Quality check: What needs to change in your customer strategy as the market shifts from multi- to omnichannel?

We’ve spent quite a lot of time on this blog explaining what omnichannel is and why it is important for your organization to embrace .  Reading a recent research by Forrester (August 23^rd, 2011) inspired me to share their recommendations on how to prepare your organization and transform your customer service from multi-channel to omnichannel.

First, Forrester indicate some important trends that make it imperative to start this transformation.  Then they outline the differentiating characteristics (3 Cs) of omnichannel customer service in comparison to multi-channel. Finally, they discuss a strategic approach for the organizational omnichannel transformation. These three building blocks provide a very good omnichannel “to-do list” that can guide you in the process.

As explained in this blog before, consumers are interacting with your firms through different channels, switching these channels continuously during the entire customer lifecycle, from the moment they do research on a product or service until they need service or even want to terminate a contract.

A new approach to customer service

This changing channel behavior requires a new approach to customer service. One that is focused on the requirements and expectations of the client and not on your product or channel strategy. According to Forrester this metamorphosis from multichannel to agile customer service requires eBusiness leaders to:

1. Make customer service an organizational obsession;
2. Provide customer support when and where customers want it;
3. Ensure customer service experience is consistent across all touchpoints; and
4. Develop cross-touchpoint (http://www.omnichannel.nl/?p=1675) strategies to ensure customers can move seamlessly between devices and channels.

According to the above agile customer service to me seems to be customer service which is driven by the entire organization from the top to the bottom down and it is very much embracing the rapidly changing consumer behaviors and expectations on the various channels and its touchpoints; the omnichannel behavior of consumers.

Make the best out of what you have

For eBusiness leaders this means that more and more of their responsibilities cover in parallel service, sales, marketing and brand in their online conversation with the customer.

Forrester provides 3 important arguments for this:

1.       Online customer service technology is highly conducive to supporting sales – dynamic data such as web analytics allow companies to follow every step of their customer online journey. As websites are for the most part oriented as sales channels, it is very easy to apply service tools such as proactive chat or intelligent search for sales support purposes.  Since the data allows for a highly personal and contextual approach, the technology allows to provide customer support while driving sales (during the orientation phase) or incremental sales (cross-upsell to existing customers) during the post-sale phase.  A good example is a technology that allows consumers to experience and try out applications for different smart phones they hesitate between on the website of the provider. It provides the perfect marriage between service, customer experience and pre-sales advice.

2.       Social media as a customer service channel – the popularity of social media sites and networks is not coincidental. These are places where consumers can openly discuss issues, and this provides the perfect opportunity for companies to join the dialogue. Until recently social media was seen as a marketing and communications channel, but it can be easily integrated with the customer service strategy and even the technology that supports it.

3.       Online customer service technology enable engagement – Today it is possible to optimize each interaction with the customer to create meaningful connections that will have a positive impact on sales, loyalty and brand experience. Forrester gives the example of Dell’s screen Share which enables customers to connect with friends via email, IM or Facebook to share a browser during the website visit. It is like going to the Media Markt with your friends to gather info and buy a new PC, but then it is done online.

In the following post I will explain how omnichannel customer service changes the experience for the customer and what are the areas you should focus on when implementing it operationally.