Although the term omnichannel is already part of the corporate vocabulary, market specialists observe that, in practice, it is still treated more as a buzzword than as a consolidated strategy. According to these professionals, despite the increasing demand for integrated and personalized journeys, many companies still face structural and conceptual obstacles that hinder their effective implementation.
According to the Salesforce research 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 in different channels does not mean, by itself, delivering a good experience. The real challenge is to ensure that the customer’s journey is continuous, seamless, and frictionless regardless of where it starts or ends,” says Guilherme Carvalho, CEO of Backlgrs, the leading Salesforce consultancy and implementer in Brazil.
He further adds: “It is pointless for the consumer to start an interaction on WhatsApp, then switch to email, and subsequently call customer service and have to repeat all the information. This is a symptom of a poorly structured operation, which generates frustration, breaks trust, and loses customer retention opportunities. Real omnichannel requires system integration, alignment between departments, and a customer-centric culture. Without that, what we have is just fragmented multichannel, which does not deliver 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 lack of interoperability between systems to the absence of a customer-centric view. A survey by the Aberdeen Group reinforces the impact of these errors: companies with a strong omnichannel presence retain 89% of customers, while those with weak strategies retain only 33%.
Among the main misconceptions, the expert highlights:
- Alignment between areas: Marketing, sales, and customer service operate in isolation, harming the integrated view of the customer;
- Investment without strategy: Adoption of several 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 focused on presence rather than fluidity.
According to the expert, omnichannel should be treated as a strategic pillar, not as 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 be ahead, not only offering good services but also building lasting relationships,” he reflects.
