Achieve CXcellence with Omnichannel

By Steve Bell
0 min read

The Digital Imperative
In the digital world in which we live, consumers are spoiled with choices. We can order any of thousands of products on Amazon with a single click and have it delivered to our front porch tomorrow. The sheer number of toothpaste options at the drug store can be overwhelming! Your customers communicate with each other via digital channels daily, and they are programmed to want channel options.
“Digital channels are the #1 channel of choice of communication for people under the age of 35.”
– Dimension Data, Global Contact Centre Benchmarking Report
To engage with digital-first customers today, companies must meet them where they are. Companies that make these digital channels available have a chance to stand out and build or deepen customer loyalty, while also improving customer engagement and satisfaction.
What is Omnichannel?
To understand Omnichannel in the context of the contact center you have to start with an understanding of its predecessor, Multichannel.
The term Multichannel defines the various channels that are made available to connect with an organization. Many of these channels, like chat and email, have been around for decades. In a Multichannel world, the distinguishing characteristic is that these channels are siloed and often different vendors’ products—chat from vendor A, email from vendor B, phone from vendor C and so on. The lack of connection between these channels has inevitably has led to serious inconsistencies in customer service experiences. The tell-tale sign is when the customer has to repeat their information and issue upon transitioning to another channel, which we’ve all lived.
Omnichannel is an evolution of multichannel. It refers to a consistent relationship across all channels. Omnichannel connects the dots between each available channel. It also refers to the simultaneous use of two or more channels. Omnichannel allows for that consistent customer journey with your brand.
Why Omnichannel Matters
The significance of Omnichannel all ties back to delivering a better customer experience. The graphic below is from a 2017 Dimension Data contact center benchmark report that shows that Omnichannel is the #1 industry trend affecting CX capability. Omnichannel and the move to digital, in general, has the largest impact on CX! So if you want to excel at CX, you need to offer Omnichannel support.
