1 Introduction
2 Theoretical background
2.1 Omnichannel services
2.2 Managing omnichannel capabilities
3 Research method
3.1 AHP hierarchy as DSR artifact
3.2 DSR procedure
4 Model synthesis
4.1 Determination of solution objectives
RQ1\RQ2 | Customer-data-driven innovation | Channel-technology-driven innovation |
---|---|---|
Outside-in capabilities | “New data-driven services” (vice president data science, online services) “Targeted customer approach” (Head Innovation Center, energy) “Services must be assessed from a customer point of view” (CIO, energy) | “Unified user experience (multichannel)” (Vice President Data Science, Online Services) “360-degree customer view across all touchpoints” (Head of Digital Strategy and Business Development, Travel) “Match consumer needs with brand services and channels” (data management lead, consumer goods) |
Inside-out capabilities | “Creation of customer profiles” (principal consultant, data quality consulting) “Customer/entity identification” (data management lead, consumer goods) “Real-time data usage” (head collaborative supply chains, company association) | “Integrated systems for online and offline” (head of digital strategy and business development, travel) “Integration of customer-facing systems (apps, websites, social media) into one platform” (Product Information Management, Consumer Goods) “Use social networks for personal interaction with customers” (CIO, energy) |
Spanning capabilities | “We must know how to use customer information to innovate our services” (CIO, energy) “Manage transformation towards customer-centric interactions” (CIO, medical technology) “Operationalization of data insights” (consultant, retail) | “Channel coordination” (head innovation center, energy) “How to overcome silo mentality and work in a more integrated manner across digital landscape” (product information management, consumer goods) “Measurement and modeling of cross-channel customer journeys” (consultant, retail) |
4.2 Hierarchy development
4.2.1 Kernel theory
4.2.2 Omnichannel capabilities
T1 ID | T2 ID | Capability | Capability goal | Interviewees | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | B | C | D | E | F | ||||
1 | 1A | Consumer orientation | Customer value propositions of omnichannel services are operationalized and monitored | x | x | x | x | x | x |
1B | Consumer agility | Omnichannel services are managed in an agile fashion | x | x | x | x | x | x | |
2 | 2A | Omnichannel strategy | Strategic objectives of omnichannel management are aligned with company’s business strategy and supported by top management | x | x | x | x | x | x |
2B | Initiative coordination | Omnichannel management in your organization is well planned and coordinated across the entire company | x | x | x | x | x | x | |
3 | 3A | Process reconfiguration | Business processes are reconfigured in order to exploit the business potential of omnichannel services | x | x | x | x | x | x |
3B | Privacy | Data transparency and privacy is fully enabled | x | x | x | x | x | x | |
4 | 4A | Channel integration | An integrated customer experience is provided through a coordination and flexible design of customer-centric systems and offline channels | x | x | x | x | x | |
4B | Analytical systems | A customer analytics infrastructure fully enables the exploitation of customer analytics scenarios | x | x | x | x | x | ||
5 | 5A | Roles and responsibilities | Roles, tasks, and responsibilities for managing omnichannel services are clearly defined, documented, and communicated | x | x | x | x | x | x |
5B | Collaboration | Cross-functional and cross-disciplinary collaboration is fully enabled | x | x | x | x | x | x | |
5C | Competencies management | Knowledge and competencies for managing omnichannel services and thereby exploiting customer information in decision making are fully acquired and developed | x | x | x | x | x | x | |
6 | 6A | Personalization | Omnichannel services are tailored to personal context based on customer information | x | x | x | x | x | |
6B | Business orientation | The business impact of omnichannel services is operationalized and monitored with suitable metrics | x | x | x | x | x | x | |
7 | 7A | Data exploitation | The business potential of customer data is continuously evaluated and acted upon | x | x | x | x | x | x |
7B | Data management | Methods and architectures for managing customer data fully enable data exploitation | x | x | x | x | |||
8 | 8A | Ecosystem position | Sustainable customer access in the digitized consumer market is secured and continually improved by engaging in strategic partnerships | x | x | x | x | x | |
8B | Market orientation | The management of omnichannel services incorporates a thorough analysis of market and technology developments | x | x | x | x | x |
