Hybrid customer journey analysis

Digital analytics have often been understood and sold as a way digital marketing experts examine users´ behaviour when they come into contact with digital assets. However, that’s not the only function of digital analytics. The fundamental purpose of today’s digital analytics is much broader than analysing usage data, number of visits or conversions in isolation. At Redegal, we also analyze the user’s entire journey through the online world, and, as importantly, of the offline sphere.

Hybrid Customer Journey

Lately, shops and stores have strongly converted into digitalization. This is opening new doors to hybrid channels, which requires a deep analysis of the customers´ journey aiming for a joint and unified approach in both the online and offline spheres. The customer is international . Therefore, the data needs to be taken into account through a global approach, and not in isolation. Most brands using an offline approach still use trend analysis, only look at the profitability of their business or the one of other businesses. Online, Redegal also analyses all the variables of a business that may affect every sale channel.

Looking at the current trends of worldwide eCommerce and its evolution, it appears that all online and offline sectors can be strongly affected both in B2B, and B2C. It seems that the retail sector is more visible, that is why we strongly and daily get in touch with retailers.

Digital Analytics and Hybrid Customer Journey: Showrooming

A good example of the need of combining online and offline in digital analytics is showrooming. Indeed, clients have a strong tendency to physically go to a store in order to see goods, fabrics and try on clothes as a way to evaluate a product. But nowadays, in the middle of a pandemia crisis, they purchase items through their smartphones or online devices, as they do not experience queues or contact with other people. Items come directly from the warehouse to their home address. 

Therefore, experts in digital analytics have an important role to play in designing and building websites, along with analysing more areas of digital marketing such as UX, and setting up hybrid journey maps for customers. This includes the entire purchase process of both the online and offline customer experience. This type of analysis also identifies the attribution models which help figuring out the elements and channels that have influenced the customer’s journey. 

Physical stores are a great way for retailers to get in contact with their customers. Moreover, they are for the clients points of distribution, evaluation, comparison and inspiration. Therefore, it is important to keep on working with these physical stores, as it plays an important role in the customer’s journey. That’s why taking into account digital analytics and the offline world separately and in isolation is wrong and that it is essential to consider an evolution towards the hybrid channel.

Trends in big data and digital analytics allow a better understanding of the global and harmonized impact of the different distribution and contact channels between brands and customers, in order to make smarter decisions.