Here’s how a leading eCommerce business creates a unique experience for its customers! The business’s app has a filter that allows its customers to try out any particular shade of lipstick before making the decision to purchase it. A well-known eye-wear brand has employed the same feature to enable its customers to try out spectacles of their choice at the comfort of their homes, without having to go to the shop. These are some common examples of going ‘phygital’.
Another popular example of phygital is live video hopping. The trend started by a Chinese retailer giant was quickly picked up by other retailers. It allows customers to feel like they themselves are trying products and browsing a physical store, while they only need to click a button to purchase the products they like.
So what does it mean by going phygital?
A phygital strategy strives to combine the best elements of the physical and digital worlds. It’s not always all tangible, and it’s not always a digital-only experience. The physical and digital worlds are connected by phygital. To achieve this goal, the best elements of the physical consumer experience will be transferred to the digital space and vice versa.
Instant: The primary need phygital satisfies is the need for the here-and-now. Instant gratification and prompt service are what customers look out for.
Connected: Going digital requires connecting at several levels. The user is initially connected to the business directly. Every communication should feel like a two-way dialogue. Customers should feel a connection to what is being delivered and a sense of empathy from the brand.
Second, you should connect your in-person and online presence as a brand. When a customer visits your store after connecting with your brand online, quality shouldn’t suffer.
Thirdly, as the term implies, phygital needs to link the digital and physical aspects of shopping which means gaining the benefits of digital transformation. It would help if you placed connection and immersion at the centre of your business’s phygital strategy.
Engaging: Your physical efforts may not be engaging and interactive if a customer doesn’t notice or see how they are used. For the best outcomes, provide your customers with compelling physical experiences on your website and physical stores.
According to a WEF white report, mixing the physical world with digital media has impacted the retail sector the most. According to an analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the retail sector is focusing on tech-savvy consumers who respond to location-based offers and spend more when provided mobile payment choices.
An Australian supermarket operator uses a store app to notify customers when their preferred products are on sale. Customers can select between receiving a shopping discount and extra loyalty card points when receiving email offers. If customers shop in-store, they can take what they need from the shelves, self-checkout at a self-service terminal, and pay without speaking to a salesperson.
IMPACT OF PHYGITIZATION ON CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Promoting a positive client experience is crucial in all sales channels, online and offline, but digital can strengthen this impression.
The consumer’s needs must be served consistently and cohesively across all channels. With today’s technologies, forcing work to be completed on a single channel is no longer acceptable from the consumer’s perspective.
Customers must be able to access any service channel they choose, whether it be digital or physical. This straightforward choice improves the service’s agility and competence while enhancing the experience.
In this regard, having omnichannel services is essential for a physical strategy, whether they are offered online or offline.
Conclusion
Businesses are in neck-deep competition to create unforgettable experiences for their customers. Delivering convenience at the doorsteps of customers is what every business is focusing on these days. As the physical and digital worlds merge, there is little doubt that Phygital businesses are here to stay.
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