Will the Real Omnichannel Please Stand Up?

Branding: Retailers can't afford to let any moment of their customer brand experience be less than consistent, cohesive and reliable. Customers will be quick to recognize the disconnect if a retailer offers a killer store experience but a lame web experience, and vice versa. True omnis are passionate and unfailing in their approach to branding across every channel. Their digital presence — whether it's their website, Facebook page, mobile app, etc. — radiates the same design and feel as their physical stores. The level of creative execution that they put into the lighting, music, layout and mood of its stores is also translated online. From product reviews to cool content, true omnis are creating experiences online that are on par with some of the hottest and most innovative e-commerce companies.

On the flipside, wannabe omnis believe that simply matching colors and content is enough to comprise a unified branding strategy. Their websites come off as an afterthought and something they felt obligated to do, rather than a part of their brand that they genuinely love and cultivate. Because their branding is fragmented and impersonal, wannabe omnis are jeopardizing their customer loyalty and failing to position themselves for long-term success.

And the Winner is …
As we sprint into the omnichannel era, some will be left behind and some will emerge as a new breed of retailers that are as strong as Amazon. Those that invest in their infrastructure and talent, and have the conviction to deliver a true omni experience will be victorious. Will it be Wal-Mart, Macy's, Gap? The race is neck-in-neck, but one thing is for sure: it will be really fun to watch.

Mark Treschl is the president and CTO of OpinionLab, a provider of omnichannel voice-of-customer feedback solutions.