An omnichannel approach to the three stages of customer interaction

The three crucial stages of customer interaction

Quality customer service is a critical aspect of customer experience. Today’s consumers want more than fast and efficient service. They also want a proactive, personalized experience whenever and wherever they are, no matter the device they’re using. Using an omnichannel strategy can help deliver a best-in-class experience at every stage of the customer journey.

Omnichannel delivers a consistent experience across communication channels to create a customer centric experience. For an omnichannel strategy to be effective (and truly omnichannel), all communications should be delivered from a single platform, as opposed to several disparate channels.

An omnichannel strategy also helps organizations and their contact center collect prospect and customer data to personalize their experience throughout the pre-contact, contact, and post-contact stages of the customer experience.

Implementing an omnichannel strategy

An omnichannel strategy can be implemented using a communication API platform. Communication APIs layer over the top (OTT) of existing contact center infrastructure. Sometimes referred to as communications platform as a service (CPaaS), a communication API platform allows organizations to modernize their contact center and deliver omnichannel communications and customer service automation features like real-time voice, messaging, chat, and more, from their contact center without ripping and replacing.

Using an omnichannel strategy to personalize the pre-contact stage

The first stage of customer interaction occurs before the prospect has interacted directly with your organization. The prospect has potentially been served digital ads, explored your website, or checked out your social media profiles. At this point, the prospect is beginning to understand your brand, while your omnichannel solution can simultaneously begin cataloging their name, challenges, and needs through their engagement with your chat bots or form files. Through customer relationship management (CRM) integration, this information is then stored in your existing CRM. The next time the individual engages with your organization, the same data can be used to begin personalizing their experience.

Automatically use their name within chat bots, SMS messages, and dynamic website fields

This small effort creates a personalized interaction that helps to create a great customer experience from the beginning of your relationship.

Get the prospect to the right expert or information

Using automation, your omnichannel intelligent voice routing (IVR) application can route the prospect to the best individual based on their challenges or needs. If they aren’t ready to speak directly with an agent, your omnichannel solution can automatically send them the right content or to the best place on the website.

Create self-service options

Provide self-service options for the individual to gather more information, get started with a product or service, or make a payment so that the prospect can quickly address their needs, provide your organization with valuable data, and have a great experience all at the same time.

The benefits of an omnichannel strategy during the contact stage

During this stage of interaction, the prospect, or rather the customer at this point, initiates direct contact with your organization. This is when the omnichannel, personalized experience starts to shine.

Using data collected during pre-contact and contact stages, your organization can personalize every interaction. Automated, omnichannel communications can route the individual to the right self-service option or agent. This experience can be transparent and proactive, saving the caller and agent time. To make a great impression on your customer, keep the following in mind.

The experience should be as personalized as possible

This should start immediately. If a contact calls or messages your organization, the automated system or the agent should address the individual by name. History logs should be utilized so that the customer doesn’t have to repeat information about current or past experiences that they’ve already communicated.

Accurate call routing is essential

You may have an increased number of calls, which may overwhelm your agents. An accurate call routing system that is integrated with your omnichannel platform will help you solve this problem by speeding up waiting times. It will also help in the optimization of your business activities, increasing efficiency and productivity.

Continuing personalization in the post-contact stage

Tying up the interaction from the customer is critical. Using an omnichannel strategy, you can automatically trigger follow-up surveys to the customer. The value of post-contact interaction is two-fold: It helps your team learn how they are doing and make improvements, as well as continue to collect information to improve personalization and automation in the future.

Ask for feedback

Giving customers an opportunity to share feedback demonstrates your commitment to a great customer experience. It will also help you understand your customer service process more and improve where needed.

Leverage automated post-call surveys

Surveys allow customers to share their customer preferences. Depending on the questions your organization asks, customers can share information on their preferred communication channel, best times to reach out, and even additional challenges they need to solve. The survey can be automated via phone and the results can be stored without expiration date.

Enhance your customer interactions

IntelePeer’s Communication API platform delivers an omnichannel solution to help you boost communications, enhance customer experience, and streamline operations. Contact us now to learn more about optimizing your contact center with omnichannel Communication APIs.