Although the term omnichannel is already part of the corporate vocabulary, market experts observe that, in practice, it is still treated more as a buzzword than as a consolidated strategy. According to these professionals, despite the growing demand for integrated and personalized journeys, many companies still face structural and conceptual obstacles that hinder its effective implementation.
According to State of the Connected Customer , 86% of consumers expect consistency across all channels of interaction with a brand. However, data from PwC shows that only 22% of Brazilian companies claim to have full integration between their digital and physical channels—a direct reflection of the gap between expectation and reality.
“Many companies still confuse multichannel presence with omnichannel strategy. Being present on multiple channels does not, in itself, mean delivering a good experience. The real challenge lies in ensuring that the customer journey is continuous, fluid, and frictionless regardless of where it begins or ends,” says Guilherme Carvalho, CEO of Backlgrs, the leading Salesforce consulting and implementation company in Brazil.
He further adds: “It's no use for the consumer to start an interaction on WhatsApp, then migrate to email and subsequently call customer service and have to repeat all the information. This is a symptom of a disorganized operation, which generates frustration, a breakdown of trust, and a loss of loyalty opportunities. True omnichannel requires integration between systems, alignment between areas, and a customer-centric culture. Without this, what we have is just fragmented multichannel, which delivers no value to either the business or the consumer.”
With over 60 implemented projects among major brands in the country, Backlgrs has observed recurring errors in omnichannel strategies, ranging from a lack of interoperability between systems to the absence of a customer-centric vision. A survey by the Aberdeen Group reinforces the impact of these errors: companies with a strong omnichannel presence retain 89% of their customers, while those with weak strategies retain only 33%.
Among the main misconceptions, the expert highlights:
- Misalignment between areas : Marketing, sales, and customer service operate in isolation, hindering an integrated view of the customer;
- Investment without strategy : Adoption of various tools without a clear architecture or integration plan;
- Low data maturity : Lack of governance, inconsistent databases, and absence of intelligence to personalize interactions;
- Focus on the channel, not the journey : Implementations geared towards presence, not fluidity.
According to the expert, omnichannel should be treated as a strategic pillar, not a technological fad. "Today we talk about total experience , where the focus is not only on the customer, but also on the employee and internal processes. Brands that understand this will come out ahead, not only by offering good services, but by building lasting relationships," he reflects.
