We have all been in situations where a particular purchase that we have attempted has had a spanner thrown in the works by a variety of factors. Omnichannel systems allows a great number of those situations – such as ordering something online only to find out later that it is out of stock – to be avoided. However, the world of Omnichannel business is still in its relative infancy, and there are some ways that improvements can still be made.
1) Point of contact – Many people, especially those who are a little longer in the tooth, or a little more technophobic, prefer a single point of contact when dealing with a vendor or supplier, and this is often not the case with omnichannel systems. As multiple points of contact exist within the operational structure, it is usually not the same person who acts as a representative to the customer when dealing with any issues that may need attention. If each customer, or at least each sale, could be tagged to a particular customer representative – someone who could then access the points of contact across the omnichannel network on behalf of the customer – that sense of reliability and relatability might be a little stronger and ensure customer loyalty.
2) Personability – Omnichannel systems can often feel a little impersonal. Because dealing with one of several points of contact within a business does not allow
3) Personalization – It might seem like a small matter, but something as innocuous as ‘hold music’ can have a huge impact on customer satisfaction and retention. When a customer contacts a business, because of an Omnichannel approach, their preferences could be set and carried over into each interaction. So, regardless of whether the person is contacting sales or customer service, complaints or repairs, they would have a homogenous and much more comfortable interaction if they were able to make certain personalized choices to their service.
4) Accessibility – Omnichannel systems provides a great way for businesses to maximize the efficient flow of work, so that nodes in the network aren’t constantly having to wait for others to get in contact. However, this is not always apparent to a service user, and the benefits that can be enjoyed are not always shared because of this. Allow the service used to see the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the business, so that they can appreciate how the processes are working for them.
5) Finally… don’t forget the details! Omnichannel systems can often do a much better job when looking at ‘the big picture’ of how to serve a customer’s needs, but it needs to make sure it doesn’t lose sight of the details in the process. A good customer is a repeat customer, and a repeat customer is a customer who wants to come back. Customers don’t give up on a business because of a mistake – they give up because they feel the business doesn’t care. A customer wants to feel valued, and an Omnichannel system needs to let the customer feel like they are a part of the process. Don’t keep things hidden away, don’t let an order status sit on “processing” for days on end. Make the customer feel like they are being worked with and for, not just a body sitting at the end of a computer link, counting their breaths until their business is dealt with.
The benefits of Omnichannel systems are clear, but the customer experience still needs to be at the forefront of development and improvement. A company, in some ways, is their customer base.
After all, a customer who feels cared for is a customer for life.