An effective omnichannel customer experience strategy should offer customers a number of choices designed to first engage companies and then do so with an integrated experience that moves them from channel to channel seamlessly. Omnichannel experiences for customers are exceptionally common these days, as many companies have transitioned from traditional channels of communication to digital platforms.
What is an Omnichannel Customer Experience?
An omnichannel strategy combines a number of interactive digital platforms for customers to choose from—phone, email, chatbots, social media, etc. A positive experience would ultimately provide one unified journey for the customer. Starting with initial product inquiries, marketing, and sales to customer service, tech support and so forth, ideally, the entire experience would be interconnected and guided by a customer’s own preferences. Therefore, an effective omnichannel strategy would be one that ensures a meaningful and positive customer experience and outcome.
Omnichannel strategies offer a number of ways to provide positive customer experiences. However, one common mistake that companies make when increasing their digital modes of communication is assuming that their customers are either more tech-savvy than they are or that they favor engaging a bot over a live agent. Subsequently, companies invest in technologies that limit or reduce live contacts, rather than pursuing a more balanced omnichannel approach for the customers to experience. In fact, in areas of customer support customers prefer live contacts. One recent industry survey found that nearly half of all customers still use their phones as the primary channel to meet their customer service needs. More importantly, a staggering four out of five of those surveyed would prefer to use their phones as the primary channel for communicating.
For companies to meet their customers’ expectations and ensure a positive experience, it is important to accept what their customers expect for their customer service experience. Companies can benefit by engaging professional contact center services to provide omnichannel experiences designed to help companies improve their customer experiences significantly. Whether inbound or outbound services, online or self-service, or a combination thereof, contact center services assist in identifying solutions that help ensure positive experiences.
Contact center services that contribute to a positive customer experience include skilled agents that offer a personalized, proactive, empathetic ear when helping customers solve their problems. Reducing hold times, offering 24/7 support, and using technology that makes life easier for the customer are contributing factors for positive outcomes. Let’s take a closer look:
Solving Problems
Offering a quick solution to a problem is one of the key components of a positive customer service experience. In fact, when customers call a support contact center their number one priority is to have their problem resolved quickly by a skilled agent. Customer issues are often complex and they rightfully expect the agents they speak with to be able to respond to any question or issue with knowledge, empathy, and resolution. Effective customer service begins with investing in training agents, providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to interact with customers to resolve issues quickly. It is vital to the success of any contact center service provider to empower its agents with the ability to handle complex customer issues. The best way to achieve this goal is by providing agents with the tools through training.
Reducing Hold Times
Resolving problems in real time also means reducing hold times. Nobody wants to be placed on hold and listen to elevator music for ten minutes when they call customer support. Any effective customer experience strategy must make reducing hold times a priority. Yes, certain circumstances may merit placing a caller on hold, but such circumstances can be managed by giving agents as many tools as possible to shorten the hold times of customers. By being trained and equipped with the latest technologies at their fingertips, contact center agents can make decisions on their own, rather than having to seek advice from others. Empowering agents with the tools they need to provide customers with the support that they expect places customers first. It can cut hold times, resulting in a more positive customer experience.
Around the Clock Support
Commonly referred to as 24/7 support, providing customer access around the clock is essential for a positive customer service experience. It is not uncommon for customers to live, travel or work in different time zones. Being able to check the balance of a credit card at any time of the day or reporting it missing is a customer expectation. Offering customers comprehensive 24/7 coverage and support contributes to a positive customer experience.
Technology and the Omnichannel Customer Service Experience
One area that provides a positive customer experience in a modern contact center is offering customers a combination of channels to communicate through. As mentioned, omnichannel strategies allow consumers to communicate with a company through any mode of communication that they prefer, with any device they may be using at the moment—tablet, laptop, or phone—by providing seamless contact solutions for customers. As most people switch between multiple devices throughout the day, contact preferences will likely alter with the device in hand. The omnichannel experience offers customers such services without missing a beat.
Telecom, Inc., domestic call center services provide its clients with an array of omnichannel strategies to improve customer experiences—each designed to steer customers to channels best suited to meet customer preferences while offering them live interactions digitally or over the phone. Speaking to an agent ensures issues are resolved quickly, with empathy, for a favorable outcome. Telecom’s highly-trained staff utilizes advanced omnichannel technologies designed to improve customer experiences, and their expectations, with comprehensive 24/7 support.
To learn more about how Telecom, Inc. can provide your customers with the highest level of customer support, contact us today!