What Makes Omnichannel a Leading Solution for Contact Centers?
Contact centers are complex, and require top-notch communications in order to function effectively. If you run a contact center, you want to be sure that whatever technology you utilize offers you the most efficient and hassle-free experience possible.
What is an omnichannel contact center?
An omnichannel contact center is actually a type of software. It works with multiple different customer service channels together in real time to update all of them together. This applies to all manner of devices, apps, text messaging, and other channels. As soon as some form of communication is sent, it can be received through any of the other connected channels.
Having an omnichannel contact center allows representatives to better serve customers because they are able to immediately review exchanges between channels and give customers the precise information that they are looking for when they call in. Customers can participate by means of whatever form of communication they choose, which is not only more convenient for customers, but allows for a more personalized experience.
Centers can be programmed to provide automated messages of different kinds, through different media. And they can be personalized, which helps lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction.
Multichannel and omnichannel contact centers
Multichannel contact centers are similar to omnichannel ones. However, they are not identical. The difference can be compared to simultaneous versus consecutive translating. In multichannel contact centers, messages (or other forms of communication) are received, processed, and then transmitted to other channels. In other words, they are not real-time.
Furthermore, in multichannel contact centers, agents might have no knowledge of prior communications that led up to the ones they themselves deal with. It takes more work on their part, and customers end up with greater wait times and potentially looser communications with the people they need to reach.
One of the distinct features that omnichannel contact centers provide is “customer self-service.” These types of centers utilize what is known as multi-level Interactive Voice Response technology. This is an automated phone technology in which incoming callers can access information through pre-recorded messages and bypass the need for an agent.
Omnichannel is clearly the best solution
The world is a complex place, and getting communications needs right is tricky even in the simplest of situations. Therefore, if you are running a contact center, an omnichannel solution is clearly the best one.
Some of the concrete benefits of choosing an omnichannel solution include:
- Faster service. This is the most obvious benefit, and it pays dividends to customers on multiple levels.
- Remote options for whole teams. As people are working more and more remotely, teams need a way to communicate with one another through any given device and channel.
- Improved customer satisfaction and higher retention. When people’s workload is made more efficient and easier, they are much more likely to stay with a given service or product.
If you’re running a call center, there’s no question what the best type of solution is. Look into the omnichannel option today.
