No matter how seamless their journey is, some customers will always want to communicate directly with a company. There is no avoiding it.
So, which of the many possible channels should companies choose? Live chat, smartphone messaging, or perhaps even the metaverse. The options are plentiful.
Yet, choosing the ideal channel that fits shifting customer expectations, aligns with primary contact drivers, and integrates easily into the existing contact center ecosystem is no picnic in the park. There are many considerations to think through.
Critical Considerations Choosing the Right CX Channel
To get started, here is a set of questions to assess when considering a new CX channel:
- How can customers access the channel?
- Can we track if the customer has viewed the previous message/communication?
- Can we integrate calling to escalate the interaction?
- What technical and cost barriers exist to integrating the channel into the broader contact center ecosystem?
- How will we store a record of the conversation?
- How will the handling times across our top contact reasons differ from other channels?
- Is it attractive for digital natives and high-value customers?
Another is to identify which everyday customer queries suit the channel. Doing so will enable operations to build a better CX strategy that predicts intent and leads customers down the ideal contact route.
Such a strategy aligns with the "paradox of choice principle," which dictates that resolution rates often suffer when customers choose channels themselves. Instead, resolution lifts when companies assess the most effective route for customers and guide them accordingly.
Amazon does this well, using its website to recommend the optimal contact method for various queries while highlighting all other options on the very same webpage. As a result, it does not force customers down particular paths, but it subtly encourages the customer to choose the channel most conducive to the optimum CX and business outcomes.
Yet, when selecting channels, it is best not to follow competitors and digital CX leaders like Amazon blindly. After all, misconceptions regarding the implementation of digital channels are rife.
An example is the notion that adding new channels will not impact overall contact volumes. Instead, adding another mode of communication will encourage more customers to reach out. While this may increase engagement, it will test service levels.
To avoid such issues, network, stalk the competition for what is working, and partner with an experienced vendor that can inform the ideal pilot. Such a program may include CRM-powered AI solutions to automate more elementary queries and lessen the enhanced load.
A Chatty, Social Future
It is easy to overlook the final bullet point in the list above. Yet, it is critical to assess the growth potential of the prospective channel. After all, businesses must ensure that their investments move with the times.
A recent Kustomer study investigated how customer channel preferences will likely shift in the near future. In doing so, it discovered that CX professionals believe live chat (79%), social media (72%), and SMS (56%) will become more popular in the next three years.
The leading CRM vendor underlined the significance of these results within its report. It stated:
It’s important to be mindful of shifting consumer preferences. You might just find that the channels that consumers increasingly prefer also will enable your agents to be more efficient.
Live chat is often an excellent example, allowing agents to respond to concurrent queries, while many customers enjoy the low wait times it is well known for. It is often AI-assisted, which also has an appeal, offering a self-service option that suits the modern autonomous customer.