Multiexperience vs. omniexperience: how the two differ

Multiexperience and omniexperience are often used interchangeably, but there is a clear divide between them. While multiexperience is centered around devices and interaction models, omniexperience relates to the human behavior of the end user.

Let’s examine these variables and how they factor into the digital experience.

What is multiexperience?

Today’s world is littered with various devices and interaction models — from phones and tablets to smart TVs and virtual assistants. Multiexperience relates to the devices or interaction models that a customer selects.

Think about what it means to read a notification on an Apple Watch or set an alarm through the voice capabilities of Alexa. The way you interact with these devices is very different. This is what multiexperience means.

While the multiexperience is relatively straightforward, it becomes interesting when you look at it from a developer’s point of view. Consider how companies need to adapt their approach to software and, more importantly, the customer experience due to these disparate devices and interaction models.

That’s where the concept of omniexperience comes into the picture.

What is omniexperience?

While multiexperience tells us what is happening on the user side, omniexperience tells us what to do on the developer side.

We’re familiar with the changes that omnichannel demanded: rethinking business processes around the customer. Just as omnichannel makes it essential to have a presence across multiple channels, omniexperience sets a similar precedence for devices. The difference is that while omnichannel focuses on engaging customers by casting a wider net, omniexperience considers unique user experience possibilities on various platforms to ensure customer satisfaction across the board.

Think about this in the context of a podcast advertisement. Can the URL provided in an audio file be clicked? Yet most podcast listeners have heard messages that tell them to click the ad to learn more. Developers must think through each step in the user process, so the experience remains intuitive and seamless.

You can also think about this in the context of how an experience is delivered. Consider a healthcare app that provides appointment reminders to patients. Is the font too small to read on a mobile device? This lack of accessibility can become a source of frustration for end users.

Vikas Khorana, the co-founder of Ntooitive Digital and TruAbilities, spelled it out well in a Forbes article:

“To deliver in an omnichannel world, today’s marketers are presented with a twofold task: They must seamlessly integrate digital and analog channels while simultaneously executing against targeted consumer expectations.”

How has the omniexperience evolved?

Not long ago, we operated under the assumption that internet access took place through PCs. Today, the scope of technology has evolved to the point where cars on the road act as computers on wheels. From the convenience of their central console, individuals can use navigation services, consult virtual assistants, play music, employ autonomous driving features, and more.

In the past — when computers meant a PC with a browser — you could “write once, run anywhere.” As devices and interaction models have changed, this is no longer the case. Today, the platform informs the user experience and must be considered in the earliest stages of a solution’s development to ensure a meaningful return on investment.

Alongside these shifts, it’s also important to reconsider other basic assumptions. Case in point: software you develop should be on every platform. Just because you have an app on iOS doesn’t mean you need one on Windows. When you focus too much on supporting every platform, you end up with software that delivers a poorer experience. Yet you also need to ensure you’re accessible in the market.

A similar scenario plays out in the framework of processes. Users should be kept up to date through email. While that may have made sense in the past, text messages or other lines of communication are often preferable to today’s users. Also, the wording of the communications may need to shift based on evolving industry language or for consumer clarity.

The value of omniexperience

Do you want to go into debt? On paper, it’s a question with a simple answer: no. But in essence, that’s what an individual does when taking out a mortgage.

When you put this question into the context of a home-buying experience, it takes on a new (and better) meaning: would you like to own a home? By integrating the mortgage process into the home buying experience, you can respect a customer’s initial yes and provide an offering to support their end goal without taking them out of the experience.

While this degree of integration draws in customers, the same can be said for partners who see the value passed down to the overall home-buying experience.

We’ll leave you with these thoughts…

1. Think about omniexperience as a way to discuss the impact of experience and how the choice of platform informs the experience of your software development strategy.
2. Think about the possibilities that each platform provides and how these possibilities could improve the way customers engage with your offering.
3. Think about new ways to develop ROI models for software creation, as your customers will choose the best solution for them — not for you.