An omnichannel is a business communication strategy that focuses on giving customers the power to choose how they want to contact you. Whether through a chatbot, email, phone call, or text message, an omnichannel is designed in a way to provide a seamless experience no matter which method of communication customers choose. Research has shown younger-generation customers prefer messaging-based communication over phone calls and emails due to the lack of disruptions. Customers want to receive assistance while performing their daily activities without having to put their lives on hold, but a personalized experience is not the only advantage of an omnichannel. Here are four other benefits.
1. Less agent effort needed
Many call centers are the culprit of high turnover rates. Employees are overworked. Dealing with frustrated customers is not easy. Nothing is more demotivating than doing repetitive tasks all year long. Agents are not always recognized for their efforts. A call center job is not your typical 9-5. These are just a few of the downsides of a call center. With an omnichannel, requests are distributed across multiple channels, giving employees more time to focus on more rewarding tasks without overextending themselves.
2. Improves and enhances customer experience
The modern customer does not want to be restricted to a single channel when reaching out. They want to get in touch with you whenever and wherever they want, without it disrupting their lives. An omnichannel does just that. It provides customers with a stream of seamless communication with the same high quality level of service across every channel.
3. Cost effective and efficient
Expect a significant reduction in costs when you opt for sending messages to your customer’s channel of choice compared to when you overwhelm them through every outlet possible.
4. Centralizes data
Due to the shift in technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation, data is now seen as an essential asset to how organizations can improve their efficiency. What was once a step that required information-gathering before serving a customer is now readily available for agents. Employees from different departments within a company can access real-time customer data from a single place. This means call center agents no longer have to gather all the customer’s information before serving them, saving more employee time and effort and dissolving any customer frustrations. Unifying your database can also help identify patterns in customer behavior and deliver valuable insight to improve a customer’s overall experience.
5. Deflects calls
Calls are deflected when your points of contact are distributed across multiple channels. For example, customers can opt for other means of assistance like chat or email, where they are not required to pick up their phone. Customers can even start or stop a service, send complaints, enroll in recommendation programs, and personalize their Customers can self-serve and be more efficient to solve any issues they face on their own.
Looking to adopt an omnichannel business strategy? Let us handle it from start to finish. Book a demo with us today and reap the benefits of an omnichannel.
