The concept of an omnichannel contact center may be a relatively new customer service strategy, but since its development a decade ago, it’s proven to be an exceptional means for providing superior customer service and support. Omnichannel contact center solutions have succeeded by embracing an age-old maxim that was once practiced as the cornerstone for the success of every business—give the people what they want. As a business strategy, it may seem too obvious or cliché, but omnichannel contact centers do give the customer what he or she wants, and that really has been the key to its success.
An omnichannel contact center allows customers to communicate with companies through the mode of communication they prefer and are most comfortable with. Omnichannel technologies seamlessly integrate all channels of communication by combining any number of digital platforms—email, web chat and chatbots, phone, web callback, text messages (SMS), social messengers and so forth—into one, easy-to-use interface that customers can access from their mobile devices, laptops or tablets.
Omnichannel technologies then offer a streamlined approach to customer service and the way contact center agents interact with them. Be it an initial product inquiry, resolving an issue or seeking information, effective omnichannel contact center solutions provide an interconnected experience entirely guided by a customer’s own preferences.
Omnichannel Contact Center Benefits
Omnichannel contact centers not only offer superior customer support that builds upon customer retention, loyalty and satisfaction, but the omnichannel experience also improves the productivity and efficiency of a customer service team, as well as consistency across all customer communication channels. Some of the leading omnichannel contact center benefits include:
Improved Customer Experience
Perhaps the leading benefit of an omnichannel contact center is the principal reason for which it was developed—to produce a seamless and superior customer experience. On the one hand, customers get to choose the channels they are comfortable with, be it web chat, social media, an email, or phone call on the device of their choosing. On the other hand, omnichannel solutions provide agents with the necessary information to resolve customer issues in real-time, limiting hold times and reducing repeat queries. With access to customer profiles and previous omnichannel interactions, agents are in an informed position to offer customers a more personalized experience. This, in turn, will increase customer satisfaction and improve customer retention rates.
Improved Agent Interaction and Productivity
Providing a more seamless customer experience is one of the primary benefits of omnichannel communication. Agents are able to respond to customer needs because they, too, are accessing customer information in real-time. By design, omnichannel communication is a streamlined technology and system—an integrated platform that allows agents to access one program to view all the information they need to assist customers. Being able to address or resolve customer issues and queries quickly and effectively reduce customer frustration. For agents, streamlined operational services means increasingly more meaningful interactions with customers, less stress and improved productivity.
Increased Efficiency and Cost-Effective
Because an omnichannel communication system operates on an integrated platform, companies only need one group of dedicated employees to handle and manage customer interactions, reducing staffing needs while increasing efficiency. Where traditional contact centers have to hire and train multiple teams of agents to handle each communication channel—one team to handle phone calls, another team that answers emails, and yet another to respond to web chat—as those lines of communication are integrated into one platform in an omnichannel system, less people are required to access and handle incoming communications.
Improved Metrics and Analytics
Omnichannel communication systems not only provide easy access to customer data, but all that data related to that customer is available in one place, allowing for a degree of predictive analytics to help anticipate customer needs and identify patterns in your customer’s behavior. Understanding these patterns can be used to provide better customer service as well as increased customer engagement. The data can also be used to analyze and measure performance metrics to improve upon the success of contact centers. Call center metrics compiled to establish KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) allow a call center to track the progress of their agents, teams or the call center itself. Through integration, omnichannel systems better organize information and provide the analytics to help managers understand current performance and operations and identify any areas of improvement. Telecom, Inc. is a mid-sized domestic contact center that offers a robust suite of omnichannel contact center solutions. We have successfully partnered with small and mid-sized businesses, as well as Fortune 500 companies. Our business model is simple—we are a results-oriented company that engages in a culture of excellence with a proven track record of building successful partnerships that span over 30 years. Our extensive experience and exceptional personnel, combined with cutting-edge technology allow us to develop custom solutions for our clients that are designed to generate results that exceed expectations. For more information or to request a quote on your project, please contact Telecom.