Video has taken the world by storm in the last couple of years. Video conferencing alone is expected to reach a projected value of $24.4 billion by 2028, and as of 2019, 98% of businesses (mid to large) said they were planning on investing in video tools.
The more companies have invested in video as a solution for boosting productivity, collaboration, and knowledge sharing in today’s digitized environment, the more we’ve discovered the potential for this technology in the CX environment too. Today, around 85% of customers say video is helpful for their customer service experience, and it also forms an integral part of the omnichannel CX experience.
The question is, how do you choose the right video CX vendor in 2022? Here are some critical steps to help get you on the right track.
Step 1: Examine the Customer Journey Map
Video has the potential to enhance almost every part of the customer journey, which is why it’s such a valuable tool for CX engagement. Most companies are already using some manner of video in their marketing strategies to help them engage with clients during the “awareness” stage. However, you can also use video to help you make sales and increase conversions.
Examining the customer journey map will help you determine where you can add video into the mix to engage and delight your audience. For instance, you might start with using video to enable conversations between your sales teams and clients, allowing for more immersive demonstrations and introductions to new technology.
When a customer buys one of your products or services, you can use video in the onboarding process to teach them how to use various features and improve their chances of customer satisfaction. Or run a video webinar for educational purposes.
You can also use video conferencing in your customer service strategy to help improve the communication between your agent and your customer and deliver faster solutions to problems. Knowing exactly where you want to implement video in the customer journey map will help you to decide what kinds of vendors you need to work with, such as:
- A/V companies – for video hardware
- VCaaS providers
- CCaaS solution providers
- Video webinar or event companies
- Help desk and service desk solutions
Step 2: Think Software, Hardware, or Both?
Once you’ve examined the customer journey and found the locations where you can add the most value for your clients, you can begin to look into solution providers. If you already have access to tools like microphones, video cameras, and similar devices, you might be able to start with a focus just on software solutions.
Alternatively, if you’re building your new video-first approach to CX from scratch, it’s worth thinking about how you will approach the software and hardware mix. Do you want to work with a vendor who can give you everything in one package, like Cisco with access to Webex, hardware for meeting rooms, and networking tools?
Or are you looking to mix and match different solutions? You might want to create a video environment for video customer service by building contact centre functionality into Microsoft Teams, for instance. From there, you can access a range of hardware options by companies certified to work with Microsoft technology.
Whichever route you choose, make sure your tools can integrate perfectly together. The easier it is to align your hardware and software, the more convenient it will be for team members to leverage video regularly when interacting with your clients.