These days, omnichannel is a golden term in the customer experience industry. But how many brands are actually getting it right? Offering multiple channels for service is really just the start. Truly successful omnichannel brands understand that customers need a great experience no matter which channel they are using. According to Kampyle, 87% of customers believe companies need to put more effort into providing consistent experiences. If you think your company is among them, get these four priorities straight as soon as possible.
You may often hear that social media is essential for customer service in our modern age. But does this mean that you should neglect your voice channel? The truth is, different customers will prefer different channels—and it’s your job to figure out where they are most active. You might find that your younger customers want to interact with you on Facebook or Twitter, but perhaps older demographics are more comfortable using email or the phone. Always adapt your channels to your customers’ preferences.
According to Accenture, 89% of customers become frustrated when they need to repeat their issues to multiple agents. Making your customers repeat information in any way—by logging in multiple times to an account, re-typing an address, etc.—is a sure way to lose them. A great omnichannel experience must be seamless. Customers should have no trouble switching from one channel to another, and their data should be easily accessible by all agents at any time—for example, in a CRM database.
To truly build relationships with your customers, you need to get personal. Addressing them by name is just the beginning. Personalization means engaging with customers on various channels. For example, agents may reach out to customers proactively on social media and review sites whenever these customers make any comments about your brand. Agents on the voice channel can work on their interpersonal skills to make each call a comfortable conversation. The idea is to engage actively with customers as you would with any person who matters to you. When your customers feel that you value them as individuals, they will appreciate you more.
If you are wasting your customers’ time, don’t expect them to hang around for long. They want effortless experiences, and this can mean everything from allowing them to store personal information for later use to helping them find quick answers with the assistance of chatbots. But before you automate every process, make sure that your omnichannel strategy is truly optimized. If your technology is not working properly or you do not have enough agent support as a backup, keep working on your customer service design until it’s completely functional from the customer’s point of view.According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, the number of companies that are investing in omnichannel experiences has jumped from 20% to more than 80% since 2010. By meeting your customers on the channels they love and making every experience a seamless one, you will give them all the reason to support your brand over your competitors. To deliver the very best customer experiences, learn about Vocalcom, a global leader in AI-powered contact center software solutions and premium omnichannel customer interaction platform.
