Manhattan Associates has announced new omnichannel technology advances designed to elevate retail operations and customer experiences across point of sale, order management, customer service and engagement, and store inventory and fulfillment.

A key feature of the Manhattan Active Omni update is the Unified Agent Inbox in customer engagement, which consolidates communication channels into a single, user-friendly interface. In the new, all-channel Agent Inbox, customer service can email, chat, or text (SMS) with customers while viewing and editing orders.

“Agents now have the capability to engage with multiple customers simultaneously, managing chats or SMS messages,” Manhattan Associates managing director for Australia and New Zealand, Raghav Sibal said.

“Beyond multitasking, the Agent Inbox is equipped with features designed to elevate service and sales, including personalised, shareable product recommendations, quick order actions to minimise clicks, and quick response templates. It’s all about enhancing efficiency and empowering agents to offer an unparalleled experience.”

The Manhattan Active Omni update also introduces significant enhancements in order management, streamlining customer service operations and digital self-service.

“We’ve targeted key areas to boost efficiency and enhance customer satisfaction, simplifying the refund process for both customers and agents by automating refund retries and enabling direct customer communication for payment method updates,” Sibal said.

In terms of digital self-service advances, customers gain more control with the option to opt-in for SMS delivery updates, an improved UI for shipment and return tracking, and the flexibility of the ‘Ship it Instead’ feature for more convenient fulfillment options.

Point of sale and store inventory and fulfillment have also seen key developments including an enriched Iris POS system with added functionalities like price overrides and gift card management, making transactions smoother and more versatile.

The update also simplifies promotion management, allowing quick duplication of promotions to reduce errors and save time. In terms of store inventory and fulfillment, the focus has been on optimising the return process and improving inventory management.

“Enhancements in processing returns shipped back to stores allow for better inventory placement and efficiency. Features such as seamless return processing and improved cycle counts aim to streamline store operations and enhance the customer experience,” Sibal concluded.