We live in a digital world and unprecedented times where connecting with colleagues, friends, and brands feel more important than ever. People shop online for almost everything these days. Customers just have to type a word into their browser and start searching. It couldn’t be easier, considering that we do not even need a laptop for the same. We grab our phones, make a search, and seconds later, we’re confirming a purchase.
But that is not all. We also connect with friends, colleagues, family (sometimes even strangers) through calls, video calls, text messages, social media, the list is unending. Technology makes it easier to connect with the world without having to move an inch. So then, the question goes, why does connecting with the companies at the time of need feel more difficult?
If you have ever tried to contact a customer service department, you’d know how hard it can get. It should be the easiest thing to do. But it isn’t. Sometimes, it leaves customers feeling irritated before even connecting with the brand. And then, when they can connect with a brand, it is not always productive. Let’s assume that they might start with a chatbot. When that bot cannot help, they will be transferred to human agents who ask them the same questions that they just answered to the bots. Annoying, right!
Here is where the problems lie. We can send images while texting and talking. We also participate in video conversations involving multiple people from the same device in our personal lives. Then what makes customer service so different and challenging? This comes straight from the lack of omnichannel support experiences. According to me, I feel that customer service is not a tool that you’ve to offer. It is more about what customers expect from you. And an omnichannel support presence can ensure that you meet customer requirements across all touchpoints. Another challenge is when customers need to download a video from a chat or email, which can be made easier with a video downloader feature in the customer service platform.
Mind you, when I say omnichannel, I do not mean just providing multiple channels of communication. What I mean is that companies need a unified interface to connect all these channels to provide necessary assistance to their customers without any hassle.
Omnichannel And Multichannel Are Not The Same
We tend to oversimplify multiple concepts of technology when we do not understand the nuances. Many people think of omnichannel and multichannel as the same thing. They’re clearly not. Not being a nitpicker here, but the difference does matter.
Brands that offer multichannel services give the option to interact through more than one channel. This can or cannot include all possible channels. For example, some brands provide the connection via calls, text, emails, but they do not provide social media or chatbots as a means of support. In such a scenario, even the service agents are siloed into groups at the service end. These groups manage every channel’s interactions. They are cross-trained to handle voice and email. And they have to use multiple programs and interfaces while having to look up important information. (like customer interactions, lifetime value of a customer, customer history, etc.) This process is complex and inefficient. And customers are often dissatisfied due to multiple transfers, long hold times, and frequently unresolved issues.
This is precisely why omnichannel came into the picture. People want to experience brands in the same way they communicate with their friends and family. They want it easy on any channel (or all channels), and they want it as fast as possible. Even though we do not use the words “handle time” and “call resolution” regarding personal communications, that is what we’re doing. For example, when my parents cannot figure out how to log into Netflix, they call me instantly. If I cannot help them by verbally directing them, the conversation instantly moves to a video call so that I can instantly help them.
Brands conduct a similar process, but it becomes impossible for them to perform without a unified technology. Real omnichannel customer support is built to be precisely this. With an ideal omnichannel solution and strategies, brands can achieve two holy grails of customer success:
- They will be able to reduce the overall handle time
- Their resolution rates will improve
Unfortunately, many brands and much of the business world is still stuck in the multichannel phase. Multiple companies are still utilizing cumbersome, inflexible, on-premises technology with a lack of features. But it is not optional to offer just one or two communication channels anymore. Now is the time to rethink your support strategies!
Adopt omnichannel solutions and engage with your customers across the channels of their choice. DeskXpand omnichannel support software helps you set up well-orchestrated support workflows across email, self-service, and other such mediums. Take a free trial and find out more.
Once the technology piece is in place, you’re already ahead in the competition. Here are a few tips for implementing classic omnichannel support for your customers.
Six Tips To Build a Solid Omnichannel Muscle
Consider the following tips to deliver the right omnichannel experience:
1. Look From The Outside In
Think from a customer’s perspective before you think of anything else. Think like a customer because you’re one of them, too. Ask yourself the following questions:
- How would the experience of interacting with your customer support feel if you were a customer?
- Is your support as natural as asking a friend for help?
- Is your support immersive and unique enough?
- Do you have the self-explanatory part in place?
2. Get Honest With Yourself
Identify the current pain points in your customer experience. Isolate the opportunities for improvement. Use the latest analytics and reporting tools to find this out.
3. Plot Your Success Path First
Decide what you’re doing to create a seamless experience across channels focusing on mobile by innately unifying all business processes and communications. If your customers start with a bot online and switch to calling a human agent, make sure that they can do this without disruption or without repeating themselves.
4. Proliferate Information
Share information on all channels, so that customer experience is equal regardless of whether customers interact online, purchase on mobile, or inquire about their order in-store.
5. Use What You learn
You do not just need to keep yourself updated with the latest technology that there is. But you need to implement it too. If you’re learning new methods of quantifying your data, use it in your support also. If you have partnered with the right vendors, the technology will help you leverage customer data and insights.
6. Arm Your People
With effective tools and training, you can create the most exceptional customer experience possible. This will help you create happy employees and customers too.
The Bottomline
It is obvious to say that omnichannel is the only path forward. Brands must deliver an experience similar to the one we have with our friends on the devices we carry around in our pockets. Nothing less. So, are you ready for it? Omnichannel customer support will help you build long-term relations with your customers. It helps:
- Strive to understand your customers better
- Your agents to play with data from all channels at once
- Your agents get a holistic view of each customer’s journey
- Ensure that your support team deliver personalized and consistent services
- Ensure that teams can increase customer satisfaction.
All you’ll need is a coordinated upgrade of your current customer support software to all your customer touchpoints. DeskXpand is one such robust omnichannel support software that lets you merge all your customer-facing channels into a unified platform. You no longer need to switch multiple channels. We are ISO27001 certified experts with 14+ years of industry experience. We aim to help companies achieve complete visibility and attain a high-resolution rate through omnichannel support software. So, would you like to take a trial?
