A growing number of consumers want to communicate with businesses through text messages, social media, email, and other digital options. While the majority still prefer using their phones to talk to a human customer service representative, enough people use digital channels that brands can’t rely on phones anymore. Omnichannel call centers avoid this issue and provide more comprehensive services by connecting to a broad range of communication formats.
Benefits of Omnichannel Call Centers
Set your call center apart from competitors by adopting an omnichannel approach system. You could get a multichannel system, but you will just need to upgrade within a few years. Investing in omnichannel call center technology now will keep you ahead of the trends and improve your key performance indicators (KPIs).
More Channels Available
Typical call centers are limited to phone calls and emails. That two-channel strategy worked well until the vast majority of people started using smartphones. At the beginning of 2021, 85% of American adults owned smartphones. The technology makes it possible for them to communicate in more diverse ways, including online chats, SMS text messages, and in-app messages.
People have various reasons for choosing different communication channels. For example, someone at work might not want to make a phone call. Sending a message via an app or text, however, doesn’t distract other people and goes unnoticed by supervisors.
By moving to an omnichannel system, you also give your agents more time to focus on their conversations. When more of your employees can answer questions quickly through text-based communication, they can dedicate time and care to people who call into the center.
Customer Ease
You can’t control customer preferences. If they don’t like the options you offer, they will choose a different business. Adapting to their needs, however, helps you build brand trust and loyalty.
Adapt to your customers. Don’t try to make them conform to your technological limitations. Omnichannel call centers can serve all consumers easily.
App Integration
Omnichannel call centers direct all communications to a single CRM (customer relationship management) platform. A reliable CRM will let you export in-app messages to your agent screens. Alternatively, the CRM might have integrations that let in-app messages flow directly from the app to the CRM.
Perhaps best of all, the CRM provides a wealth of information about customers, including previous interactions, sales, and locations.
Consistency for Your Agents
Omnichannel software shows your agents how customers prefer to communicate. Your call center might have some agents who prefer placing phone calls and others who prefer sending emails. The CRM focuses on the customer’s preference. That way, all of your agents will choose a consistent way to interact with each customer.
Scalability
Your call center probably gets more calls per day during certain times of the year or when you focus on a major client’s outreach campaign. Omnichannel call centers can scale quickly to control costs and meet client expectations.
If you need to bring more agents onto the call center floor, cloud-based software can accommodate them. When you don’t need as many employees, you can send them home. Your software will adjust automatically to ensure you pay the correct amount for the connections you use.
Tools Omnichannel Call Centers Should Use
Your omnichannel call center should include the following tools to streamline communications, improve metrics, and make your agents more efficient.
CRM
Don’t assume that all CRM software works the same. A successful omnichannel call center should have a CRM that:
- Lets agents view caller information instantly.
- Includes some automated features, such as sending pre-written responses to common questions.
- Manages leads and moves potential customers closer to conversion.
- Workflow automation that lets agents trigger actions with the touch of a button (or by speaking a word).
- Collects all messages in a centralized location so agents know about all previous interactions.
Ideally, the CRM should help your agents provide better experiences for customers.
Automated Notifications and Reminders
Automated notifications and reminders don’t require any effort from your call center agents, but they give callers peace of mind. For instance, when someone sends a text message to your call center, software should automatically respond with a message that tells them when they can expect a response.
Notifications might also ask callers to confirm their phone numbers, account numbers, emails, etc., to ensure that they know where to expect responses.
App Integrations
App integrations reduce the amount of work your agents have to do, which makes them more efficient and focused on excellent customer service.
Integrations will automatically transfer data between your CRM and app. Call Tools, for instance, can integrate with your Salesforce CRM to give call center agents all the information and tools they to make communications successful.
KPI Monitoring
Omnichannel call centers need transparent KPI monitoring so managers can track campaign success. KPI monitoring does even more than track the call center’s number of interactions and conversions. It can help them monitor agent performance, ensure that integrations work correctly, and check notifications to make sure they are configured correctly.
Reporting Features
Reporting features provide a comprehensive overview of your omnichannel call center’s operations. It works similarly to KPIs. In fact, the reports will probably include KPIs. Additionally, you receive in-depth details that will provide insight into operations and reveal ways that you can improve your call center’s performance.
Omnichannel Call Centers Are a Necessity of the Future
Migrating from your current approach to those of omnichannel call centers can feel intimidating. In the long run, though, you will reduce costs and improve customer interactions. You will also move ahead of other call centers that feel reluctant to embrace the inevitability of omnichannel communications.
Why wait another few years when you could get the systems you need and improve your call center’s operations now?
