Technology as a Pillar of Omnichannel

Before we dive in, a question: Is this your first time visiting the omnichannel blog? If your answer is yes, then I invite you to take a look at previous articles and enjoy reading with a good coffee or a refreshing drink. This way, you'll understand the context of what you'll see here.

If you're already up to date, let's explore the Technology dimension of the Omnichannel Customer Experience Management Maturity Model.

Technology as a Fundamental Pillar

First, for technology to function as a fundamental pillar of omnichannel, it must enable:

• The integration and unity of channels for management and operationalization.
• Staff to have the appropriate work tools.
• Enriching the customer experience with customer-centric technology, rather than simply implementing a "gadget."

Criteria that make up the Technology dimension

In our Maturity Model for Omnichannel CX Management, we identify 8 dimensions, and if you evaluate your company or organization, you will see that dimension 7 - Technology is operationalized as follows:

• In-store technology: We offer in-store technology to enrich the customer experience and avoid queues (e.g., virtual fitting rooms, mobile payments, etc.).
• Variety of payment systems: Our company offers a wide variety of payment systems, including mobile payments, cashless methods, and currency options.
• Technology systems: We have the underlying technology to support omnichannel management and operationalization.
• Customer-centric technology: We have digital technology solutions to provide relevant information and experiences to customers when they need it. Our technology is oriented to customer needs, fostering digital elements for the consumer, avoiding "gadgetization."
• Technology as a work tool: Our staff has access to appropriate technology to make their work more efficient.
• Security: All channels have appropriate security attributes.
• Technology: We see underlying technology as a major influence for channel integration and unity.

Underlying technology versus gadgetization

If you are in a company that is making omnichannel a strategic priority, you will have already realized that technology is necessary but not sufficient.

That's why our maturity model has a Technology dimension, but also many other components, such as People, Data and Analytics, or Customer Experience, for example.

The Challenge of Organizational Culture

As in digital transformation processes or, even more basic, digitalization, we need to build on technology. In fact, previous research shows that the most important changes lie in organizational culture (Bagge, 2007).

So, we are talking about technology that enhances omnichannel as that which is underlying; that is, that which facilitates and sustains the interaction of people with the different contact channels of the company (Peltola et al., 2015) and also that which is a work tool for the company's employees (Gerea and Herskovic, 2022).

Conversely, when we talk about avoiding gadgetization, we refer to not incorporating technology elements that do not add value to the customer journey (Parise et al., 2016). At the corporate level, gadgetization is experienced in many ways:

• From questions like "What's the latest technology trend we can incorporate?",
• to "What can we do in the Metaverse?", when we still have the basic experience unresolved, or
• "We are developing such a project because manager X thought of it."

Tell me, based on what I've told you here, do you have similar examples of projects you've participated in? I'm reading...

The original version of this article was published on LinkedIn for the Omnicanalidad en español Newsletter. You know, you can also follow me on that platform.

References

• Bagge, D. (2007). Multi-channel retailing: Retail The route to customer focus : Putting the customer first by moving from multiple channels to multi-channel retailing. The European retail digest : the authoritative guide to trends and developments in retailing across Europe, 53(2007/08), 57-70.
• Gerea, C. & Herskovic, V. (2022). Transitioning from Multichannel to Omnichannel Customer Experience in Service-Based Companies: Challenges and Coping Strategies. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 17(2), 394-413.
• Parise, S., Guinan, P. J. & Kafka, R. (2016). Solving the crisis of immediacy: How digital technology can transform the customer experience. Business Horizons, 59(4), 411-420.

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