Why switch to omni-channel customer support?

A steadfast support to your customers involves presenting them with the liberty to contact your agents through any channel they are comfortable with. Think of SMS, phone calls, social media platforms, emails, voice calls, and other means of communication. With omnichannel customer service, businesses can manage interactions with their customers on multiple channels of communication.

Do you know that 58% of customers experience a better shopping experience when they can reach out to your agents through their preferred channel of communication?

By deploying an omnichannel help desk, you can craft a better experience for your clients. It helps in personalizing the interactions as agents can retain customer data across all these channels. So, even if a customer uses a channel for the first time, information from past interactions would get synced.

What is omnichannel customer service?

Omnichannel customer service refers to a support mechanism for your customers when you roll out multiple options for your customers to connect to your support desk. This support mechanism involves unifying customer data, regardless of the medium of contact.

Therefore, an omnichannel customer support system involves several touchpoints to contact your agents. It also encompasses self-service resources such as an FAQ page, knowledge base, and AI omni channel chatbot. With this system in place, your customers enjoy greater freedom to choose the communication channel of their choice.

Why should businesses deploy omnichannel customer support?

Brands have successfully leveraged their customer experiences by deploying omnichannel support. As much as 78% of your customers prefer having the liberty to choose from different engagement channels. A report reveals that 40% of customers wouldn’t engage in business with a brand if their preferred communication channels are absent.

These figures speak tons about creating a customer-centric experience that can nurture growth for your business. Involving more customers through their desired communication channel, therefore, bolsters your revenue generation.

Let’s explore why successful brands should deploy omnichannel customer support systems.

Provide unique benefits of each channel

Each channel for customer support comes with a unique set of benefits. With multiple channels, your customers enjoy the freedom to customize their experience by selecting what works for them. Let’s take a look at each of these tools in detail.

• Self-service: Do you know that 88% of customers expect your website to have self-service resources like FAQ pages? These online resources cater to their knowledge requirements. On visiting your portal, customers should immediately find answers to their queries.
• Live chat: An omnichannel live chat feature resolves customer queries in real time and thereby boosts conversions by 12%. Sometimes, doubts refrain your customers from proceeding to the purchase. Through live chat, you can immediately clarify these doubts and prompt them to the check-out process.
• Phone support: A particular section of your customers enjoy greater confidence in human conversations over the phone. The interactive nature of voice calls helps in resolving issues that chat or emails cannot. Besides, the human voice fosters trust, thereby helping your brand build credibility.
• Text messaging: It’s wise to have an omnichannel messaging platform in place, given that 46% of your clients generally use their mobile phones for 5 to 6 hours each day. So, why not let them interact through texts, easing up their experience? With an integrated messaging platform from Freshdesk omnichannel, you can transform your CX.
• Social media platforms: On average, people spend 147 minutes on different social media channels every day. This comes to close to 2.5 hours. Extending your customer support over social media channels streamlines the experience. Thanks to omnichannel social media customer service, potential buyers can respond to your posts and stories. They also find the opportunity to contact you through DMs or comment on your posts.

Faster resolution of your client’s needs

90% of customers prioritize immediacy and expect an immediate response from your customer support desk. Thanks to omnichannel customer support, businesses can reduce the wait time for their customers and resolve issues faster.

For instance, having an omnichannel chat tool in place automates responses. The system engages a potential customer by responding to the queries in real time and allows a human agent to follow up the conversation if required.

Minimize customer churn rates

Minimizing churn rates of customers eventually boosts better brand loyalty. Suppose your customers are experiencing problems with your services or products. With a streamlined experience, you can reduce their churn rates.

A study shows that 96% of your customers facing high-effort experiences turn out to be disloyal. There’s no point guiding them through social media channels and then having them repeat the same problems over the phone.

Final words

Remember, repeat customers hold the potential to generate 300% more revenue compared to new ones. At a time when eCommerce brands are struggling to retail customers and strengthen their digital footprint, integrating an omnichannel chat support tool makes sense. Along with chat, businesses should have all types of communication channels open for their customers. With an omnichannel approach, businesses can streamline their customer support system to cultivate a better brand image.