Page 21 - Optus Future of Business Report 2013

20
optus Future of Business
Managing transition:
Channels shift focus
to engage customers
in new ways
As organisations embrace social media
and mobile, the role all channels fulfil
in the customer lifecycle will change
significantly. Organisations reported a
shift in the role that various channels
play to market, sell and deliver products
and services and provide customer
care and support.
Our research shows that in the next
three to five years, digital will become
more important than traditional
channels to engage and service
customers. For instance, organisations
see mobile emerging as one of the
top three most important channels
for marketing, selling and delivering
products and services.
The online channel today serves a very
important role as a digital shop window,
and 65% of businesses say it is currently
their most important marketing channel
ahead of bricks and mortar (21%)
and contact centres (7%). Although
businesses see online supplemented
by social media and online in three to
five years, 39% say they still see online
being the most important channel for
this purpose.
Businesses expect channel engagement
with consumers to fragment at various
stages over the next three to five years.
Although businesses expect online to
remain the most important marketing
channel, they anticipate mobile and
social media to dislodge bricks and
mortar and contact centres. Mobile
will also play a strong role in selling
and delivering products and services,
according to organisations surveyed.
When it comes to selling products
and services, online supplants bricks
and mortar as the most important
channel over the next three to five
years, businesses said. They also see
online beginning to challenge bricks
and mortar in the delivery of products
and services over three to five years,
while online and contact centres occupy
equal top position for customer care
and support, according to 25% of
businesses surveyed.
The evolving multi-channel organisation
BUSINESSES EXPECT A SHIFT IN IMPORTANCE OF CHANNELS
TO ENGAGE CUSTOMERS IN 3–5 YEARS
MARKETING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
(%)
MOST IMPORTANT
CHANNEL CURRENTLY
MOST IMPORTANT
CHANNEL IN 3–5 YRS
SELLING PRODUCTS OR SERVICES
MOST IMPORTANT
CHANNEL CURRENTLY
MOST IMPORTANT
CHANNEL IN 3–5 YRS
DELIVERING PRODUCTS OR SERVICES
MOST IMPORTANT
CHANNEL CURRENTLY
MOST IMPORTANT
CHANNEL IN 3–5 YRS
PROVIDING CUSTOMER CARE AND SUPPORT
MOST IMPORTANT
CHANNEL CURRENTLY
MOST IMPORTANT
CHANNEL IN 3–5 YRS
ONLINE BRICKS AND MORTAR SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACT CENTRE MOBILE
65 21 7 5 2
39 28 16 10 5
45 33 17 3 1
34 23 21 13 12
57 22 17 3 2
37 27 17 10 6
41 34 19 3 2
25 25 21 17 12