The 2020 Consumer Index Report by Aspect revealed that 60 percent of shoppers are more likely to do business with enterprises that offer excellent customer service. That’s where omnichannel customer service comes in.
Omnichannel customer service can accelerate sales for your business.
What Is Omnichannel Customer Service?
Acknowledge the many avenues and tools a consumer may use to engage with a company when implementing an omnichannel strategy. A company will take this information and utilize it to make a single buying experience and steady communication through every outlet. The main ways of communication include cell phones, emails, text messages, social networking sites, real-time messaging, and face-to-face.
Aspect revealed that when it comes to having a positive shopping journey, the availability of multiple channels for communication was three times more important to customers than an agent recognizing their name and history, with 46% of purchasers considering it to be the most imperative component of the overall experience. In this way, you should have a presence in all the areas your clients shop.
Omnichannel customer service definition.
The use of e-commerce marketplaces has been increasing steadily since the mid-1990s when the emergence of titans Amazon and eBay began. And since then, different models of e-commerce have emerged. No matter if your business model is direct to the client or business to business, having a strong customer service system is essential.
When all the various ways of communicating are linked together in a unified system, reliable help is offered and the company’s identity is expressed the same way across each channel. It appears that the company is conducting its operations as a single entity, providing a consistent, high-quality customer experience over all of its platforms.
Omnichannel customer advantages.
Making sure all methods of communication function together ensures a unified experience for the customer, no matter what platform they use. Customers are given the ability to make contact in any way, at any place, and at any time with the help of omnichannel customer service. Convenient, right?
An omnichannel approach resolves the difficulty of extended client service wait periods and the accompanying emotions of disappointment and despondency. How? Support across all channels means that there is a connection between customer communication and digital mediums. Your team is given direct entry to data given to the company by customers from all areas, which makes it feasible for you to take care of matters quicker, lessening the waiting period.
In addition, omnichannel programs have components that can help accelerate the waiting line. Customer service reps receive help from the availability of pre-written responses, an internal database of information, and quickly-accessible keyboard shortcuts. This allows your agents to devote their attention to more complex situations.
Let’s take another example. Do you have a query about which LARQ water bottle is the best fit for you to buy? LARQ utilizes an FAQ page to assist customers in getting responses to their queries. They have the capacity to do it simply by using either mobile phones or computers. More on this later.
Why omnichannel customer service is important for e-commerce.
Omnichannel support is essential for e-commerce for several reasons. Today’s online shoppers are busy and time-strapped. They seek convenience and consistency. Multi-channel customer service offers the basis for its purpose – these are the main principles that form it.
Likewise, the customer-oriented approach and interlocking channels permit you to form a unified, detailed understanding of every customer, regardless of how many routes they’ve employed. In light of that information, you can tailor and perfect interactions on all types of platforms.
Now customers expect even faster solutions to their problems. They wish to put in minimal effort when making repairs. Customer service teams are provided with the background of the interactions customers have with your business through multiple channels when they have omnichannel support. This allows your group to devise the best possible solutions.
Agents can quickly and easily access several applicable applications without having to spend time searching for them. This gives a summary of the customer based on what has been discussed thus far. Having the big picture gives you a better chance to locate a suitable answer for your client more quickly.
A successful business can be achieved with an omnichannel strategy that automatically grants access to numerous data sources. Gaining a deep knowledge of all the points in the customer journey plus how they interact improves your comprehension of the overall journey. This process then assists you in enhancing your cross-channel promotion.
An excellent omnichannel customer experience can lead to customers speaking positively about the business. In turn, your sales increase.
When does a business need an omnichannel customer service strategy?
It is easy to comprehend the allure of fluid communication between customers and businesses via multiple channels. It is less clear why businesses would shift a discussion from, for instance, Facebook Messenger to their own mobile app or from their website to WhatsApp without being asked to do so.
The following are some situations in which it would be useful to switch channels.
When they want to authenticate customers for security reasons
Consumer chat apps such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are very convenient to use, but sometimes companies need to have confidential discussions with their clients.
If you are a bank or insurance firm that requires the validation of the user before you share vulnerable data, then this applies to you. Invite your customer to sign into your mobile app, and carry on the conversation from there.
When customers want to be notified that an agent has replied to their message
Let’s suppose a person is looking at your company’s website and sends you a query using your special website messenger of yours. Maybe your agent isn’t able to answer right away. Perhaps the user was conversing with a robotic program but had to depart before the problem was settled. Rather than just staying on your website for an update, the customer would likely be more satisfied if they could get a notification through Facebook Messenger, email, or SMS when somebody responds to their message.
Many messaging platforms today provide customers with more choices than just having to use their email addresses for registering. Having options makes the message service more pleasant for consumers. When the customer is ready to keep talking, they can transition seamlessly to the new channel.
When they want to move the conversation to a channel that provides a better user experience
It is essential to be present on the platforms used by your customers, but this does not mean that all channels can be used in the same way. Using chat applications instead of SMS provides an improved experience for the user and there is no charge for it. Depending on the nation, SMS fees can turn out to be very expensive for both businesses and individuals.
Email discussions are undoubtedly much better than phone calls, but they cannot match the high-quality communication experiences users are used to. In certain circumstances, utilizing a company’s app or online chat service may be the optimal way to have a fruitful discussion, as it creates a safe and reputable atmosphere.
No matter the situation, CX platforms like Zendesk Sunshine give you the ability to transfer a discussion between different channels in a very easy way – might it be from email to web messenger or from a messaging app to SMS – with only one press of a button. By connecting Sunshine with Zendesk Suite, you are always able to remember the customer, the source of their getting in contact, and their initial purpose for doing so. Because that context is precious.
