The exciting thing about integrated multichannel selling models is their flexibility. Multiple channels can be configured thousands of different ways to suit any business objectives. Multiple channels can be integrated to cost-effectively deliver your business objectives, be they reduced costs, improved margins, broader market coverage, or fast growth. This flexibility is also the reason that many businesses are still struggling to get it right. The situation is somewhat like a fast food restaurant with a menu full of hundreds of tasty items, making it hard to decide what to eat. By contrast, when you walk into a In-N-Out, things are neatly grouped together in "combos" that are easy to understand and order.
Let’s see how integrated multichannel selling models look like for four key business objectives: reduced costs, improved margins, broader market coverage, and rapid growth.
To comprehend the beauty and simplicity of these models, let’s confine our discussion to above-the-surface touch points where a business can directly influence a customer. This portion of the customer journey is called, conveniently enough, the customer relationship cycle.