18 Steps to a Consistent Multichannel Experience

Our readers reveal how they deliver a consistent multichannel experience in their contact centre.

1. Ask the customer why they used the channel they did

Asking customers why they used the channel they did helps us understand which channels are best for different types of questions.

With this information, you can guide people to the channel most suited to resolving their query.

With thanks to Kate

2. Pencil in more time for Knowledge Management

Allocate more time to Knowledge Management to make sure that all of your agents are highly skilled in all channels.

With thanks to Vincent

3. Build pre-written messages into your system

The key is to look at literacy skills during recruitment and also to build as many pre-written messages into your systems as possible.

With thanks to one of Call Centre Helper’s readers

4. Make your contact log visible for other departments

Make sure that you have ONE contact log for all channels – and try to make it visible for other departments that meet the customer such as local branches.

With thanks to Fredrik

5. Don’t make it difficult for your customers to find answers

Provide your customers with various ways to find information, such as your website, FAQs, webchat and social media.

They can then use different channels for different queries at a time that is convenient to them.

Don’t make it difficult for them to get the answers they want.

With thanks to Cathie

6. Teach one channel at a time

Train team members to do one channel at a time, so that they get to really know it before you give them the next one to learn.

You want to keep good people and not scare them off!

With thanks to Kate

7. Encourage your agents to take ownership

Agents need to take ownership of each contact that they receive, so that they can move the customer seamlessly from channel to channel.

With thanks to Jane

8. Think about the skills your agents will need when you hire them

When taking on new team members, think about the multichannel skills you will need them to have if they were to work across different channels.

This way you will create a team with both the skill set and the knowledge they need.

With thanks to Kate

9. Pay agents well to stop them training up and jumping ship

In any job you get what you pay for. Too long have companies hired people based on what they can pay them, rather than what skills they have.

If you don’t pay them enough, once you do up-skill them they will move to a company that pays better – and you’ll be back to square one.

With thanks to Karl

10. Make sure the same advice is given on every channel you offer

Make sure that your agents give out the same information across all channels, so that customers get the same help however they come in to you.

With thanks to Kate

11. Have a dedicated email and live chat team

We have an email and live chat team who really concentrate on excelling in these methods of communication.

With thanks to Angela

12. Understand what your customers are trying to achieve in each channel

It isn’t enough to know a customer is interacting using multiple channels.

You need to understand what they are trying to achieve in each channel and use that information to personalise the future (or real-time) interactions across all of your channels.

With thanks to Steve

13. Keep adding to your bank of FAQ responses

In our chat channel, we have stock phrases that are used for common questions asked.

As different questions arise, new phrases are created to help the agent so that they don’t have to remember all the correct terms.

With thanks to Janet

14. A CRM system can help to centralise all of your customer interactions

I think an advanced CRM system helps deliver a consistent customer service approach.

Our system collects the information from all channels in one central database. Therefore as soon as the customer contacts us through any means, we can see all contact from us to them and vice versa.

They then feel that a lot more care has gone into their query.

With thanks to Amy

15. A customer satisfaction survey will help identify your weaknesses

We have a customer satisfaction survey which is sent out once a query is resolved.

This data is constantly monitored and gives us something to focus on for improvement or praise.

With thanks to Amy

16. Spend more time on documentation training

We spend a lot of time on documentation training, so all contacts are easily accessible to anyone who takes a call from or about that individual.

With thanks to Janet

17. Follow the formula for customer success

Following this formula helps us deliver successful customer experiences:
Employee engagement + Right tooling (closed feedback loop!) + 360 degree view = Customer Success!

With thanks to Mark

18. Complete essential testing before launching a new channel

I think it is essential that testing, process and training is in place before releasing a new channel.

A “wait and see” attitude will lose you customers and demotivate staff.

With thanks to Karl

What do you do in your contact centre to make sure you deliver a consistent multichannel experience?