It’s no secret that customers enjoy using multiple channels to communicate. Whether they prefer talking on the phone, using live chat, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, email, or all of them at once, customers now more than ever expect an omni-channel experience from businesses.
In fact, in a recent study by Commerce Hub it was proven that “86% of shoppers are regularly channel-hopping across at least two channels” in addition, Marketing Week cited that today’s “consumers use an average of almost six touchpoints to connect with a brand – with nearly 50% regularly using more than four.”
Although it is evident there is a high demand for multiple communication channels from customers, there are also many ways incorporating such an omni-channel approach can drive revenue. To understand what adopting an omni-channel experience can do for your business, we’ve nailed down the top three benefits:
You Streamline the Customer Experience To Build Loyalty
An omni-channel communication experience can make the process of customer to team communication that much easier.
Imagine for a minute a customer trying to reach out to your business and having to visit multiple sites and profiles to locate a single phone number or email address. In addition to leaving a bad first impression, it can be frustrating for the customer trying to access your product or services.
Offering an omni-channel experience makes it simple for customers to connect with you. If they are already on your Facebook page they can simply click Facebook Messenger to send a request or if they are on your website they can simply type into your live chat to make an inquiry. By minimizing complexity you offer a greater experience and in turn receive greater loyalty, customers are then able to interact with you on the channel of their choice, making it simple and convenient.
You Will Increase Your Revenue
Offering an omni-channel experience to your customers is also a powerful tactic to increase revenue. By putting your customers first and offering multiple channels you increase your visibility, avoid segmenting certain audiences, and show that you listen to their preferences. These qualities all contribute to driving customer loyalty which ultimately leads to a greater revenue stream.
According to the Aberdeen Group, “companies with extremely strong omni-channel customer engagement see a 9.5% year-over-year increase in annual revenue, compared to 3.4% for a weak omni-channel experience. Similarly, strong omni-channel companies see a 7.5% year-over-year decrease in cost per contact, compared to a 0.2% year-over-year decrease for weak companies.” Offering multiple channels has proven to surge revenue in many cases, as you learn to better cater to your customer’s preferences you show you value their service and gain more loyal customers to maximize your revenue.
You Will Become More Organized
Having a multi-channel approach to attracting customers can additionally help you determine where your customers are coming from along with what they prefer using so you can better allocate time and resources effectively.
The insight that you get from an omni-channel experience can help you better target audiences, optimize content and generate more revenue. For instance, if your customers are coming solely from Facebook but you’ve been pushing out paid ads on LinkedIn, it might be time to reconsider your marketing approach to gaining new customers. On that same token, if your team is putting more focus on responding to emails but all your messages are coming from Twitter DM’s you can effectively adjust their focus to Twitter to ensure all customers are responded to in a timely and efficient manner.
It Will Contribute To Your Businesses Future Success
Providing an omni-channel experience isn’t a tactic to simply propel your business today but a tactic to ensure a successful future. In a recent PWC survey it was revealed that “by 2020, the demand for an omni-channel customer experience will be amplified by the need for nearly perfect execution.” In today’s technologically advanced world customers expect fast service, a personalized experience and product/service variety, which will only continue to grow.
By implementing an omni-channel experience today, you create an opportunity to perfect communication through your channels and have a better understanding of your customers so you can have a successful future.
Offering omni-channel experiences are becoming the norm in the world of business and with the plethora of benefits that come with incorporating it, omni-channel experiences are an element worth considering.
