The future of retail: omni-channel strategies and customer experience through cloud technology
The retail sector is in a constant state of change. The reason for this is the rapid change in consumer habits, as well as the rapidly advancing digitalization, which is driven by the enormous growth of the industry. According to a study by the German Federal Statistical Office, global online retail alone will reach a total turnover of USD 5.8 trillion by 2023. This volume is expected to grow to over 8 trillion by 2027. When looking at these figures, it becomes essential that retailers focus on innovative online strategies in order to remain competitive. But how can cloud technology help to achieve these goals easily and reliably?
Omnichannel strategies in retail
Omnichannel strategies are approaches that seamlessly combine the shopping experience in the real and digital worlds. These include click & collect, self-service checkouts, in-store ordering, item availability displays and much more. Service offerings are crucial to meet the ever-growing expectations of consumers and to create a uniform, consistent and device-independent offering, because according to a study by Salesforce, 80% of all customers already consider the overall shopping experience to be an important factor in their own satisfaction. In a modern and digital world in which the boundaries between virtual and real interactions are becoming increasingly blurred, an omnichannel strategy is therefore indispensable.
Cloud technology in retail
As omnichannel strategies often have very volatile usage behavior, cloud computing plays a crucial role in this sector. It offers retailers a flexible way of centralizing data processing and scaling it as required. A good example of the sensible use of the flexibility that a public cloud offers for omnichannel strategies is, for example, the real-time analysis of inventory data or the creation of personalized offers. The relevance of cloud computing for the retail sector was already demonstrated by figures from a survey conducted by the Federal Statistical Office in 2021. For example, 48% of retail companies surveyed stated that cloud computing will play an increasingly important role for business in the future.
Improving the user experience through omnichannel and cloud technology
The combination of omnichannel strategies and cloud technology has a positive impact on the user experience. This is not only evident in retail, but also in other sectors. For example, the banking sector was analyzed by Capgemini in 2021. There, too, it emerged that 76% of respondents already expect a contemporary omnichannel experience. In addition, 59% stated that they prefer needs-based customer service that is available at all times.
Just a few years ago, such requirements were impossible to implement. However, in combination with a modern cloud infrastructure, the digital goals of an omnichannel strategy can now be easily achieved.
Conclusion
The future of retail will be significantly shaped by omnichannel strategies and cloud technology. Retailers who invest in these concepts and technologies at an early stage can improve the customer experience, strengthen customer loyalty and achieve long-term competitive advantages for their own business.
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