The road to Omnichannel

Today's consumers are 24/7 connected, moving along different channels through multiple devices. While surfing on the internet they expect retailers to pay attention to their specific needs and emotions based on their current actions, location and historic behavior. To be relevant, retailers need to recognize them everywhere and create a seamless experience. They have to create a singular presentation across all touch points in the customer journey (CMO, 2013). "Every part of the business must Think Customer". (Welfare, 2011, p. 91)
An omnichannel approach offers a solution; it takes a deep look at customers and helps retailers understand how they naturally interact with their brands. With an omnichannel retailers have to offer the same items across many different channels; in their physical store, webshop and mobile application. All the elements of their marketing will connect to each other to create a complete customer experience. If you asked me, every retailer must be an omnichannel.

But why is it so important for retailers to be an omnichannel? First of all, Welfare (2011) says that "understanding your customer will allow your business to grow with your customer and provide them, and the potential new customers bring with them, with complete satisfaction for their lifetime" (p. 3). Knowing your customers takes time and effort, but I think when making your customers happy they will return in multiples; a happy customer will tell five people about an experience, whereas unhappy customer will tell 11 people. When brands focus on the 'Lifetime Value', they can guarantee that the closest friends and family of the current customers will become new loyal customers. Beside the important focus on customers, the separation between online and in-store shopping is blurring (Wanderful Media, 2012). Customers touch a brand on many