Workforce Management Featured Article
Why You Need the Omnichannel Experience in Your Customer Care Center
How many channels do you offer customers for interaction? For some companies, the belief that a live interaction is the only way to handle customer care could be limiting. For others, the idea that every channel should be available could present problems with workforce management. The key is to understand your customers, what they want and what will make them happy.
The larger organization is likely to come to a single conclusion: the omnichannel deployment strategy is the only one that will ensure satisfaction across the customer base. A recent Business2Community piece explored this concept, stressing the importance of understanding the value of multiple channels when it comes to customer satisfaction. The most important element is providing the customer with choice when it comes to interactions.
Consumers use a number of different paths to go from information gathering to purchase completion. One interaction may start on a smartphone while another will start on a laptop. If the customer gets stuck somewhere between identifying the desired product and completing the purchase, providing agent assistance through the desired channel is essential. Plus, the agent needs to know where the customer is in the process and the desired outcome.
The omnichannel experience is one that allows all devices to seamlessly integrate so the customer has the impression of a single, seamless journey, from initial impression to final purchase. If you’re not sure it applies to your customer base, consider a recent report from the Aberdeen (News - Alert) Group that found that omnichannel customer care strategies have a 91 percent better year-over-year customer retention rate compared with those that don’t. Such companies also experience improved first contact resolution, decrease in the average cost per customer contact and increases in overall revenue.
To truly get the benefits you need from the omnichannel experience, consider integration opportunities between your marketing and customer service teams. The omnichannel deployment strategy is one that can seem costly and to benefit only the customer base. When you consider the opportunities to create a seamless brand experience across all channels to drive leads and opportunities, omnichannel is the only way to go. You simply need to develop your workforce management strategies to support this focus and train your agents accordingly.
The important point here is that customer expectations continue to intensify, putting more pressure on your customer service teams to deliver quality interactions across multiple channels and devices. Take the time to understand what your customers need and design strategies that allow you to support these needs. The outcome is likely an omnichannel experience and one that will set you apart from the competition.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi
