Physical experience is here to change current marketing trends. And the tendency to focus any business strategy around the consumer is proof of that. Until recently, digital marketing alone had given great results to businesses, but amidst so many technological advancements, some of the most cost-effective methods for digital campaigns are no longer so effective…
Users are constantly changing their interests and it is clear that they need more and more stimuli to be attracted and understood by brands. Looking forward to new generations of consumers, companies undoubtedly need to innovate in marketing resources, hence the creation of physical experiences for better interaction with customers. This type of strategy combines the actions of the digital world with the physical world to stimulate all of the users’ senses as much as possible. If you want to know what this topic is and how you can apply it, keep reading this article where we will tell you everything you need to know about it.
What is a physical experience?
The physical experience involves combining digital strategies in each brand’s physical store. It is oriented towards the use of innovative technology that makes the consumer experience unique and unmatched during their interaction with the brand. Phygital experiences can be done in different ways, the most important being being able to apply the technologies that are best suited to the brand’s niche market and the target audience that would benefit from it.
For the physical experience to be positive, the technologies with which the user interacts in the store must facilitate certain processes or actions. For example, they should make it easier for themselves to access a product or make their visit to the store more satisfying and interactive.
Lastly, the biggest advantage of implementing this type of strategy is that the brand has a good impact on the user. The idea is that customers benefit along their journey, that they find new ways to interact with the products and services that meet their needs. This undoubtedly represents the ideal formula for the customer to keep coming back.
Phygital Experience vs. Digital Experience
Today it is true that a large majority of users prefer to buy products online, but there is a hindrance in this practice which prevents close contact with the consumer. Since the development of the digital age, many consumers have discovered the shortcomings of online commerce in aspects such as mentoring and human interaction, which is why there is currently concern about how to mitigate this type of problem.
Consumer 5.0 has been described as the new age customer, represented by the rising generations characterized by high expectations in terms of customer relationships. In the age of the tech boom, it is hard to impress them through online methods alone. This is the reason why many brands are turning to other resources, which combine the best of 360-degree customer relationship and experience that can be provided in a physical location, with the most innovative technologies that enable the ‘buying’ process. makes it convenient.
Many brands have chosen to implement a multi-channel strategy where customers can choose the means by which they want to make their purchases, which is why there are physical stores, online stores, social shopping through networks, etc. . For the 5.0 customer, the differences between physical store and e-commerce site are not visible. Hence the digital strategy goes a step further and merges online and offline channels to give the consumer the best version of the business.
Technologies for physical experience
Physical experience is still a new concept, but large companies are starting to implement this strategy to anticipate their customers’ future needs and always give them the best impression. The most widely implemented techniques for providing physical experiences include:
beacon
Beacons are devices that store information about products, structures, companies, among many other sources. Using Bluetooth, they can transmit relevant product information to users around them via smartphones or media devices. Plus, it generates data that the company can use to better take advantage of the products it sells.
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
RFID is an innovative technology that replaces traditional product tags. These tools have the ability to provide a range of data on the product ranging from data related to the logistics of the product to information such as size, stock, forms of use and frequency of purchases. This is a great help both for companies, as it allows them to have accurate inventory in a matter of minutes, and for the users for whom it offers many advantages and features at the time of purchase.
This type of technology is used in “intelligent fitting rooms”. The mirrors are then linked to the RFID and make the customer’s experience more complete and satisfying: they provide him with useful data to improve his purchases, for example by telling him which pieces to combine or Even occasions when he can wear the garment, among many other functions.
kinect
Kinect is a special mirror technology that can recognize a human figure and interact with it through store products. This is especially useful for clothing stores.
augmented reality
Augmented reality is another technology that can produce an amazing physical experience. This makes it possible to recreate spaces through tools, seeing how products will interact or look in a certain place or on a certain person. This makes it possible to better understand the product and even increase the chances of comparison with other products that are present in the recommendations of the application.
Examples of companies using physical experience
nike
Nike is one of those great brands that is concerned with recreating a physical experience for the customers in their stores, allowing each user to interact with the products and making their purchase 100% satisfactory.
Ikea
Ikea is a great example of how brands can use virtual reality and augmented reality to optimize their customers’ purchases and make them happy by personalizing every detail of their products and shopping experience.
Amazon GB
Amazon Go is one of the most technologically advanced stores for a physical experience. It prioritizes the customer experience as much as possible by saving time and getting recommendations for future purchases without queuing up to pay.
conclusion
Phygital experience is a trend that has gained momentum in recent years and is expected to grow. The use of advanced technologies, in addition to helping the company optimize its investments, allows the customer to feel more recognized and more empathetic towards the brand, which now better understands their needs and their purchasing processes. Makes it simple.
As the consumer is constantly changing, we need to bring some technology to physical stores to build customer loyalty and increase the likelihood of repeat purchases in our business.
About the Author
Michele Hernandez: Member of the Communications and Marketing team of Materialesdefabrica.com and Habitium.Fr
https://materialesdefabrica.com/ – https://habitium.fr/
Education: Degree in Psychology – Master in Neuromarketing and Big Data.
Contact: contact@habitium.fr