Did you know that 86% of consumers would pay more for greater convenience, and wouldn’t mind paying a premium for a welcoming experience? Clearly, it is up to the brands to deliver such experiences, keeping the customers’ needs in mind.
For that, organizations enable seamless omnichannel or multi-channel customer service. But which one is the right choice for your business?
Keep on reading to learn the benefits of them, which approach is well-suited to new-age businesses, and much more! Let’s get started.
Omnichannel Vs. Multichannel service
While these approaches appear pretty similar from a bird-eye view, they are quite different in many ways. Let’s begin by taking a brief look at both these approaches individually.
Multichannel Strategy
This involves businesses interacting with customers through various platforms like retail stores, websites, emails, phones, etc. It allows brands to make their presence felt in the market and build a good rapport with their customers.
However, this approach often comes with a slew of problems, such as additional costs to handle all the platforms, regular in-depth research, etc.
Omnichannel Strategy
The omnichannel approach provides organizations with a central access point to customer data across all channels. Therefore, allowing you a complete view of the customer experience. This also saves the hassle of going to and fro between channels to gather customer information.
Not to mention, it also appeals to the customers with consistent experiences across multiple channels that make engaging with the business more rewarding.
No wonder forward-thinking businesses are making the shift from a multichannel to an omnichannel strategy. So, how can businesses choose the right approach for them? Well, it depends on a few things, such as the ones mentioned below.
Future-proof the Omnichannel Approach With AI
Offering goods and services through multiple channels is fantastic for marketing and customer service purposes. However, to further enhance the customer experience and increase relevance, incorporating AI can prove to be highly beneficial.
By leveraging AI, businesses can anticipate and fulfill customer needs and desires, thus forging a deeper connection with them. This proactive approach can help companies stay ahead of the competition and create a lasting impression on their customers in the following ways.
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Streamlines the Customer Journey
Did you 89% of consumers are more likely to repurchase from the same brand after a positive customer service experience?By combining an omnichannel approach with AI, businesses can enhance customer service and simplify the journey. Through predictive analytics, sentiment analysis, and personalized recommendations, AI optimizes the entire customer experience.
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Enhances Customer Data Effortlessly
An omnichannel approach facilitates the seamless gathering of customer data across multiple channels. With the help of AI, data collection becomes even more efficient as it automates the analysis of large amounts of data from diverse sources. This enables businesses to obtain valuable insights and make data-driven decisions. -
Reduces Waiting Time for Customer service
Proactive customer service is crucial for customer retention and growth. By making it easier for service agents to access customer information, repetitive data entry is eliminated. Moreover, historical data can reveal if customers attempted self-resolution, allowing agents to provide alternative solutions promptly. -
Boosts Sales Closing Rate with Predictive Content Analysis
Leveraging AI and ML, predictive content analysis analyzes user behavior to deliver personalized content recommendations. Businesses can increase their sales closing rate by presenting relevant content at the right stage of the customer journey. This technology also holds immense potential in B2B sales. -
Enables Accurate Customer Personas for Personalization
Leading omnichannel retailers like Starbucks utilize AI and ML to personalize customer experiences. By analyzing user profiles, historical searches, and past transactions, AI generates precise customer personas. This enables businesses to deliver tailored recommendations that resonate with individual preferences. -
Simplifies Scaling of Customer Experiences
Scaling customer experiences involves ensuring consistent and controlled experiences across different customer segments and business areas. AI-driven insights are revolutionizing IT infrastructure and integration, making it easier than ever to scale customer experiences seamlessly. -
Recognizes Patterns for Customized Recommendations
Consider the example of online shopping apps that leverage ML algorithms to enable virtual try-on experiences. By recognizing patterns and understanding customer preferences, AI can provide customized recommendations. This smart technology empowers businesses to offer personalized suggestions that align with shoppers’ preferences. -
Amplifies Operational Efficiency of AI-based Customer Engagement Platforms
According to Gartner, customer service organizations that leverage AI in their customer engagement center platforms will see an increase of about 25% in their operational efficiencies. AI has immense potential to optimize omnichannel strategies and enhance overall operational performance.
Final Thoughts
Embracing the omnichannel approach brings immense advantages to organizations by seamlessly synchronizing communication channels, facilitating smooth navigation for both teams and consumers.
If you’re seeking guidance on implementing this strategy effortlessly, why not learn from industry experts? SearchUnify’s prominent event, Support (re)Focus, hosted a captivating session that delved into everything you need to know about adopting and expanding the omnichannel approach.
Catch the on-demand webinar here.