February 16, 2021 6 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Omnichannel is more than a trend, it is one of the newest and most promising strategies in the pandemic , as it focuses on meeting customer needs through an integrated, simple, efficient and friendly service.
Omnichannel strategies are those that integrate all the communication channels that a company has to be in contact with its customers, both the traditional ones, such as the call center or mail, as well as the website chat and social networks. So regardless of the channel that the consumer chooses to contact the company, or if he changes it, he will always get an immediate response, without having to repeat the reason for his inquiry.
“One of the great advantages of omnichannel is that it significantly improves the customer experience by offering an integrated, simple and effective communication space, which also teaches them that the brand they are contacting is always available to assist and facilitate any operation, from a simple query to updates on your order, “says Gustavo Parés, director of the Mexican company specialized in Artificial Intelligence, NDS Cognitive Labs .
Allowing companies to connect and interact instantly with their customers through various digital messaging channels has a great impact on their satisfaction and, therefore, on their purchase preference.
“Currently the customer experience plays a very important role in the purchase decision, since in a digital environment as competitive as the one we have, companies that focus their efforts on providing more pleasant experiences and that are projected as companies close to the consumer , who care about your satisfaction and not only about selling their product or service, will be the ones with an important competitive advantage ”, adds director of NDS Cognitive Labs.
In this sense, according to a PWC survey, for 73% of customers the experience provided by companies is a decisive factor in making a purchase, it is even more important than the price or quality of the product.
The same study points out that experience is so important that a large part of consumers are willing to pay more for it. For example, 43% said they would pay more to receive a comfortable shopping experience; 42% that they would pay more for a friendly and welcoming experience, and 65% that a good shopping experience can be more influential than a great advertising campaign.
Allowing companies to connect and interact instantly with their customers through various digital messaging channels has a great impact on their satisfaction and, therefore, on their purchase preference / Image: Depositphotos.com
Why should you improve your relationship with customers?
Having a good relationship with customers is essential to achieve solid companies with significant growth potential, since its consumer base is loyal to the brand because its buying process is pleasant and receives the support and advice it requires, at the time you require it.
According to NDS Cognitive Labs, these are some of the advantages that omnichannel offers to improve the business-customer relationship:
Agile and simple consultations. The digital customer does not want to complicate the purchase process, nor answer cumbersome surveys or access complicated platforms where they cannot easily find the information they require, so the simpler and faster their interaction, the greater the interest in the brand.
Therefore, it is important that all customer interactions are resolved quickly and through simple and intuitive communication channels where you can seamlessly enter and receive the information you require without complications.
Effective communication. Another advantage of omnichannel is that in addition to being a continuous and instantaneous communication strategy, if it is supported by tools such as Artificial Intelligence chatbots, it will obtain immediate responses and the client will be satisfied when receiving accurate information without the need to reformulate your questions.
Data to improve. Chatbots for an omnichannel strategy are not only practical for the customer; They also have great benefits for the company. One of them is that it allows you to better know your consumers through each interaction they have with the chatbot.
This gives the brand useful information both to improve its service and to offer personalized purchase suggestions, which also contributes to improving the user experience.
Increase loyalty. Building customer loyalty is not easy, as this requires a very complex strategy that involves knowing the consumer and offering what they need, even before they demand it; However, once it is achieved, it will be difficult to go with the competition.
Improve the image of the company. Omnichannel helps to project an effective brand that cares about the customer and puts it at the center of your business. This, in turn, serves to reach new markets and new consumers, since the good reputation of the brand is its cover letter.