'Omni-channel' approach to retail accelerated by pandemic

Covid has changed everything for retailers. Though their premises may have reopened, too many shoppers remain anxious about visiting physical stores for any hope of a return to normal.

This fact has accelerated a move to an ‘omni-channel’ blend of on- and off-line selling. But if retailers are to provide a unified brand experience across all channels, they are going to have to upskill across a number of fronts, cautions Mark Jordan, chief technologist with Skillnet Ireland, the in-work training agency.

The three components now required of most retailers are a mix of “physical shop experience, click and collect, and pure online,” he points out.

Where previously a store might have done 80 per cent of its business in store, and 20 per cent  online, Covid will likely flip that, he suggests. That could leave the bricks and mortar store as actually little more than a ‘shopfront’, “with most of the business actually being about warehousing, distribution and delivery,” he says.

Such a development will require new skill sets in areas such as inventory management, trend analysis and risk mitigation.

New and complex tasks face the retail staff of the post Covid era. It will be more important than ever to keep ahead of customer trends while at the same time making sure a store is not left with too much stock in the event of a future lockdown. Staff must also, he points out, be able to assess the kind – and volume - of goods customers will want in the event of new lockdowns.

Customers are more comfortable shopping online now, across all age groups. However, they expect their online experience to mirror that of an in-store one, as much as possible.

But the in-store experience faces challenges too, not least because Covid protocols need to remain in place that are effective, but not be so alarming as to scare anxious customers off. Already retailers are looking at ways in which to ‘tone down’ their safety signage, he points out.

While infection control will remain a standard part of retail responsibilities, staff must also figure out how to maximise selling opportunities in-store under less than conducive conditions. Browsing is out, shopping lists are in. “People don’t want to linger, they want to get in and out, so how stores are laid out and configured will have to change,” he explains.

Demand for staff with the skills to do this effectively will grow. Staff will need to be able to manage both customer and human resources risk assessments and mitigation measures too - and police them.

Ensuring staff have the ability to manage supply chains, supplier relationships and supplier contingency planning will become more important than ever. Very many supply chains fell over in the early days of Covid, he points out, to the detriment of the customer experience.

An ability to provide a “really rich online experience” will be important too. Customers no longer expect to land in a website but in a fully optimised store that provides tailored shopping suggestions, just as a floor assistant might offer them, and one-click purchasing.

As customers aren’t able to try things on in a bricks and mortar shop, the online experience will have to be much more immersive and experiential. Increasingly, this will involve virtual reality technology that allows you to try on clothing or shoes, in 3D. “It’s the way of the future,” he says.

This focus on virtually visiting, virtually buying and perhaps clicking to collect, will allow stores to spend less on expensive real estate. Many will opt for pop-up concept stores as a more cost-effective “short term blast” marketing solution, designed to drive online sales.

However they succeed the retailer of the future “will have to be creative” to do it, he says. To build a loyal customer base will require clear communications across all channels, from marketing to fulfilment to returns.

All this requires many more attributes than an ability to stand behind a till. “It will require new skills, from digital marketing to roster management to relationship management, supply chain and inventory,” he explains. “There will be less people, but better jobs, higher up the value chain.”