PepsiCo, Mead Johnson-Reckitt and Schnucks Leaders Explore What It Takes to Master Omnichannel Excellence

From L to R: Ganesh Sivakumar, Mead Johnson-Reckitt; Caleb Carr, Schnuck Markets; Ellen Webb, PepsiCo

When it comes to stitching together different facets of an omnichannel business, the seams can sometimes show. Closing those gaps for a true seamless experience for both consumers and stakeholders involves a combination of integrated data, cross-functional collaboration and trust-based customer relationships.

Those are some conclusions shared by leaders of PepsiCo, Mead-Johnson-Reckitt and Schnuck Markets, in a session moderated by Jon Harding, SVP, global CIO at Conair, during CGT’s Analytics Unite event in Chicago.

What Does ‘Omni’ Really Mean?

It may seem straightforward to define omnichannel excellence as creating satisfying products and interactions across multiple physical and digital sites, but there are different layers to such endeavors, the leaders pointed out. The commonality? The layers revolve around data, whether in the CPG sector or retail industry.

“I love getting into data analytics, but we use that to tell a story to bring it together with the human reality,” explained Ellen Webb, VP, shopper analytics and insights at PepsiCo. “At PepsiCo, it’s making sure that we show up our best way in all of the different touchpoints across the omnichannel experience, so we are not trading off one channel for the other but raising all of these together.”

From a retailer’s point of view, the layers are related to how shoppers interact with the store in its various forms. 

“We really focus and define our approach to omnichannel as more about the market. Success in your online experience at Schnucks is no different than your in-store experience with Schnucks,” said Caleb Carr, senior director of data science and engineering at Schnucks. 

“Maybe you have a sick family member, so you want online delivery. Maybe you want to do pick-up on the way home from your kid’s practice. Or maybe you want to go into the store and pick out the perfect produce and meat for your family’s needs,” he added. “It’s really about that holistic approach of not just digital or not just brick-and-mortar, but how do we blur those lines to really differentiate ourselves and empower folks wherever they choose to interact with our company?”