OmniDisruptors: Learning from audiences

For omnichannel brands, one fundamental truth sets the disruptors apart: they listen. These brands don’t just rely on assumptions about what their customers want - they engage with their audiences, conduct research, and work closely with their communities (and they also create those communities). By doing so, they hone products that resonate deeply with consumers, resulting in a loyal following (not just on social media) and sustained success. But what does it really mean to listen to your audience, and how can omnichannel brands tune in to capitalise on this approach?

Understanding the role of audience insights

Audience insights are no longer a luxury for brands that want to stay relevant; they’re a necessity. Today’s consumers expect a personalised experience, tailored to their specific wants and needs. They want to feel like brands understand their pain points, their lifestyle, and their desires (woah, keep it clean…). Brands that don’t make the effort to tap into these insights risk being left behind. And when brands make the right move based on this feedback, they’re essentially playing to the crowd.

The real power comes from acting on these insights. Gathering customer feedback through surveys, social media, or direct communication is only the first step. The most successful omnichannel brands take this information and turn it into action, creating products and services that genuinely meet their audience’s needs. These are key differentiators in 2024 - and beyond.

A deep dive into audience understanding

To better illustrate this, let’s consider the subscription service market, which has exploded in recent years. Consumers appreciate the convenience of receiving regular deliveries, but they also expect flexibility and personalisation. Brands that actively engage with their customers through feedback loops and community platforms have found that they can develop more personalised subscription offerings, tweaking products and services based on real-time input.

Let’s say a large chunk of your audience is passionate about sustainability. If you fine-tune your offerings to include more eco-friendly options, you’ll be creating a customer experience that strikes a chord. Not only will this align with your audience’s values, but it will also strengthen the emotional bond between your brand and its community.

Products that resonate strongly with audiences

Understanding your audience’s needs is more than just a box-ticking exercise. The most successful brands are those that actively listen to community feedback and turn insights into actionable changes. Whether it’s addressing pain points or seizing opportunities highlighted in discussions, brands that respond to their audiences create products and services that align with real-world desires.

It’s not just about launching new products. Consumers are a lot more mindful (very mindful, very demure, very cutesy) when purchasing products in 2024. They want quality over quantity, especially when buying personalised products. Brands can capitalise on feedback in various ways - whether that’s refining existing product lines, launching bundles based on recurring customer preferences, or even entering entirely new product categories. These actions demonstrate that the brand is not only aware of their customers’ needs, but also willing to evolve alongside them.

Example: Capitalising on customer feedback

Imagine a subscription-based brand that listens closely to its customers and notices recurring requests for a particular type of product. Rather than waiting months for development, the brand works with its fulfilment partner to rapidly create new product kits or bundles to meet that demand. By delivering what customers want quickly, the brand not only builds loyalty, but also gains a competitive edge. Sounds like a dream? Our OmniDisruptors are living it.

This nimbleness gives brands the ability to stand out in a crowded market. Consumers who see that a brand is attentive to their requests are far more likely to become repeat buyers, creating a feedback loop where the audience feels heard, valued, and catered to. Over time, this creates a strong emotional connection between the brand and its community.

Fast turnaround: Converting insights to action

One of the biggest challenges omnichannel brands face is keeping up with the rapid pace of customer demands and trends. What’s trending today could be out of fashion tomorrow, which is why a quick turnaround is essential. Brands that are able to swiftly move from customer feedback to market-ready products will always stay ahead of the curve.

Turning insights into action is a race against the clock - and time stands still for no man (or woman). When customers indicate a need for a specific product or service, the window of opportunity for capitalising on that insight is often small. For brands looking to disrupt their industry, the speed of response can make all the difference. OmniDisruptors understand this urgency and rely on their fulfilment partners to help accelerate the process.

This is where having the right fulfilment partner becomes invaluable. With the capability to manage storage capacity and ensure fast stock dispatch, the right partner allows brands to convert community engagement into tangible profits. When an opportunity arises from customer feedback, brands can rely on their 3PL partner to handle the rapid inbound and outbound flow of stock, reducing time to market.

Speed as a competitive advantage

For example, a brand that engages in direct dialogue with its audience might notice a surge in demand for a particular product or bundle. With a quick, agile approach to product development, they can tap into that demand while it’s hot, driving increased sales and keeping the conversation going with their audience.

A fast turnaround doesn’t just benefit sales; it enhances brand reputation. When customers see that a brand is responsive, quick to act, and able to meet their evolving needs, trust is built. This trust, in turn, leads to greater customer retention, referrals, and positive brand sentiment - all of which contribute to long-term growth and success.

Bundle building: Kitting to maximise flexibility

Flexibility is essential for any omnichannel brand. The ability to rapidly adapt to consumer trends is vital, particularly when it comes to building product kits or bundles. Whether it’s kitting in bulk or kitting to order, the right fulfilment strategy can make or break a brand’s ability to keep up with spikes in demand.

Kitting to order gives brands the flexibility to hold best-selling SKUs on hand and respond to orders on-demand, which is crucial when community-driven trends spike unexpectedly. Kitting in bulk, on the other hand, can be an effective way to meet high demand when a trend is more established. Bulk kitting allows brands to prepare for large influxes of orders, ensuring that popular items are always available for immediate dispatch.

The importance of agility in fulfilment

Let’s take a hypothetical scenario where a brand has recently launched a popular new product bundle. Community feedback suggests that the bundle is highly sought-after, and orders begin to surge. At this point, having an agile fulfilment process becomes critical. The ability to respond to high order volumes without causing delays is what separates the disruptors from the rest of the market.

By partnering with a fulfilment provider that offers flexible kitting options, brands can pivot between kitting to order and bulk kitting depending on demand. This level of agility ensures that they can capitalise on trends without running into supply chain bottlenecks, giving them a significant advantage over slower-moving competitors.

Managing inventory and demand spikes

One of the biggest challenges that comes with being an audience-driven brand is managing the unpredictability of demand spikes. When a product or SKU suddenly becomes a best-seller, brands need to be prepared to meet that demand without missing a beat. This requires real-time visibility into inventory levels, accurate demand forecasting, and the ability to scale fulfilment processes quickly.

Brands that embrace the power of community-driven feedback often find themselves managing high demand for popular SKUs. To keep up, they need the right technology and fulfilment partner to create real-time alerts and accurate forecasting based on average run rates and order volumes.

For instance, leveraging fulfilment technology like that offered by fulfilmentcrowd allows brands to stay ahead of the game, ensuring they’re never caught off-guard when demand for a best-seller spikes. Having an efficient system in place for managing inventory means brands can focus on what they do best—delivering excellent products to engaged customers.

Avoiding stockouts and meeting customer expectations

Stockouts are the bane of any brand’s existence, particularly when a product is riding a wave of popularity. When customers are unable to purchase a product they want, frustration sets in, and brand loyalty can take a hit. OmniDisruptors, however, are well-equipped to avoid these pitfalls. With the right inventory management tools and fulfilment partners, these brands can avoid disappointing their audience and keep the packages coming.

Listening, learning, and leading

OmniDisruptors are defined by their ability to listen, learn, and act. Whether it’s quickly turning customer insights into product innovations or managing inventory to meet sudden demand spikes, the most successful omnichannel brands work closely with their fulfilment partners to deliver what their audiences want - when they want it.

By combining a deep understanding of customer needs with the agility to act quickly, these brands are able to build stronger relationships with their customers and stay ahead of the competition. If you’re ready to transform audience insights into action,
speak to an expert today.