Imagine that one of your clients needed technical support and contacted your team via WhatsApp! Everything's fine, since your company is aware of the main digital communication channels and tools available today. But then, a few days later, after scheduling a technical visit, the same client needs to reschedule and chooses to chat with your website's internal chat! The problem is that you've enabled a chatbot on your website, followed by another customer service team that has no idea about the previous service history. You weren't expecting that, were you?
This situation/example can be repeated countless times with different consequences, but with a unanimous impact on your service: it generates confusion, misinformation, and a waste of time (and money). An omnichannel strategy that's exactly it a solution that numerous companies have been adopting.Omnichannel? What is this? And why should I apply it to my business? Understand everything in our article below.
What is omnichannel?
Omnichannel is a sales and service approach. which aims to to provide a cohesive, integrated and seamless experienceThe idea is to promote the integration of varied and different channelssuch as: Email, WhatsApp, Instagram Direct, Facebook Messenger, internal chat, telephone, among others.
By becoming omnichannel, Companies are able to build innovative, personalized, and intelligent customer service and engagement journeys.On the other hand, users benefit from mobility and consistency of interaction between one channel and another. The chances of contact are increased. and fundamentally customer satisfaction.
For example, the user can begin their customer service journey with a chatbot on the website's internal chat; continue a few days later directly through WhatsApp, and finish by speaking with a human agent over the phone. All this without having to repeat themselves explaining their request on each channel.
The strategy can even be adopted from a sales perspective.In this case, a consumer views a product on the website, buys the item via Instagram, and can pick it up at a physical store. This involves a variety of sales/contact channels.
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Omnichannel versus Multichannel
They may seem synonymous – and are often even used as such, but They differ from one another. at a crucial point: we can consider that Omnichannel is a natural evolution of the multichannel concept.!
THE multichannel refers to a A strategy in which companies operate through multiple channels. communication! So, is it the same thing?! No! The difference here is that There is no integration between them.The focus is on the quantity and variety of channels.
Indeed, a variety of service channels is important since different users have different preferred methods of contact. But this simple variety of channels without unification and consistency in service is counterproductive! That's where... omnichannel strategy enter – Available channels are integrated, allowing for a personalized experience.Fluid and consistent throughout the journey.
Omnichannel – Advantages
Still unsure about the benefits of an omnichannel strategy? They are... several advantages, especially for the building and creating value for a brand. For example:
- By consistently providing service across all channels, increases customer loyalty who can memorize and recognize your brand more easily;
- It is possible to provide a much more cohesive experience and complete throughout the entire customer journey;
- THE The customer service process becomes simpler., with fewer bottlenecks, and fundamentally Customer satisfaction increases.;
- THE The customer begins to feel like part of the processes. of the brand, enabling differentiated communication and marketing actions in order to strengthen and strengthen the relationship with the client;
- Access to strategic and fundamental information from the customer profile, after all, the omnichannel model allows for a much broader and more reliable capture of data and preferences;
- Integration is not limited to customer service channels; on the contrary, all sectors of the company are also integrated. who are involved in customer service and have access to strategic information.
Omnichannel – Challenges
Now, don't think that implementing an omnichannel strategy can happen overnight or that there won't be challenges! Change implies a paradigm shift. in the current operating model of your business and relies on some obstacles:
Organizational Culture: As we said, change itself generates natural resistance, and overcoming it requires reviewing your organizational culture, processes, and internal strategies. The goal should always be the customer experience and journey.
Team Engagement: It's impossible to promote and adopt changes without your team embracing the idea. Therefore, it's fundamentally important to "educate" the team by showing them the advantages of applying this new model. Engagement and participation need to be constantly encouraged.
Technology Adoption: Finally, to implement efficient omnichannel customer service, it's necessary to rely on technology so that processes don't become bureaucratic or even ineffective.
At this point, Consider adopting cross-platform communication software. that unifies all your channels, enabling centralized customer service. Different platforms on the market offer this service. For example, the Chatbots & AI from the Matrix Go is a omnichannel digital communication solution which not only allows you to unify more than 20 communication channels on a single platform, but also offers a series of features contact, including the building automated workflows (That's right, building and implementing chatbots) – super comprehensive.
Learn more about omnichannel strategy and see it in action! Talk to one of our consultants: 0800 604 5555!
Implement omnichannel strategies in your business today!
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