In a customer service call center, channel diversity can be accomplished in one of two ways: multichannel or omni-channel. Your functional area is provided across multiple channels, which is referred to as multichannel. The term “omnichannel” refers to a consistent experience across all of these channels.
Customers can communicate via many channels if they use a multichannel customer contact center model. On the surface, this appears to be a positive thing, and it is, but because these channels run independently, they are less efficient than an omnichannel environment.
When a call center agent takes a call from a client, for example, the agent is unable to shift fluidly from one contact channel to the next, causing friction in the customer journey. Customers may have a broken experience if switching between channels is difficult.
All contact channels are integrated rather than separate in an omnichannel approach. Customers don’t have to start from the beginning when switching channels because customer care call center agents can serve them across channels. For example, suppose a customer starts their contact by phone but then wishes to switch to text since their background has gotten too noisy for them to hear clearly. The agent’s option to switch to a more preferred channel in the middle of a conversation benefits the customer (by avoiding having to start over with a new agent) and saves you, the contact center’s client, money by skipping that unneeded step in the process.
An omni-channel contact center is characterized as an outbound or inbound customer service that works throughout phone, email, chat, and social media platforms with data continuity.
A multichannel contact center, on the other hand, is one in which the customer functions work throughout phone, email, chat, and social media, with agents specializing in a specific channel and handling that channel’s interactions independently of other call center customer experience.
At the back end, omnichannel customer call center consolidates communications; agents have rapid access to all the data obtained in client communications through an unified platform. Doesn’t matter if the contact was made via social media, phone, email, chat, or SMS, the contact center’s technology equips employees with the resources they need to serve clients efficiently and quickly.
Accessing a customer’s history of interactions with prior agents often gives background and context contact and allows operators to better service customers, as anyone who interacts with consumers will confirm. The technology is easily available, and choosing a outsource customer service that specializes in communication system integration pays off handsomely. Allowing clients to connect with a self-service chatbot or speech bot, for example, can reduce many problems by gathering information and preparing a live agent to work with the customer effortlessly.
Despite the fact that multichannel appears to need less effort and commitment, omni-channel provides more benefit. That’s why omnichannel integration is one of the top three goals for contact center personnel.
