Newsbyte: SAP Survey Finds New Opportunities in Omnichannel for Consumer Products Companies

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Dec 04, 2014, 02:15 ET

WALLDORF, Germany, Dec. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As consumers increasingly use new technologies and channels to guide their purchase decisions, consumer products companies have adapted omnichannel strategies to reach these customers directly, in addition to working through the retailer as in years past. To better understand the extent to which omnichannel data is creating business value for these companies, SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) commissioned a multi-country survey of marketing decision-makers in omnichannel consumer products organizations, with results reflecting a period of transition that will bring new challenges but new opportunities for consumer products companies.

The key findings of the report are as follows:

Eighty-six percent of respondents agree that omnichannel has meant that customer and consumer expectations of the organization have increased
Eighty-six percent agree that the benefits of investing in an omnichannel approach to consumer sales clearly outweigh the challenges
As a result of having a multi-channel strategy to sales, most companies say that their organization has experienced increased sales (74 percent), increased consumer loyalty/acquisition (64 percent), competitive advantage (62 percent) and better consumer experience (57 percent)
Just 16 percent of businesses say that they are currently meeting all business and analysis needs for consumer experience via multi-channel

The survey data further suggests that simply operating a large number of channels is not a competitive strategy moving forward. Rather, the key focus for consumer products companies now is to apply data gleaned directly from consumer interactions — via information inquires, online purchases, social engagement and more — to improve the consumer experience.

"Consumer expectation has been, and will continue to be, the catalyst for omnichannel strategy development," said E.J. Kenney, senior vice president, global head of Consumer Industries, SAP. "However, organizations have the opportunity, by collecting and harnessing omnichannel data, to not only meet consumer expectations but pre-empt and lead them. This leads to a clear competitive advantage against organizations that are less adept at cultivating a high degree of consumer intimacy while simultaneously developing the operational capacity to respond quickly and profitably to consumer needs."

The full report is now available for download here (registration required).

For more information, visit the SAP News Center. Follow SAP on Twitter at @sapnews.

Media Contact:
Janice Tsoules, +1 (650) 223-4817, [email protected], EST

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

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SOURCE SAP SE