At the end of the 19th century, the Polish ophthalmologist Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof published the basis for a new language, an illusion of Babel in a planned easy-to-learn international language. It was not an imposition to replace other languages, but an alternative as a new channel of global communication between countries speaking different languages. That language is Esperanto, which is still spoken today.
A communication utopia that has shown us over time that we, users, seek the communication tools that best suit the times we live in, and with which we feel most comfortable. Today, even though Esperanto is still latent, it is English that acts as the vehicular language in most cases.
Something similar happens with our way of communicating with brands: users want to decide the tools, the form and the means by which to interact with them in an agile and comfortable way, according to the needs of the moment in which we find ourselves.
According to a study by Genesys in 2016, 35% of customers already used up to 4 channels to contact brands. The accelerated digitalization of the last few months and the changes in users’ consumption habits place the customer at the center of the action. A more informed customer who does not distinguish between channels, who demands a global and unique communication. For call and contact centers, this means the challenge of establishing an omnichannel strategy.
To respond to this challenge, call centers adapt their models, enabling other channels complementary to the telephone, giving the user the ability to decide which channel, and at what time, they want to have this experience with the brand.
The human and technological components must work like one. Technology will act as an enabler, helping to integrate all channels to create a unique experience, eliminating barriers between channels.
According to Gadly’s 2020 Customer Expectations Report, 86% of users want seamless cross-channel customer service
Gadly has already told us in its “2020 Customer Expectations Report” that 86% of users want seamless service across channels.
They want to resolve their incident regardless of the channel. Although this is a great advance in terms of customer service, let’s not lose focus. Satisfaction will be much higher if we manage to solve their problem without jumping from one channel to another.
How can we carry out omnichannel management in a call center?
First, we must create an omni-channel environment, a framework for managing the different layers of the process. The starting point will be the reception of information from the different channels. This collected information is then processed in a next layer where a single queue of information is established. For this purpose, Artificial Intelligence engines are activated, which the call centers and contact centers incorporate in the Omnichannel process to automate. It will make the processes more efficient and personalizes the response to the customer, always helping the agent in their management and decision making, improving the user experience.
Omnichannel enables the management of the different channels to be adapted to a unified service, integrated into the digital Customer Journey and adapted to the main touch points of the relationship with the user or end customer.
At a time where technology and personalization in the Customer Experience prevail, an Omnichannel strategy is an essential element for generating a great customer experience. It is the basis of customer service, it helps to understand and have a global vision of the customer’s history and to personalize the response, ensuring a unique, agile and fluid experience regardless of the channel through which the interactions take place.
Like Esperanto, a language that facilitates universal and inclusive communication, its evolution has always been linked to the social moment. Omnichannel, a product of the evolution and changes in consumer digital habits, allows call and contact centers to generate a global and unique experience, adapting the management of the different channels to a unified service, integrated in the digital Customer Journey, and adapted to the main touch points of the relationship with the user or end customer.
