What is Omnichannel Customer Service and Why Should You Care?

91% of Customers Will Spend More Because of Omnichannel Customer Service

According to a 2022 report by Zendesk, 91% of customers will spend more with companies that offer omnichannel customer service.  Why? Because companies that offer omnichannel support offer the support channels customers want, provide seamless transitions between those channels, and resolve tickets three times faster than those that don’t. And this level of efficiency and personalization leads to a more satisfied – and loyal – customer base.

With all these benefits and more up for grabs, omnichannel customer service seems like a no-brainer. But what exactly is omnichannel customer service?

Defining Omnichannel Customer Service

Before we get to the definition, it’s important to understand that there are three main types of customer service. These types are based on how many communication channels the company is using and how those channels are connected to one another. Let’s start with single-channel customer service.

Defining single-channel customer service is simple. It’s when a business can only be reached via one, single communication channel like a phone call or an email. You answer calls from your customers and partners, returning any you may have missed. Or you check your emails and respond to them. One channel, one source of customer service. In today’s digital world, this kind of approach to customer service is fading fast.

Multi-channel is slightly better. It’s when a company offers two or more ways a customer can reach out to them. This method provides more flexibility for your customers. Now they can reach out to your team the way they want when they want.  But the challenge of multi-channel service is information accessibility. Sure, you’ve got a support email, a support phone line, and maybe even a support chat. But your customer service agents will have to check the email, answer calls, check the voicemail, and check the chat using three different applications. This not only wastes your agents’ time but your customers’ time too as they wait longer for a response, leading to lower customer satisfaction rates.

A true omnichannel customer service experience not only offers multiple communication channels, but also connects them. Omnichannel customer service solutions allow your agents to access all channels from the same interface and the same queue. No more hunting through email inboxes and chat logs and phone records to resolve a customer’s trouble ticket. With omnichannel customer service, every interaction – from social media comments to form-based submissions – is kept in one, user-friendly location. This makes it easy for agents to start conversations on one channel and seamlessly continue them on any other channel the customer prefers.

Omnichannel Customer Service: Why You Should Care

Now that you know what omnichannel customer service is, it’s time to talk about how it can positively impact you, your business, and your employees.

It Increases Customer Satisfaction, Keeping You Competitive

Over 60 percent of consumers have higher customer service standards this year than last. Why? Because many big brands already offer omnichannel service. Customers are becoming accustomed to communicating with businesses in a way that’s most convenient for them – online chat, email, phone calls, social media, etc. Not only that, but they’re used to receiving the same speed and quality of service on all those channels.

If you don’t offer omnichannel service, you run the risk of losing customers to bigger brands that do.  

It Makes Your Agents’ Lives Easier

Thanks to omnichannel customer service solutions like S-NET Engage, your agents don’t need to monitor many disparate communication platforms 24/7/365. You can unify your support channels – social, chat, email, and even your ticketing system – on one user-friendly screen. This means your agents won’t waste time digging through multiple tabs or logging into various platforms to help customers. All relevant data is logged into one easily accessible location, making it easier for agents to provide highly efficient and highly personalized care.

It Allows You to Streamline Your Service Workflows

Creating workflows for each channel can be time-consuming, and often involves a frustrating number of spreadsheets. But not anymore! Omnichannel customer service solutions allow managers to design exceptional, personal workflows right from the platform – no coding or spreadsheets required! You can automate repetitive processes, set up advanced routing policies, and more without having to mess with complicated software or integrations.  This ensures your customers get to the right people through the right channels, boosting their satisfaction and your revenue.

Interested in a platform that has it all? Request a free demo here.

Give Your Customers an Omnichannel Experience with S-NET Engage

At S-NET, we know how crucial it is to unify your communications to provide an omnichannel experience for your customers. Which is why S-NET’s omnichannel solutions come with everything you need to manage client experiences across all channels – without having to hire more agents. It’s equipped with sentiment analysis and a robust AI, allowing you to create channel-specific service flowcharts, automated communications, and so much more. Oh, and did we mention you can do it all without touching a single line of code?

It also allows agents to keep track of information in multiple places without having to log into a separate application. Thanks to its flexible APIs, S-NET Engage can easily integrate with your current CRM and contact center platform.

And this is only the tip of the iceberg! Want to get seamless, omnichannel customer service without breaking the bank? Contact S-NET today and we’ll get you started!