Cross-Channel or Omnichannel strategies are designed to provide a seamless customer experience, allowing people to move between online, in-store, and customer service channels effortlessly. Yet, many businesses find that their customers still leave frustrated. Why? Sometimes, despite our best efforts, strategies that seem perfect on paper fall short in reality.
To explore why your customers might be struggling with your omnichannel approach, let’s draw inspiration from some of history’s most powerful Black women—women who have faced challenges, adapted, and succeeded against all odds. From Shirley Chisholm’s resilience to Angela Davis’s sharp focus, we can learn how to fix the most common omnichannel pain points.
Be Like Maya Angelou, Make Every Customer Feel Heard
Maya Angelou was not only a world-renowned poet and civil rights activist, but she also had a remarkable gift for making people feel seen and heard through her words. In business, this level of attentiveness translates into personalization—a key to creating a successful omnichannel experience.
Too often, customers encounter a one-size-fits-all approach across different channels. Whether it’s an impersonal email or irrelevant product suggestions, these experiences make customers feel like just another data point, not valued individuals.
How to Fix It: Use customer data wisely. Create personalized experiences across your channels, from product recommendations to personalized emails based on a customer’s browsing history. Take a lesson from Angelou: it’s about making people feel like their voice matters.
Channel Ida B. Wells’ Dedication to Truth
Ida B. Wells, the fearless journalist and civil rights activist, fought against misinformation and injustice with clarity and truth. Her unwavering commitment to consistency in her messaging is a lesson for anyone trying to craft an effective omnichannel strategy.
When your brand sends mixed messages across channels, customers can get confused and frustrated. Imagine advertising a special deal online, only for customers to find out it doesn’t apply in-store. These inconsistencies hurt your credibility.
How to Fix It: Ensure that your messaging is consistent across all platforms. Whether a customer is engaging with you via your website, social media, or in person, your promotions, policies, and branding should align perfectly. Like Wells, your brand’s message should always be clear and trustworthy.
Embrace Coretta Scott King’s Grace and Patience
Coretta Scott King, a leader in the civil rights movement and an activist in her own right, exemplified patience and grace, especially in times of great challenge. This is the kind of approach you need when addressing your customers’ frustrations across various channels.
Customers expect a seamless experience across platforms, but when things go wrong, they want a resolution—and they want it handled with empathy. Poor customer service, especially when interacting through multiple channels, can drive customers away. Automated responses or untrained staff can make problems worse.
How to Fix It: Like King, lead with empathy and grace. Equip your team with the skills and tools they need to provide consistent, compassionate service across every channel. Whether customers contact you by phone, social media, or in-store, they should experience the same thoughtful support.
Embrace Rihanna’s Bold Adaptability
Rihanna is known for reinventing herself time and time again, from pop icon to beauty mogul and lingerie designer. Her secret? Adaptability. She listens to her fans and markets, adjusting her brand to meet their needs without losing her unique flair.
An omnichannel strategy that’s too rigid can alienate customers. If you’re only offering specific channels for contact or not responding to customer feedback, you’re stuck in a system that doesn’t work for everyone.
How to Fix It: Be flexible. Offer multiple ways for customers to engage with your brand—phone, email, social media, live chat—and make it easy to switch between them. Adapt your strategy based on customer feedback and evolving market trends, just like Rihanna continuously redefines her empire.
Learn from Harriet Tubman’s Relentless Integrity
Harriet Tubman, one of the most powerful and influential Black women in history, was renowned for keeping her promises. Her mission was dangerous, yet she delivered time and time again. Tubman didn’t just talk the talk—she walked it, ensuring the safety of dozens of enslaved people on the Underground Railroad.
The lesson for your business is simple: don’t over-promise and under-deliver. Customers hate when brands make bold claims about their omnichannel experience, only to offer buggy websites, long wait times, or out-of-stock products.
How to Fix It: Focus on delivering what you promise. Ensure your technology works as it should, your inventory is up-to-date, and your customer service is reliable. Like Harriet Tubman, build a reputation for integrity and consistency. Customers will trust you, knowing that when you say something, you deliver.
Conclusion: Learn from the Greats to Fix Your Omnichannel Strategy
Your omnichannel strategy doesn’t have to be a source of customer frustration. By taking cues from strong, successful Black women—you can fine-tune your approach to be more personal, consistent, empathetic, adaptable, and reliable. When your customers feel seen, heard, and understood, they’ll return time and time again.
It’s time to channel that same resilience and energy into your omnichannel strategy, creating an experience customers will love—not hate.
