Getting to a state that represents proper omnichannel functionality and not multichannel systems can confuse some brands. Multichannel brands might make the excuse that having multiple channels is enough to be classified as omnichannel. Still, it’s the interactions that take place between their channels that define whether or not the service is “omnichannel.”
To elaborate, traditionally, communicating with your customer involved the simple usage of a single channel. Normally, this was the use of a voice landline or phone. However, over time, websites became more popular, and communicating via email/website-level infrastructures gained usage.
Now that we’re in 2021, most brands have opted to use live-chat services directly integrated into their websites. While this functions well, it is not exactly getting the bigger picture… in fact, many of the live chat systems fall short on delivering an interface that makes sense on a mobile device (ironically).
So… what exactly does it take to blend all of these channels and become a truly omnichannel service provider? Does the contact center need to be enhanced explicitly in some specific way? In essence, the answer to these questions is yes, but let’s dive into more specifics!
What Defines True Omnichannel Experience?
First, let’s define what it means to be omnichannel; what exactly is the omnichannel experience? When a brand operates multiply unified, panoramic, integrated to track data and learn from that data, it gives agents the ability to switch to real omnichannel functionality readily.
Here are some tips:
1. The Technology Gap Must be Bridged:
A number of your customers utilize web, text, email, or phone – your system needs to be able to navigate any one particular ticket across your channels and be prepared to understand each customer’s specific needs. Even if an agent swap is performed, the system needs to communicate each parameter of the consumer’s ticket under one umbrella dashboard.
2. Improve the way you Communicate with Your Customers:
A few tools at your disposal under omnichannel systems allow you to communicate more efficiently with your consumers. By taking advantage of these technologies, you can quickly utilize web dialers, power dialers, or SMS mass texting protocols to reach wide spans of your audience.
Web dialers and power dialers help your contact center operate more efficiently and comfortably.
3. React to Consumer Behavior and be Proactive where you can:
Suppose you realize that your omnichannel database points to a consumer that readily uses their phone to shop your website. In that case, your system needs to be ready to offer that customer every mobile channel possible. Are these channels optimized to handle mobile use in whichever way they choose? If the customer wants to switch to the web for whatever reason, is your system ready to quickly do that and retain ticket data?
These questions and more are things you should ask of your support structure to understand deficiencies better and improve upon your customer’s experience.
Conclusion: The multichannel brands that are only using the channels to communicate with their customers may be missing out on a major opportunity. Instead of just thinking about how they can use each channel individually, these companies need to think about what happens when they start communicating and interacting across them. What do you think? Do we have an obligation as marketers or business owners to take advantage of omnichannel marketing opportunities? Click here for our perspective on this hotly debated topic!
