Omnichannel customer care : what it is and why it matters

Gaining new customers is great, but winning the loyalty of old ones is even better. Whether you sell a product or a service, encouraging people to come back is essential to building a solid customer base.

To achieve this goal, it is necessary to provide customers with a positive experience from the time they purchase a product to after-sales support.In this day and age, when consumers prefer to reach companies through text messages and others through e-mail, it is necessary to consider providing 360-degree customer service on the channels most convenient to them.

In this article we will explain what omnichannel customer care  consists of and what its benefits are. 

What is omnichannel customer care ?"

The world of customer service is not what it used to be, where service was limited to phone calls or traditional mail. 

O omnichannel customer service refers to the delivery of a service through multiple communication channels that are interconnected to provide a smooth and comprehensive conversational experience. In addition to calls, this could include text messages on WhatsApp, e-mails, and chats through instant messaging tools on social media.

An omnichannel approach aims not only to answer customer questions from different channels, but also to provide a smooth and seamless service experience. For example, input may start via a request with a web chatbot and then continue via a phone call or email.

What is the difference between omnichannel and multichannel customer care?

Although one might think that omnichannel and multichannel customer service are the same thing, since both strategies focus on connecting with customers through different channels, there is actually a fundamental difference between the two approaches.

Companies that providemultichannel customer service offer support to their users via phone calls, text messages, e-mail, social media platforms, via chat, and so on. This type of support involves the creation of different points of contact where they are given the opportunity to connect through the channel preferred by theinterlocutor. However, communication within the various platforms remains independent, breaking down the relationship with the brand into micro conversations.

In contrast,omnichannel customer care focuses on creating a unique experience by allowing customers to switch channels while continuing communication, without any interruption. In other words, there is no need to repeat the request and open a new chat every time they switch to a new channel: support agents will always have the right answer with respect to the specific context of the individual customer, in real time.

Why is omnichannel support important?

Today customers have multiple options when it comes to their purchasing decisions: they can buy in-store and choose to receive products at home; or they can shop directly online.

Regardless of the mode, all companies that have a strong omnichannel customer service strategy record higher customer satisfaction rates.

Here are some of the benefits of developing this strategy:

• Access to data to understand customer needs:Integration of multiple communication channels offers more opportunities to gather information from customers and to study consumer behavior by getting more information about what they are looking for.

• Easy route mapping: To provide a good overall experience, a company must be able to map customer routes. This becomes easier when following an omnichannel customer service strategy .

• Better inquiry resolution rates: An omnichannel strategy allows you to pull data from multiple touchpoints, create a better customer profile, and thus better resolve each specific inquiry.

• Personalized Service Experiences: Leveraging the data collected enables companies to provide truly personalized service experiences. 

• Service without interruptions: If a disconnection occurs during a conversation by mistake, the dialogue could be considered lost. The ability to pick up the threads of the conversation through a different channel keeps the customer engaged and increases the chances of conversion.

• Increased productivity of the customer service team:Before calling a customer service agent, users can try to resolve their inquiries via chat or self-service tools.

360-degree view with omnichannel customer support

Oomnichannel support improves customer service efficiency by providing agents with a complete view of previous interactions with the brand. This eliminates the need to repeat information and speeds up problem resolution.

To develop an effective omnichannel customer service strategy,companies must understand prospect expectations, identify their preferred routes and touchpoints, and equip themselves with the right infrastructure.

This can be done by considering the most commonly used communication channels and average audience preferences. Equipping systems that enable the implementation of content such as manuals, videos, FAQ pages and chatbots powered by 'artificial intelligence is a great way to support customers throughout their purchase journey.

The goal must beis to provide timely and effective support, optimizing resources and improving the overall experience.

Integrating communication platforms with a CRM 

For an omnichannel approach to work effectively, it is necessary to be able to connect with different channels through a single omnichannel customer service software.

This is one of the reasons why companies increasingly prefer VoIP systems such as the one offered by Aircall, because they can provide service to customers through voice and messaging and at the same time they can integrate this with their business tools.

For example, integrating the switchboard with a flexible CRM, such as that of HubSpot, helps service agents gain timely access to detailed profiles of callers and automate data updates after each interaction.

power2Cloud supports your transition to omnichannel customer care  with Aircall and HubSpot

Implementing an omnichannel strategy to manage external communications is easy for companies if you have the right tools in place. 

Unify communications across multiple channels and integrate with all the business platforms you already use to maximize efficiency.

power2Cloud as an Aircall and HubSpot partner is here to support you step-by-step through all phases of adopting these modern platforms, with a certified team on hand to help you choose the plans and configurations that best suit your needs. 

What are you waiting for? Contact us now to learn more.