An omnichannel contact center aims to serve customers across different communication channels. By adopting this strategy, a contact center can streamline its communication channels and serve more customers in less time.
However, an omnichannel approach can pose challenges for the contact center. Gartner Marketing Research reports that half of the companies that tried implementing this approach have failed. In this article, we will discuss the potential barriers to success and ways to overcome them.
Contact Center Reps Can Feel Overwhelmed
The rise of digital channels in customer service has provided more options for consumers to resolve issues. Phone calls remain the most popular method, with 42% of U.S. consumers preferring this option to talk to service reps, while email is favored by 20%.
However, a significant 38% prefer digital channels, which encompass various platforms such as social media, help articles, live chat, chatbots, and messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Facebook Messenger. With these digital channels available, contact center representatives can quickly become overwhelmed as messages arrive from various sources.
Helping Reps Handle Omnichannel Messages
Using contact center software with omnichannel capabilities does not necessarily mean that all types of messages should be directed to every representative. Handling phone calls, text messages, emails, and digital messages consecutively can be challenging for anyone. It is important to allow representatives some time to adjust their perspectives when faced with new tasks.
Therefore, it’s crucial to provide proper training to help them handle omnichannel messages effectively and efficiently.
Cross-Train Teams
To optimize handling of incoming messages, segment them and direct them to specific teams based on their training. Cross-training employees allows for adaptability in workflow changes and eases stress on staff. This approach ensures that customers receive faster responses, while employees become proficient in handling multiple channels.
Use Remote Agents When Needed
With the pandemic having changed the way people work together, many contact centers switched to remote agents. Even now, many agents may still work from home. This remote workforce can be utilized to manage the overflow of incoming messages when the on-site team is struggling.
Despite reservations about remote agents, call center analytics can aid in managing workers without micromanagement, giving customers consistent experiences, and enhancing agility and agent experiences. With the help of analytics, remote agents can be easily and effectively managed.
3 Ways of Improving Omnichannel Communication
Here are a few options to consider to help improve your omnichannel contact center’s success.
1. Reduce Messages By Deflecting to Digital Paths
Call deflection aims to resolve customer issues without the need for direct contact with service reps. This is achieved by utilizing an AI-powered chatbot to handle simple tasks, such as updating payment information, rerouting shipments, or placing/canceling orders. By deflecting these requests to digital channels, human employees can focus on more complex issues, thereby optimizing their time and skills.
2. Build Personalized Dashboards
To build a more personalized contact center experience, implementing customized dashboards can provide valuable insights into your team’s performance. With real-time metrics, you can easily identify when additional help, training, or updated goals are needed.
With Brightmetrics, customizing your dashboard to focus on your center’s unique needs is simple. Choose from a range of key metrics, such as Average Handle Time, Average Response Time, Abandonment Rate, and Average Hold Time, to evaluate customer experiences. Individual agents can access real-time data about their performance, while managers can use the executive dashboard to gain a high-level view of the center’s performance.
3. Identify Your Most Effective Channels
To adopt an omnichannel strategy, you must offer multiple communication channels for customers to reach your brand reps. However, not all channels will have the same level of popularity among your customers. Analyzing customer data can help identify which channels your customers prefer, allowing you to allocate resources accordingly. For instance, if you find that 40% of customers use Instagram DMs, and only 2% use Facebook Messenger, it makes sense to prioritize Instagram training for your agents. Additionally, keeping up with changing customer behavior is crucial, so analyze your data frequently.
Help Your Omnichannel Contact Center Thrive
Brightmetrics gives you an easy way to monitor and analyze real-time data so you can make informed decisions that lead to more successful campaigns. Learn more about improving your call center customer experience with Brightmetrics here.
