So, you've optimized all of your outreach potential into an multi-channel platform! However, your business must ensure that communication with customers remains optimal after the honeymoon phase.
Humans Backup Automation
Incorporating automated tools into your communications pattern is a great way to save time and manpower. Your company may even be able to identify common consumer questions and detail the customer journey more thoroughly through an analysis of automated records. On a day-to-day basis, however, all customers should be able to reach a human at any time.
You may have some customers who are savvy enough to sniff out an automated technology – these customers may become offended while others will not care. You may also have some issues that are simply too unique for an automated tool to handle. Connecting human customer service representatives to your automated outbound channels is still a must, although you can still save plenty of time and manpower through an automated channel.
Consistent Analysis of All Channels
Which channels do your customers actually prefer? You may be wasting money on a multichannel platform that does not need to be so... multi. The only way to know this is to analyze all of your outbound channels on a consistent basis. Never take a response rate for granted. If you end up having a channel that is going unused, shut it down. You conserve resources, and you have proof that your customers will not miss it if it's gone. Explore more about leveraging multichannel here.
Another benefit of consistent analysis is determining your customer service success rates. Are queries being lost in translation across certain outbound channels? If so, what can be done to fix this break in communication if the channel is a popular one? Your customers will certainly tell you how they want to contact your company, and they will also tell you how effective this communication is. Your job is to listen well.
Updating Channel Technology
Maintaining the viability of channels is important for several reasons. The most important is security. If your customers are contacting you over a popular outbound channel and leaving personal information, it's your responsibility to make sure that information does not leak into malicious hands on the outside. Keep up with security updates for all of your outbound channels. Do not be coy with any problems that you may have if a security breach occurs. Your customers will appreciate honesty, and you may save yourself a great deal of liability as well. Transparency is key!
The other major reason to ensure that you update all outbound channels is to stay abreast of your customer base. You can bet that your customers will update their systems to the latest communications platforms available to them. If your technology falls behind the industry standard, you may lose a great deal of business simply because your messages get lost in translation.
