactics in isolation\u2014never in coordination. Their process is stifled further by various technology and reporting deployments failing to connect with one another, undermining every effort to create cohesive customer experiences<\/a>.<\/p>\n
This trend varies widely by industry and by region. Just 8% of surveyed retailers, for instance, claim to offer completely seamless experiences compared to 25% of financial services organizations. Meanwhile, 19% of North American business leaders made the same claim compared to just 13% of their European counterparts. So the journey towards an omnichannel future will not be linear\u2014but what, exactly, is holding us back? Forrester identified three main barriers:<\/p>\n
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Process inefficiencies <\/h4>\n
Although many B2C organizations have abundant data sources at their disposal, they still struggle to derive actionable insights (85%), identify the right tools and technology (77%), and maintain unified customer profiles across channels (77%).<\/li>\n
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Fragmented customer journeys <\/h4>\n
Consumers are forced to choose between digital and physical touch points across key stages of the lifecycle. Fewer than half of them\u2014and, in some cases, just one-quarter\u2014are able to seamlessly engage with brands both in-person and online. Such brands are aware this is happening, but don’t know how to start building cohesive experiences.<\/li>\n
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Siloed marketing efforts <\/h4>\n
With most organizations deploying standalone silos for in-person and digital experiences, it’s no surprise that only one-third of respondents feel their key channels (website, social, app, paid search) are very effective at driving discovery of their products\/services and acquiring new customers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
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