A survey of almost 100 retailers has found that only one-fifth (21 per cent) of merchants surveyed have completed an omni-channel payments programme.

The technological obstacles preventing an omni-channel approach – in which all payment methods such as physical point of sale payments in shops, as well as all the digital payment methods, such as online, mobile, social networks, are available to customers and are all integrated and function harmoniously – include incompatible systems, data integration and the inability to track customers.

Payments fraud remains a challenge and fewer than half of respondents have a coordinated set of security technology for each of their payment channels, according to the survey - Omni-channel payments for merchants: myth or reality? - by ACI Worldwide and PCM Research.

The survey highlighted the following key points:

• 50 per cent of merchants see themselves as technology followers;
• 29 per cent of merchants have started or completed their omni-channel payments journey, while 25 per cent plan to launch their strategy within the next 12 months;
• alternative payments, mobile and tokenisation lead the way in desired omni-channel payments and tools;
• incompatible systems, data integration and inability to track customers are the top challenges faced in omni-channel programmes;
• more than half of merchant respondents don’t have a common set of fraud tools across all channels today with only 49 per cent having a common set of payment security technologies across all channels.

Payment channels used by merchants in the survey were: e-commerce, mobile online, mobile in-app, in-store POS, in-store unmanned kiosk, mobile POS, social media, catalogues, call centre/customer services.

While only 21 per cent have completed an omni-channel programme, 50 per cent are in the process of doing so or will complete their programme within the next 24 months. The remaining 29 per cent have no plans to implement an omni-channel approach.

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CTMfile take: Omni-channel is the only payments approach that really makes sense. As technologies progress and mobile payments become as common as cash, it's inevitable that consumers and businesses will increasingly demand digital, online or mobile payment channels. There are huge benefits and this survey shows that far more corporates should be seriously planning an omni-channel payments approach.