Picture this: You're browsing shows on your phone during your morning commute. Later, you check them out on your laptop. The next day, you pop into the store to try them on. In a multichannel world, you'd have to explain your entire journey to the shop assistant. In an omnichannel universe? They already know your size, style preferences, and that you've been eyeing those limited-edition kicks for three days.
Welcome to the great marketing debate of our time: multichannel vs omnichannel.
The tale of two strategies
Multichannel marketing is like having multiple fishing rods in different ponds. You're everywhere your customers are—email, social media, physical stores, websites—but each channel operates in its own little bubble. It's the "spray and pray" approach's sophisticated cousin.
Omnichannel marketing, on the other hand, is the marketing equivalent of a perfectly choreographed dance. Every channel knows the steps, shares the rhythm, and creates one seamless performance.Your customer data, messaging, and experiences flow together like a well-mixed cocktail.
Here's the kicker: whilst 73% of shoppers use multiple channels during their buying journey only 14% of businesses run truly coordinated campaigns across all touchpoints. That's like having a smartphone but only using it to make calls.
Why this matters more than your morning coffee
The numbers don't lie, and they're rather impressive:
But beyond the statistics, it's about meeting modern customer expectations. Today's consumers don't think in channels—they think in experiences. They expect you to remember their preferences whether they're chatting with your chatbot or chatting with your shop assistant.
Best practices: The secret sauce
For multichannel success:
- Choose wisely: Focus on 3-4 channels where your audience actually hangs out (quality over quantity, always).
- Keep it consistent: Your brand voice shouldn't have multiple personalities.
- Optimise individually: What works on Instagram might flop on LinkedIn.
- Measure everything: Track performance per channel to allocate resources smartly.
For omnichannel excellence:
- Unify your data: Create a single customer view across all touchpoints (your CDP is your new best friend).
- Map the journey: Understand how customers naturally flow between channels.
- Personalise at scale: Use AI to deliver individual experiences to millions.
- Think customer-first: Design around their needs, not your organisational structure.
Marketing automation: The great enabler
Here's where marketing automation transforms from nice-to-have to absolutely essential. Modern platforms use AI and machine learning to orchestrate experiences across channels in real-time. They're predicting customer needs, optimising send times, and personalising content faster than you can say "conversion rate."
For multichannel marketing, automation helps manage the complexity of running separate campaigns. But for omnichannel? It's the conductor of your marketing orchestra, ensuring every instrument plays in harmony.
Real-world success stories
Starbucks transformed their customer engagement by creating a unified experience across mobile app, website, and stores. Result? 30 million active app users and 24% increase in global sales.
Their secret? A rewards programme that works seamlessly everywhere, remembering your favourite drink whether you order ahead or walk in.
NA-KD, a European fashion brand, achieved a mind-blowing 72x ROI in just 12 months by moving from multichannel to omnichannel. They unified their customer data and created personalised journeys across web, mobile, email, and SMS.The lesson? Integration pays dividends.
Even B2B isn't immune to the omnichannel revolution. SmartBear Software saw a 200% increase in lead volume by integrating their CRM with marketing automation, creating unified nurture journeys across channels.
The future is already here
As we look towards 2025 and beyond, several trends are reshaping the landscape:
The shift from multichannel to omnichannel isn't just a trend—it's an evolution. McKinsey predicts that by 2030, shopping will feel "incredibly personalised" with AI-powered assistants knowing our preferences better than we do ourselves.
Making the leap
Transitioning from multichannel to omnichannel isn't without challenges. It requires investment in technology, breaking down organisational silos, and a commitment to putting customers at the centre of everything. But with 287% higher purchase rates and dramatically improved customer retention, can you afford not to?
The beauty is, you don't have to do it alone. Modern customer engagement platforms are making omnichannel accessible to businesses of all sizes. Take Pendula, for instance—we're helping companies transform fragmented data into orchestrated journeys that drive loyalty and reduce churn. With AI-powered automation and 80+ integrations, we're enabling businesses to create two-way conversations across channels, achieving 16-23% conversion rates for cross-sell campaigns. Our philosophy? Modern customers want conversations, not broadcasts
We’re here to help
Whether you're team multichannel or ready to embrace omnichannel, one thing's clear: the future belongs to brands that can meet customers wherever they are, remember who they are, and deliver experiences that feel magically personal. In 2025, customer engagement isn't just about being present on multiple channels—it's about creating a unified story that unfolds seamlessly across every touchpoint.
So, which strategy will you choose? And where to get started? We’re here to help, so book in some time to chat about your best approach today.
