If building an omnichannel customer experience is not yet a priority for your organization in 2017, think again.
More than 2000 consumers across Europe were surveyed during a recent study by SAP and PwC. It was established through substantial research that there is indeed a wide gap between consumer expectations and reality – due to the absence of an omnichannel customer experience. Omnichannel CX is fast becoming the differentiator between winners and losers in the current business landscape. According to Forrester research, 81% of organizations have seen their customer experience initiatives fail in the last three years, and just 25% of CX programs actually improve the customer experience.
While the possibility of engagement with customers over more than one channel is still covered by a multichannel customer experience strategy, it is to be noted that your customers are looking out for your business on other channels – thus creating a disparity between your customers and your business and your business missing out on new opportunities.
Building an Omnichannel Customer experience is no more an option
It is imperative for businesses today to create seamless customer experiences across varied channels and build personalized relationships with their customers across all touchpoints. Omnichannel experiences can be built through the gathering of context and deeper insightful information throughout all engagement channels across the customer lifecycle. Data collected across channels is being leveraged to personalize experiences and derive actionable insights. This requires monitoring customer interactions to gather behavioral data and real-time insights into your customer’s preferences and tastes. This data can be used to personalize your customer engagements and ensure visibility and transparency.
So, what is blocking the road ahead?
Businesses are faced with two basic challenges when it comes to multiple channels: First and foremost, organizations need to respond to input customers – quickly, helpfully and humanly – irrespective of the channel it comes in on. Secondly organizations need to understand how these channels work as a whole to create a unified, seamless customer experience, in order to achieve true, sustainable omnichannel communication.
Easy-to-use and Technology integrations – The drivers to the future
Simplicity is the name of the game when it comes to pleasing customers. As technological infrastructure becomes more sophisticated, consistent efforts are being made by many global companies across a range of industries towards delivering a simplistic omnichannel experience while emulating the speed, dynamism, and customer centricity of newer digital players.
Artificial Intelligence is helping revolutionize and rejuvenate customer experiences. According to Gartner, customers will manage 85% of their brand interactions without speaking to a single human by 2020. Cognitive capabilities, if built with the right vision and intent, can help deliver an intelligent and purposeful customer experience and thrust businesses on an accelerated maturity path. Research states that through 2020, enterprises using cognitive ergonomics and system design in artificial intelligence projects will achieve long term success four times more often than others.
To conclude, an omnichannel customer experience is the most granular, detailed, and efficient CX an organization can provide. Omnichannel fills the gaps left by multichannel CX and can help in consistently converting customers to long-term evangelists of your business by delivering a seamless, unified experience across all touchpoints. Ultimately, it’s a win-win for everyone with an omnichannel experience.
Schedule a consultation with a Wolken Software representative to build a unified Omnichannel CX strategy for your business.