When they don’t want third-party platforms eavesdropping on the conversation
Messenger by Facebook, WeChat by Tencent, and Twitter by Twitter are all great options for discovery. Most businesses reject the thought of granting access to their conversations to major technology corporations so that they can access and make money from the data.
Omnichannel Customer Service Best Practices
Once you have established your comprehensive customer service approach, you should maximize its efficiency and make it as successful as it can be. However, there are certain guidelines one should keep in mind before beginning.
Offer mobile-based service.
Incorporating a compelling and practical mobile application is essential for a successful omnichannel strategy. It creates a smooth process that gives the customer an experience from start to finish, from getting new customers interested and keeping them involved to transforming content customers into supporters. As of the year 2020, most of the internet traffic has been generated from mobile devices and this amount continues to increase.
It would be a huge blunder in e-commerce if you do not make your website compatible with mobile devices. Your application should provide customized assistance while keeping the brand’s identity intact. Ensure that all customer service and problem-solving pages are usable on mobile devices. Make sure that when you are designing your website, your website engagement strategies are optimized for mobile devices.
Be available 24/7.
Chatbots are an excellent way to facilitate round-the-clock support. An automated program that talks to customers as if it were a person are known as a chatbot. Artificial Intelligence in messaging applications offers an excellent level of convenience for customers as it is available to use all day, every day.
No matter the hour or where customers may be located, they can get help.
Automate workflows.
The new era of customer service relies on a combination of human and AI assistance. But it’s about striking a balance. Put robotic systems in place to take care of regular assignments, but leave the more intricate demands to people. Automatic data handling would be highly beneficial in arranging client data and other laborious tasks such as managing your stock on the balance sheet.
Investigate the advantages and disadvantages of automated systems and decide the most suitable way to include them in work processes. For example, employ chatbots initially and then transfer to human assistance for conversations that are more intricate. Using a chatbot helps with customer engagement. Chatbots can respond to basic inquiries and handle a few of the jobs instead of your representatives.
Gather customer feedback and behavior data.
Essential customer service KPIs and metrics used by businesses to monitor customer service are:
- Net Promoter Score (NPS). This measures customer experience and indicates how likely a customer is to recommend you to family and friends.
- Retention Rate. This helps find out whether customers are satisfied with your service and will keep buying from you.
- A number of touchpoints. This indicates the total number of touchpoints a customer uses to get the solution to their problem.
By gauging customer satisfaction, you can discern where your performance could be improved and take action to rectify it. In turn, this enhances team performance and customer satisfaction.
Omnichannel customer service examples and use cases
In 2022, it is plain to see the benefits of having a cross-channel experience. Customers are becoming more networked, necessitating the requirement for more digital platforms so that they can build relationships with businesses. Many customer service representatives are still working from home, which makes it essential that they share a consistent digital work environment without having a physical one.
Think about how two firms reaped massive gains by using a more integrated approach if your company is still functioning with separate departments.
Northmill Bank makes life easier for customers and agents
The coronavirus crisis caused many aspects of life to move to the digital realm this year, but North mill Bank had already made the transition before it began. Established in 2006, the Swedish “neobank” has no physical stores. Customers use an application to request loans, settle accounts, and manage all of their banking requirements.
Northmill used to provide support through multiple channels, enabling customers to get in touch through email, telephone, or instant messaging. However, the staff who provided help to the company had significant problems managing their jobs in the background. Agents needed to manage four distinct email inboxes and lacked an overall perspective of the consumer’s journey.
Rather than having to sign into multiple different systems to obtain necessary information, customer service agents could access every piece of data required pertaining to customers, such as prior interactions and preferred methods of communication, through a single source.
Learnsignal provides omnichannel educational experiences
An e-learning company located in Dublin, learnsignal, has aided numerous individuals to attain recognition in the fields of accounting and finance. The company allows its clients to subscribe to web-based training courses, and instructions, as well as 24/7 access to experienced tutors.
Providing continual assistance over multiple means of communication has been essential for learnsignal’s success. Lots of its patrons are hardworking specialists who could utilize a cellular phone to initiate a discussion on the train, and later complete the conversation on their PC back at home. However, the firm often found it challenging to offer a consistent and dependable experience across all channels.
In February 2020, learnsignal opted for Zendesk, at a time when the need for online learning was escalating due to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. It turned out to be fortuitous timing. After adopting Zendesk, learnsignal experienced notable augmentations in the number of chat exchanges and the satisfaction rating, which rose to 94%. The firm’s patrons can now select their favored tutoring medium – conversation, online form, or email – and seamlessly switch from one to another without any information getting lost.
What does omnichannel customer experience mean in other contexts?
The consumer’s demands and desires dictate the numerous possible omnichannel experiences. The term omnichannel is utilized not only in communications but also in retail and marketing. Though the details vary, the basics remain unchanged: one consistent experience.
An e-commerce organization might let customers buy products or services through sources that are not on their website, such as through a conversation thread on a social media platform or in a mobile application. The company could potentially provide product recommendations or present personal deals to the consumer, taking into consideration their earlier purchases.
Think of if a business contacted you through an email or push notification telling you one of your preferred items is available at a discounted price. You examine the items available on the internet but do not make any purchases. Eventually, you see an advertisement on Instagram that encourages you to reconsider your decision. This time, you can make a purchase and receive notifications regarding your order and its shipping via SMS. Congratulations—you’ve just experienced an omnichannel marketing and retail experience!
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