Delivering Omni-Channel experience for centralised customer support
The way we communicate with customers is an ever-evolving form. In the current customer service landscape, consumer satisfaction revolves around instant satisfaction and personalised conversations.
Moving away from the past
Gone are the days of being bumped from one department to another as we irritatingly wait for help. The use of conversational AI in customer service unlocks the ability to build integrated communication platforms to assist customers at any time, anywhere.
What is Omni-Channel?
An omni-channel experience revolves around the integration of communication channels. An omni-channel system consists of multiple channels that seamlessly work together in a united effort to serve the customer. All channels are interconnected, constantly sharing information and remembering customers interactions to ensure consistency across different mediums.
When the customer moves from the Facebook messenger service to the website, this move is seamless, the customer is remembered and served at each touchpoint. There is a consistent style, consistent information and messages and most importantly, the customer easily glides through each platform.
Whereas multichannel systems often have siloed platforms that work in isolation, they may connect, but this connection is often clunky and disjointed. Customers have to start from the beginning every time they move between channels, the style is different. Instagram says we have stock of your favourite Asics Kayano's but the website says we don't.
Hello Conversational AI, I would like you to meet omni-channel
Conversational AI takes full advantage of an omni-channel support network which allows customers to find the relevant information and help in one streamlined, polylith. Whether it be through website chatbots, interactive voice response, or smartphone applications. Twilio found that 89% of consumers prefer to use messengers for connecting with a business. There is a clear desire for consumers to communicate through Facebook, Whatsapp, and SMS. Deploying an interface that seamlessly connects through each application is critical when conversing with customers.
These are complex customers that operate in different areas of the tech landscape. Some are happy to use chatbots, others prefer to call whilst others will only communicate in person. Customers are spoiled for choice in this market, if you can’t communicate on their terms, they will not hesitate to leave. The ability to speak to customers on their platforms, letting them call the shots cannot be understated.
From the onset, customers will be able to control their inquiries through fluent, conversational AI. This technology does not only let customers speak with virtual agents, but it also allows them to navigate the conversation on their terms and conversational platform of choice. They are not at the mercy of flooded call centres, and they are most definitely not left for hours in online waiting rooms.
Conversational AI can logically understand the nature of any given query, it can determine the tone and intent of requests. Conversational marketing is well and truly here.
Staying on top of the game
To remain competitive in this day and age, customer satisfaction is paramount. Organisations must be prepared to meet and communicate with customers on their terms. Businesses need communication platforms that assist consumers instantly and convey coherent, consistent brand identity and messaging.
Disjointed brand messaging and identity plagues corporations who separate their platforms, an immediate hassle for customers. Nuance findings report that 80% of respondents reported receiving conflicting information between channels’ with a further 90% of customers expecting consistent interactions across channels.
Omni-Channel support not only achieves this but caters to the very needs of all different customers.
The customer benefits of using omni-channel support are telling, Aspect Software revealed that businesses that adopt omni-channel systems achieve 91% greater yearly customer retention rates than those who do not.
Omni-channel is not a seismic shift towards an all-digital communication strategy. If deployed correctly, it can create a fluent transition between all communication modes, allowing customers to jump between platforms with ease, not missing a beat.
Conversational AI lends itself to such movement, with a unique ability to process data and stay one step ahead of the customer. At its very best, omni-channel works towards the confluence of online activity and in-person interactions, ensuring all the cogs work together to deliver results.
Customers want to be serviced and understood in a timely fashion. The integration of omni-channel support with a centralised support network yields many benefits for the customers and businesses that take the plunge.