4.2.3 Omnichannel practices
Case ID | Case F | Case R | Case C | Case B |
---|---|---|---|---|
Industry | Financial Services | Retail | Consumer Goods | Banking |
Region | National (Europe) | National (Europe) | Global | National (Europe) |
# Employees | 5400 | 94,000 | 333,000 | 11,000 |
Interviews | Head IT strategy, 1 ½ h Manager IT planning, 2 h | Head of customer intelligence, 1 ½ h Head digital services, 1 ½ h | Data management lead, 2 h Manager product information management, 2 h | Head enterprise architecture, 2 h head of IT systems, 1 h |
Case material | Presentation “Strategic IT planning” head IT strategy and planning Published interview “Future of retail banking” head retail bank Published interview “Bank of the future” CEO Document “Annual Report” Published interview “Big Data Strategy” manager IT strategy and planning Published interview “The interconnected customer” head IT strategy | Presentation “Consumer‐centricity and the role of information and data” head consumer intelligence Presentation “Customer Intelligence” head digital services Presentation “Customer Centricity” head of web applications Presentation “Crowdsourcing” project manager online Document “Company Strategy” Document “Annual Report” | Presentation “Consumer Data Management” manager digital services Published Interview “The Digital Journey” head digital services Presentation “Digital Transformation” head of digital strategy and marketing Presentation “Business Analytics” | Published interview “E-Banking” head digital channels Presentation “Customer Journey in the Digital Age” CEO Document “Annual Report” Published Interview “The Omnichannel Customer” head E-banking |
T3 ID | Practice: description | R | C | F | B |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1A1 | Consumer surveys: Conduct qualitative or quantitative consumer surveys to identify consumer satisfaction and requirements | + | + | o | + |
1A2 | Consumer intelligence: Conduct analysis of usage data to identify consumer satisfaction and requirements | o | + | o | − |
1B1 | Consumer-centric design methods: Apply consumer-centric design methods such as contextual inquiry, design thinking, prototyping, and consumer innovation labs | + | + | + | o |
1B2 | Agile service management methods: Apply methods to enable flexibility and speed in omnichannel service development and operations (e.g. agile software development) | o | + | + | + |
1B3 | Innovation management methods: Implement innovation stimuli (such as employee innovation rewards), consumer innovation funnel, and crowdsourcing mechanisms | + | + | + | + |
2A1 | Omnichannel vision and objectives: Create a general vision at top management level as well as within the entire company of how the evolution towards omnichannel affects the market and your company | + | + | + | + |
2A2 | Channel strategy: Create a shared vision of how channels should be designed and blended to support future consumer interaction | + | o | + | + |
2A3 | Service strategy: Create a shared vision of how the transformation towards omnichannel affects the service portfolio | o | o | + | + |
2A4 | Consumer segmentation: Implement a segmentation approach which takes into account the evolving use of digital technologies, channels and digital services | + | + | + | o |
2B1 | Digital program: Design and manage investment plans and resource allocation for omnichannel management which reflect omnichannel vision and objectives | + | + | + | + |
2B2 | Portfolio management: Manage cross-functional portfolio of omnichannel initiatives | + | + | + | + |
3A1 | Frontend reconfiguration: Enable customer co-creation throughout the frontend processes (e.g. self-service processes or closed-loop marketing) | + | + | + | + |
3A2 | Frontend-backend-integration: Enable demand-adaptive and channel-agnostic backend processes (e.g. in logistics or pricing) and dynamic partnership configurations | o | o | + | o |
3B1 | Security certification: Externally certify consumer data management practices | + | o | + | + |
3B2 | Self-service privacy: Provide transparency on data, data use, and interactions as well as configuration options through portal and/or app | + | o | + | o |
3B3 | Privacy communication: Proactively inform consumers about data use (incl. consumer opt-ins) | + | o | + | + |
4A1 | Online channel integration: Integrate digital consumer touchpoints and support channel switching, single sign-on, and universal data access | + | + | o | + |
4A2 | Online offline integration: Integrate online and offline channels, provide blend of offline and online content | + | + | + | − |
