
The Path to Unified Commerce
Emerging technologies paved the way for omni-channel retail, but expectations from increasingly tech-savvy consumers grew faster than retailers could effectively manage. Retailers attempted to keep pace, but newly implemented systems were not well-integrated. Shoppers were left frustrated by the gaps and retailers lost customers, sales, and profits.
As rapidpace of change continues, retailers need an effective strategyto delivera unified customer experience. A Unified Commerce strategy is comprehensive and customer-centric, connecting people, processes, systems, and data. It is designed to effectively deliver the company’s brand with a seamless customer experience.
Achieving true Unified Commerce requires a multi-step, often multi-year strategyto transform an organization and set priorities around a common vision and roadmap.

We Broke the Customer Journey
Many customer facing solutions were deployed over time with unrealized benefits. When not fully integrated, visible gaps diminish the customer experience.

- Companies have not identifiedthe most relevant customer journeys andtouchpoints thatalign business functions around gaps in disparate solutions
- Customer-facing solutions fellshort of delivering a consistent brand to customersacross platforms(e.g.,loyalty,digital marketing, forecourt /instorePOS, self-checkout/frictionless commerce, mobile ordering, curbside/instore pick-up, ecommerce websites, kiosks)
- Unrealized capabilities along with visible gaps betweensystems create a disconnectedbrand experiencebetween points of contact(e.g.,single user interfaces, shared shopping cards, combined loyaltyand mobile ordering apps)
- With anurgency for mobile/online ordering and curbside pickupcapabilitiesduring the pandemic, many retailers brought these solutions to market with unintentionalgaps
The End Game: A Unified Customer Experience
The end-result is an organization that is universally customer-focused when prioritizing strategies and roadmaps.
- The company is transformed around a vision to modernize the customer experience
- Leadership proves its commitment to the vision by setting priorities to deliver on it
- The business is aligned cross-functionally to work in harmony around a common roadmap
- Retailersoffer a consistent and seamless brand experience at each point of contact
- Key stakeholders gain a 360° view of the customer across all brand touchpoints

Lisa Biggs
President and CEO