As we have noted before, consumers follow a much different purchasing path than in the past. Millions of U.S. shoppers are “multi-channel,” because they shop in stores, online, and via smartphones.
“Digital transformation goes deeper than simply improving the customer experience. It is also increasingly used to transform business processes and interactions within a company to keep it relevant in the digital age. ‘Typically, digital is associated only with providing a superior customer experience. But digital can also help create new business models, drive operational excellence, and enhance employee engagement,’ says Raman Sapra, global head of Dell‘s digital business services unit.”
Click the image to access “Customer Journey Mapping Is at the Heart of Digital Transformation.”
The digital age has opened up different markets/businesses in ways that did not exist even a few years ago. There are opportunities to use existing markets, such as public transportation or taxis, and use the technology that exists now to create an app like Uber and take a huge portion of that market. This of course only exists if there is a large enough consumer demand, however it’s on the companies to map this entire process out. I believe that this digital age will create opportunities that we never even thought were possible, but it’s on us to be ahead of the curve and be the ones to find these opportunities before everyone jumps on them.
There is so much room for growth as firms shift into a bricks-and-clicks practice as they do business both online and stores. It is a great way to save time and as we know time is a big part of a consumer’s decision process as they are debating on purchasing goods or services. It is convenient for the consumer to have the option of shopping either online or in store. They know they will have access to the websites 24/7 and it is inexpensive for the firms to be on the web.
Society nowadays is driven by technology, it can improve business and even create them. As we further our technological advances, it is quite clear that to be big in business, you must be knowledgable in the technology field. Creating small simple app’s can create huge amounts of money, and creating a company website will bring in much more revenue. Customer’s today enjoy being able to shop online, whether they are purchasing an item from home, or browsing the day before they go shopping. The internet is a huge device that businesses should be taking advantage of today.
The digital age has completely changed the way we live as a society as well as businesses. Businesses can’t be a bricks and mortar practice of just having stores anymore because of the advances in technology. They have to shift to a bricks and clicks practice of having things online because it’s much more easier for people to do things online.
Technology is such a major part of todays society that if a store doesn’t have a web presence, they are missing out on some major sales opportunities. It is hard to believe that some stores only have a physical presence only. For example up until recently Michaels arts and crafts store only had a website for store hours, locations and crafting ideas. Now people are able to purchase things from the website.
The digital age along with all the new technological advances and developments has completely changed our world in such a short amount of time. In order for a corporation, large business, or even a small store you need to be technologically savvy in order to succeed. As the technology continues to improve, expand, and change our world the most successful businesses will be those that adapt the quickest.
Going digital in todays era is a need for firms with the advances in smartphones and technology. Bricks and clicks firms will out compete firms who wont go digital. It makes it so much easier for consumers to buy products off of their smart phone and have it shipped to their house, then going in stores.
The post provides some very intesting information on the concept and growth of “journey mapping,” a new method of studying how modern consumers shop in the digital age. While journey mapping has already found significant new trends relating to how consumers research as purchase products I feel that as the “internet of things” develops and our lives and habits become much more digitally interconnected the study of journey mapping will become even more critical. As was mentioned in a previous post on this blog social media websites are having very limited success with the implementation of “buy” buttons on their websites, so for now at least is seems consumers are in the drivers seat when it comes to the structure of research and purchasing journeys.