4A3 | Modular channel architecture: Implement modular frontend architecture to enable flexible channel design and consistent communication | o | o | + | o |
4B1 | Consumer analytics architecture: Provide and integrate analytical information systems, such as web analytics systems and transactional analytics systems | + | + | + | + |
4B2 | Big data architecture: Install data management systems which exploit technologies to enable high-velocity decision making and high volume and variety data processing | + | + | o | − |
4B3 | Data access and analysis policies: Implement standards and policies for easily accessing and analyzing consumer data | − | + | o | o |
5A1 | Roles: Define key roles in omnichannel management and remove vertical, channel-oriented structures | + | + | + | o |
5A2 | Competence centers: Install dedicated units to gather key omnichannel capabilities (e.g. web tech unit, consumer analytics unit, prototyping unit) | + | + | + | + |
5A3 | Gremiums: Install governance mechanisms which involve all relevant stakeholders in omnichannel management (including marketing, sales, IT, product management, category management) | o | o | + | o |
5B1 | Cross-functional incentives: Create cross-functional project teams and collaboration incentives (e.g. customer-centric performance indicators in employee performance management) | − | + | o | + |
5B2 | Interdisciplinary project management: Install interdisciplinary project managers and expert teams | + | o | o | + |
5B3 | Informal mechanisms: Communicate and set examples for culture of collaboration such as mixed office designs | o | o | + | + |
5C1 | Capability planning: Carry out omnichannel capability profiling and planning | + | + | + | o |
5C2 | Education and training: Launch omnichannel education programs (such as analytics training, mobile technology training etc.) and support exploitation of internal knowhow | + | + | + | + |
5C3 | Expert acquisition: Hire subject-matter experts from outside (e.g. data scientists) and establish strategic cooperation with partner firms to get access to external competencies in omnichannel management | + | + | + | + |
6A1 | Predictive analytics: Use analytics to predict a consumer’s preferences based on its current and past behavior (e.g. cross-selling, upselling) | + | + | + | + |
6A2 | Experimental analytics: Design tests and experiments to assess consumer preferences (e.g. regarding channel preferences or pricing) | o | + | − | o |
6A3 | Real-time interaction: Offer consumer advisory based on real-time consumer information and business rules | o | o | + | + |
6B1 | Omnichannel revenues: Control the revenues generated by omnichannel approaches (growth and cannibalization effects) | + | + | − | + |
6B2 | Consumer funnel metrics: Monitor usage of touchpoints across buying phases (e.g. in comparison to competitors) | + | + | + | o |
7A1 | Assessment of analytical scenarios: Assess the potential value of data and analytical scenarios for omnichannel services | o | + | + | − |
7A2 | Analytics prototypes: Launch omnichannel service pilots to test and learn data potential | + | + | + | − |
7B1 | Data demand management: Implement data acquisition management consisting of (among others) data requirements management, data valuation and omnichannel data-flow analyses | + | + | o | − |
7B2 | Data quality management: Manage consumer data quality across customer channels and take into account future data demand and technology evolution | + | + | + | + |
7B3 | Consumer data integration: Create and manage consumer data integration architectures across channels (incl. consumer data models, data integration layers, and data virtualization approaches) | + | + | + | + |
8A1 | Service partnerships: Evaluate, engage in and manage strategic partnerships to design innovative omnichannel services | + | + | + | + |
8A2 | Distribution partnerships: Partner with distributors or third party service providers to access new distribution channels | − | o | + | + |
8A3 | Technology partnerships: Partner with technology companies to access and incorporate channel technology innovations | + | + | + | + |
8B1 | Trend analysis: Regularly perform a screening of technologies and omnichannel approaches on a global scale (e.g. technology trend radar, startup market analyses) | + | + | + | o |
8B2 | Benchmarking: Compare yourself with competitors to assess the adoption of omnichannel approaches (including channel blending, pricing, and bundling strategies) | + | + | + | + |
5 Demonstration and evaluation
1. Customer (gw = 0.15) | mc = 0.01 | 1A: Consumer orientation (gw = 0.06, lw = 0.4) | mc = 0 | 1A1: Consumer surveys (gw = 0.04, lw = 0.63) | mc = 0 |
1A2: Consumer intelligence (gw = 0.02, lw = 0.38) | |||||
1B: Consumer agility (gw = 0.09, lw = 0.6) | 1B1: Consumer-centric design methods (gw = 0.04, lw = 0.4) | mc = 0.04 | |||
