A new breed of buyer is forcing brands to pivot their communication strategies. Today’s consumers demand real-time support from brands and lightning-fast responses. One in five customers will stop using a product or service if the response time is too slow. Furthermore, consumers expect consistency from brands, no matter what social platform they’re logging on to. Consistent content and communications across all channels can boost your revenue by 23%. So how can you deliver instantaneous support and a cohesive customer experience across various channels? The answer is omnichannel communications. If you don’t believe us, we’ll let the evidence speak for itself. Here are five brands crushing it with omnichannel messaging strategies.
1. Starbucks
Everyone loves coffee. And we’d all love to be part of an exclusive club. Starbucks, the iconic multinational chain of coffeehouses, tapped into these desires with its successful Starbucks Rewards program. Consumers who opted in would receive SMS deals and promos, order notifications, and other valuable alerts. They could also receive account authorization confirmations, send in receipts for rewards, or send a friend a text with a gift card. Brands can take a cue from Starbucks’ SMS tactics by encouraging customers to opt in with tempting offers and promotions. It’s essential to tailor the messages to speak to the individual customer. Include the shopper’s first name and send them an offer based on their browsing history.
2. Tommy Hilfiger
While we’re on the topic of SMS, fashionistas aren’t immune to the attraction of texts. The premium apparel brand Tommy Hilfiger took notice and used the power of business text messaging to its advantage. The clothing company now provides fashion-savvy consumers with its VIP Tommy Hilfiger Mobile Service. After customers opt in, they can receive regular alerts about new products and sales. However, Tommy Hilfiger knows that less is always more and only sends up to ten texts per month. Companies that use SMS for consumer engagement experience more success than brands that send emails. SMS has an open rate of 98% compared with just 24.8% for emails. Consumers typically keep text message inboxes cleaner than email, prompting them to see texts much sooner than they would an email.
3. Adidas
WhatsApp, Facebook’s centralized instant messaging platform, is great for brand-consumer communications. Brands can benefit from using the app! Take the global athletic apparel company Adidas for example. The company has been using WhatsApp since 2015 to promote new products and answer questions from customers. In 2019, Adidas launched its 100% Unfair Pred campaign that integrated influencer marketing with live chats. As part of the campaign, Adidas enabled recreational sports players to “rent” a pro athlete – or “predator” – for one of their games. Interested participants could communicate with the brand via WhatsApp about what sport they played, when their next game was, and why they needed to rent a professional athlete. Brands that want to target consumers on a hyper-focused level need to use regional channels to connect with them effectively. SMS and email aren’t always the most widely used channels. Adidas got this right by using WhatsApp to target football fanatics. Football is huge in Latin America, where WhatsApp is the messaging platform of choice. For instance, if you’re trying to target customers in the CIS region, Viber would be the way to go. There, the app’s monthly penetration is a staggering 76%.
4. HealthTap
Retail companies aren’t the only ones that can benefit from omnichannel messaging strategies. HealthTap, a leading healthcare app that allows patients to text for free with their doctors, uses Facebook Messenger chatbots to offer 24/7 customer support. This service also allows users to ask questions and receive instant responses, free of charge. Patients can also see answers from physicians similar to their own queries. If the responses from the chatbots are not accurate, HealthTap has 100,000 American doctors in 141 specialties who regularly review patient questions to provide additional responses via Messenger. Companies that decide to use artificial intelligence can set themselves up for success by understanding the type of chatbot they want to create, giving it a personality, and ensuring it is conversational. It’s also essential to measure results to ensure the chatbot continuously delivers a stellar customer experience. A chatbot can bring significant ROI with minimal effort.
5. Hyatt
Hyatt, a leading hotel chain, was one of the first brands ever to use Facebook Messenger for customer service and support. The brand uses Messenger to create meaningful interactions with guests in a secure, private environment. This engagement helps to enhance the customer experience, build trust, and boost profits. Omnichannel customer support is imperative for a fantastic customer experience. It provides shoppers with 24/7 support, delivers fast responses, and allows brands to understand their customers on a deeper level. Did we mention that omnichannel messaging can also increase your profits and expand your global footprint?!
Lesson learned: omnichannel will help your brand grow
Businesses that have mastered the art of omnichannel communications have deepened brand loyalty, enhanced the customer experience, and increased profits. It’s crucial to have a mature omnichannel strategy in place to engage consumers effectively. If you want to better your brand with omnichannel, contact us today.
