German delivery giant DHL has published an Omni Channel Logistics Trend Report that reveals that the logistics industry has a significant role to play in retailers moving toward an omni-channel business model.
The report’s preface states, “the surge in Internet sales and in consumers using different channels to evaluate products, order, pay, collect, and return their purchases has driven companies to investigate the omni-channel approach.”
All sales channels; brick and mortar, online and mobile will converge into a seamless model of orchestrated product flow. Matthias Heutger, Senior Vice President Strategy, Marketing & Innovation at DHL Customer Solutions and Innovation said, “Within the next three years, most of the world’s population (90%) will have fast mobile Internet connection, and today more of us are browsing and buying online. Already some 70% to 80% of consumers in the U.S. use multiple channels before making their purchase decision and we expect this to increase in most markets globally.”
The preface of the report suggested, “Retailers and manufacturers in all industries will need
to adapt to this new reality to thrive. From being an emerging trend, omni-channel will be a key requirement in the future, presenting challenges and significant opportunities to all businesses.”
It continued, “Logistics is a key enabler for omni-channel, and the success of the omni-channel approach hinges on how businesses adapt to evolving consumer journeys. They must move away from channel-based structures and networks, and seek to personalize their engagement with consumers.”
Heutger added: “Consumers expect access to information at all times, faster delivery speeds, and a personalized shopping experience. Companies can’t meet these expectations using a traditional channel-based approach. An omni-channel strategy is needed for future success.”
DHL is a giant in the business, and if it spots a trend in the industry then other players should sit up and listen by virtue that trends spotted by a company with interests nearly everywhere in the world are of sound footing and measured comment.
