3CLogic's Contact Center Blog

There was little need for multichannel contact centers before the advancement of technology, but with consumers reaching businesses through a variety of communication channels and touch points, obtaining one has become imperative. 

There are over 7 high-profile channels that allow people to stay connected with customers, and that number is only getting bigger. The ability to contact customers and have them contact you in a variety of forms improves the quality and brand of a company, so it’s important to understand the following 4 ways multichannel contact centers boost customer satisfaction.

The rise of the Internet and expansion of communication channels have given today’s consumers far greater power to explore alternative product/service options, putting customer experience at the forefront of purchasing decisions. In fact by 2020, customer experience is expected to overtake price and product as a brand’s competitive differentiator. And according to Dimension Data’s 2015 Global Contact Centre Benchmarking report, which surveyed 901 contact centers across 72 countries, 75% of contact centers recognize service as a competitive differentiator (up 18% over the past two years), and 57% say they can relate improving customer experience levels to revenue and profit growth. But despite the growing effort towards improving customer service to better meet rising consumer expectations, customer satisfaction levels have decreased for the fourth year in a row—which begs the question, where are businesses missing the mark when it comes to their service delivery?

Often considered an organization’s most valuable asset, employees are increasingly growing disengaged in the workplace, presenting businesses with a number of concerns relating to employee turnover, productivity, and customer satisfaction. In fact, a recent Gallup poll has found 70% of Americans are not engaged in their jobs, costing an estimated $350 billion in lost productivity each year—and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. As it relates to contact centers specifically, agent turnover rates currently average 35% across all call centers, 50% in larger ones, and 60% in those performing outbound campaigns, costing anywhere from 60-200% of an employee’s salary. And as employee satisfaction continues to play a pivotal role in both profitability and the overall customer experience, the need for call centers to create a more engaging work environment quickly becomes clear.

Consider the Following: 

• 70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated.
• Roughly 9 out of 10 U.S. consumers say they would pay more to ensure a superior customer experience.
• 80% of companies want to use the customer service/experience as a way to differentiate themselves from their competition.
• On average, loyal customers are worth up to 10 times as much as their first purchase. 

Today, it’s not just about servicing your customers—it’s about offering a memorable experience and creating a long lasting relationship. But while 80% of companies believe they deliver “superior” customer service, only 8% of customers agree. And when you consider 86% of consumers will quit doing business with a company following a single bad customer experience, the challenge facing contact centers quickly becomes clear.

In a recent study, an astounding 67% of customers have stated a preference for self-service as opposed to speaking to a live representative (ZenDesk).  Previously viewed as a burden imposed on consumers, the self-service arena has today become an essential part of the average consumer experience.  And as one considers each major industry, the rapid adoption of self-service solutions is readily apparent everywhere.  Grocery stores have self-check out lines, airlines offer Kiosks (have yet to figure out how to apply it to Homeland Security lines, though), restaurants use self-service reservations – the list goes on. Each of these initiatives involves one person, and one person only: the customer. 

The importance of self-service in the contact center space is no exception. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technologies are leading the charge, providing customers the ability to quickly and easily access any information by selecting options from a simple menu. What was at first an effort for contact centers to improve operational efficiencies and reduce costs, has since become an industry standard.   And with 69% of customers equating a good customer experience to how quickly an inquiry is resolved, the need to adopt the latest technology facilitating their ability to do so has never been more important.