Call centers are implementing more channels and self-service solutions to keep pace in an increasingly digital world. Yet, these channels often stay in siloes, detached from one another. As a result, customer context does not travel with customers throughout their experience, channel shift becomes a tricky problem to solve, and adding new AI technologies to the contact center ecosystem evolves into a significant challenge.
However, many companies strive to end the problems by implementing an omnichannel contact center solution. Of course, this is not quite as straightforward as integrating all channels with a centralized CRM system with APIs. There is much more for the contact center to consider.
Steps for Setting Up and Enhancing Omnichannel Capabilities
Evolve from a multichannel to an omnichannel contact center by following these foundational steps.
1. Equip Agents to Handle New Channel Capabilities
An omnichannel solution enables agents to transfer contacts from one channel to another swiftly. Training agents how and when to do so – in the interest of delivering better, quicker CX – is a critical initiative.
There is also the need to upskill, so agents are confident handling each channel. After all, some agents can write an excellent email but struggle to build rapport on the phone and vice versa.
2. Turn to Omnichannel Technology
Alongside the need for channel integrations and a centralized CRM, there are many more technologies and tactics that will bolster the omnichannel contact center.
Omnichannel routing, customer journey mapping across channels, and interaction analytics tools have the potential to transform an omnichannel strategy positively.
3. Revisit Agent KPIs and Processes
The performance benchmarks that managers traditionally set in voice-first contact centers may not suffice in an omnichannel environment. For instance, KPIs like call duration and processes such as NPS surveys may need reimagining to ensure accuracy.
4. Provide Agents with an Intuitive User Interface (UI)
Agents should not switch between multiple systems and interfaces when handling interactions across different channels. The same UI will ideally serve omnichannel interactions, with unified presence status and single pane of glass analytics.
5. Invest in Self-Service
The contact center opens itself up to more demand by adding new channels. Customers who would have never previously considered reaching out become more tempted when companies meet their communication preferences.
Offering self-service across various channels helps to quell this demand. IVR-based query resolution, web-based chatbots, and detailed FAQs enable contact centers to cope with omnichannel customer engagement.
A Final Point
Note the difference between omnichannel and multichannel. The addition of new channels should not fragment the customer experience, and companies can prevent this by ensuring a continuous flow of data across all the channels’ back end.
Learn more about this difference by reading our article: Omnichannel vs Multichannel Contact Center
