October 22, 2015
We’ve all heard these terms and even thrown them around ourselves from time to time, but do you really know the difference between ‘multichannel’ and ‘omnichannel’ as they apply to technology today?
Not many people do, but now there's help available.
Gerald Sinclair, Workforce Optimization Practice Manager at Uptivity, an inContact company, recently posted a blog on inContact’s homepage in which he examined these related yet distinct technologies and clarified their differences.
“The term ”multichannel“ refers to the various channels available for connecting with an organization,” Sinclair said. “If you’ve ever shopped online or ordered something through a mobile app, you’ve already been part of a multichannel customer interaction.”
He went on to note that companies may offer several ways for customers to interact with their organization, but the experience is not always consistent. As an example, he said that he might be able to purchase items online in half the time it would take to call the organization and place the order by phone.
But it’s also worth noting that while ‘multichannel’ is the term in vogue, it has been around for a while in various forms.
“Consumer shopping via TV, catalogs, call centers, in-store, [and] door-to-door were all available before the technology boom, offering even more ways to engage,” Sinclair says.
Omnichannel, on the other hand, refers to a more consistent relationship and message across all channels.
“Omnichannel connects the dots between each available channel. It also refers to the simultaneous use of two or more channels,” Sinclair says. “If you’ve ever logged on to a rewards or coupon site on your cell phone and shown the discount at checkout in a retail store, you’ve experienced an omnichannel interaction.”
He notes that no matter which technology a company chooses to use, it can benefit from either one.
“Organizations that are not investing in multichannel customer engagement strategies are at high risk of missing out on profit opportunities and falling behind their competitors. Furthermore, organizations that are implementing an omnichannel strategy will see a 3.4 percent increase (on average) in customer lifetime value,” Sinclair says. “As businesses become more customer-centric, it is vital for them to evolve and adapt to an omnichannel experience management program to create a holistic, positive, and efficient customer service experience.”