Kellanova – previously Kellogg Company – vice president, omni and eCommerce, Manish Sharma recently discussed omni-commerce and why it is critical to today's shopper and the future of business.
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What is "omni- commerce" and why is it such a popular buzzword? Any business worth its salt has a robust omnichannel strategy, and Kellanova, previously Kellogg Company, is no different. We asked Manish Sharma, vice president, omni and eCommerce, to tell us more about omni-commerce and why it's critical to Kellanova's growth.
Q: Manish, how do you define omni-commerce?
Manish: Omnichannel is a buzzword. At Kellanova, the best way to define omni-commerce is integrating all the different channels, from online to offline, into the shopper experience. In today's world, it's essential to have a strategy and an approach to win where shoppers are shopping by providing them an experience that helps make the buying journey easier.
Q: Why is an omni approach so important?
Manish: It's important because consumers are already shopping in an "omni" way. They are seamlessly shopping online, offline and through multiple platforms. So, we need to build our thinking to meet them where they are.
Q: How is Kellanova meeting consumers where they are?
Manish: At Kellanova, we are building best-in-class commercial capabilities. Whether it's data, content, marketing, supply chain or our business strategies, we are continuously optimizing and building capabilities across those pillars to be ahead of the learning curve.
We're also developing an ecosystem of partners to help us become a leader in the space. For example, a few key partners include retailers and technology companies. As we test and try programs with retailers, it enables us to better meet consumers' needs and partnering with technology companies helps us to better understand what's coming next and integrate new tools.
Q: How do we keep up with the evolving shopper and why is that so critical?
Manish: Truly understanding our consumer helps us to define our strategies to win. Understanding behavior and predicting future behavior is key to that. The consumer journey used to be linear, but now it's very complex. Shoppers have varying touch points throughout the buying journey, and that is constantly being reshaped.
Q: What is the future of omni and how is it evolving?
Manish: The future of omni is bright, frictionless, experiential and everywhere. There is an enormous opportunity to unlock omni-channel growth as consumers migrate from store-only to omni. Consumers also like convenience and will consistently seek experiences that help them to shop seamlessly in an efficient manner.
And stores are going to evolve into less of a place where we go to "shop" and more into experiential centers for consumers to experience brands. Shoppers are shopping everywhere. They're not only shopping in-store, but also online, via social media and through varying apps. Being where they are in each moment will help maintain relevance.
