5 Things Solutions Should Do For Your Omni-Channel IT Clients

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

With your merchant IT clients competing to provide the best customer experience, you want to support their goals with the best solutions.

Brian Taylor, offering market manager with Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions listed 5 things solutions should deliver in the omni-channel environment in his presentation at the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) RetailNOW 2015, held Aug. 2 to 5 at Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, FL.

1. Visibility. Shoppers want to know what’s going on. They want to see their order, their relationship, their status, their service calls, store inventory, and new promotions. Solutions need to provide clear, timely information to the users.
2. Consistency. Taylor reported in Toshiba’s research, consistency emerged as a top overall omni-channel requirement, across all groups of consumers. Shoppers want prices to be the same whether they are shopping on a mobile device, on the Web or in the store, and they want inventory to be accurate across all channels.
3. Anytime, Anywhere Shopping. And while each retailer has a different brand identity reflected in their apps, all apps should allow a consumer to start the shopping experience at home, continue it through the in-store experience — and even after they return home. Loyalty programs play a large role; customers want visibility into their loyalty programs to keep track of points, rewards options, and special offers. Solutions should create a platform that empowers customers, but doesn’t interrupt them. As Taylor states, “They don’t want you to control the experience; you want them to control the experience.”
4. Amazing Experience. And, Taylor cautions, “As we think about consumer mobile, we’re thinking a lot bigger than just being able to buy things. We’re thinking about creating this amazing experience that consumers can interact with the retailer and get value in the process.” And the values brought the customer also benefit the retailer by fostering consumer loyalty, empowering them and establishing a relationship.
5. Support For Payment Technologies. Taylor stated, “We think point of sale technology is going to continue to evolve, going to continue to get simpler, and one of the areas is with consumer mobile — paying and transaction.” While this transformation will not happen overnight, consumers will increasingly be able to pay using their mobile devices. Taylor commented shoppers could just “touch and go … or even better, just walk through a space that can detect your phone, maybe do a personalized audit of what’s in your basket through a camera, and then you’re out the door.”