1B2: Agile service management methods (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.28) | |||||
1B3: Innovation management methods (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.32) | |||||
2. Strategy (gw = 0.15) | 2A: Omnichannel strategy (gw = 0.09, lw = 0.64) | mc = 0 | 2A1: Omnichannel vision and objectives (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.15) | mc = 0.02 | |
2A2: Channel strategy (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.3) | |||||
2A3: Service strategy (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.27) | |||||
2A4: Consumer segmentation (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.28) | |||||
2B: Initiative coordination (gw = 0.05, lw = 0.36) | 2B1: Digital program (gw = 0.02, lw = 0.46) | mc = 0 | |||
2B2: Portfolio (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.54) | |||||
3. Processes and activities (gw = 0.11) | 3A: Process reconfiguration (gw = 0.05, lw = 0.42) | mc = 0 | 3A1: Frontend reconfiguration (gw = 0.05, lw = 0.5) | mc = 0 | |
3A2: Frontend-backend-integration (gw = 0.05, lw = 0.5) | |||||
3B: Privacy (gw = 0.07, lw = 0.58) | 3B1: Security certification (gw = 0.02, lw = 0.29) | mc = 0.04 | |||
3B2: Self-service privacy (gw = 0.02, lw = 0.25) | |||||
3B3: Privacy communication (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.46) | |||||
4. IT and infrastructure (gw = 0.13) | 4A: Channel integration (gw = 0.09, lw = 0.68) | mc = 0 | 4A1: Online channel integration (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.3) | mc = 0.01 | |
4A2: Online offline integration (gw = 0.04, lw = 0.42) | |||||
4A3: Modular channel architecture (gw = 0.02, lw = 0.28) | |||||
4B: Analytical systems (gw = 0.04, lw = 0.32) | 4B1: Consumer analytics architecture (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.34) | mc = 0.06 | |||
4B2: Big data architecture (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.34) | |||||
4B3: Data access and analysis policies (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.32) | |||||
5. Participants (gw = 0.09) | 5A: Roles and responsibilities (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.36) | mc = 0 | 5A1: Roles (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.31) | mc = 0.04 | |
5A2: Competence centers (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.4) | |||||
5A3: Gremiums (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.29) | |||||
5B: Collaboration (gw = 0.02, lw = 0.25) | 5B1: Cross-functional incentives (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.31) | mc = 0.06 | |||
5B2: Interdisciplinary project mgmt (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.42) | |||||
5B3: Informal mechanisms (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.27) | |||||
5C: Competencies management (gw = 0.04, lw = 0.38) | 5C1: Capability planning (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.3) | mc = 0.04 | |||
5C2: Education and training (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.16) | |||||
5C3: Expert acquisition (gw = 0.02, lw = 0.54) | |||||
6. Services (gw = 0.13) | 6A: Personalization (gw = 0.11, lw = 0.8) | mc = 0 | 6A1: Predictive analytics (gw = 0.04, lw = 0.33) | mc = 0 | |
6A2: Experimental analytics (gw = 0.04, lw = 0.33) | |||||
6A3: Real-time interaction (gw = 0.04, lw = 0.34) | |||||
6B: Business orientation (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.2) | 6B1: Omnichannel revenues (gw = 0.02, lw = 0.64) | mc = 0 | |||
6B2: Consumer funnel metrics (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.36) | |||||
7. Information (gw = 0.11) | 7A: Data exploitation (gw = 0.06, lw = 0.56) | mc = 0 | 7A1: Assessment of analytical scenarios (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.5) | mc = 0 | |
7A2: Analytics prototypes (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.5) | |||||
7B: Data management (gw = 0.05, lw = 0.44) | 7B1: Data demand management (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.31) | mc = 0.04 | |||
7B2: Data quality management (gw = 0.02, lw = 0.38) | |||||
7B3: Consumer data integration (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.31) | |||||
8. Environ-ment (gw = 0.12) | 8A: Ecosystem position (gw = 0.08, lw = 0.64) | mc = 0 | 8A1: Service partnerships (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.33) | mc = 0.01 | |
8A2: Distribution partnerships (gw = 0.02, lw = 0.29) | |||||
8A3: Technology partnerships (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.39) | |||||
8B: Market orientation (gw = 0.04, lw = 0.36) | 8B1: Trend analysis (gw = 0.01, lw = 0.3) | mc = 0 | |||
8B2: Benchmarking (gw = 0.03, lw = 0.7) |