Omnichannel & customer relationship strategies

A distribution strategy is core in every business and an accurate channel management is key to the success of products or services.  Distribution plans need to be well elaborated and consider several elements such as location, financial aspects of retail, buying and logistics functions as well as merchandising techniques. 

In the last decades, as technology vanishes the distinctions between physical and online retailing, marketers will need to rethink their distribution strategies.  Consumers are now « omni-channel » in their outlook and behavior – they use both online and offline channels for shopping.  With the disappearing distinction between physical and online stores, the world is turning into a showroom without walls.   Companies need to provide seamingless experiences accross channels accross all touchpoints to their customers.  The performance over these channels needs to be optimized.  The objective of this module is to provide students with a customer-focused framework on how companies can succeed with their omni-channel strategies.

At the end of this course, students are expected to understand and be able to actively implement a successful distribution and omnichannel strategy

More specifically, students should be able to:

• Understand how to bring a service or product to the market in a profitable manner
• Know how to operate a distribution and retailing business
• Evaluate a distribution /omnichannel strategy
• Solve issues related to distribution strategies in different sectors, at local and international levels
• Understand and create customer journey maps
• Recommend and justify an appropriate distribution/omnichannel strategy