We’ve all been there. A fraud alert pops-up, signalling the need to cancel your debit card and then wait 5-7 business days to receive a new one because your account has been compromised. After waiting on the line to speak to a live agent, they’ll dictate each and every transaction to you, confirming if you or the scammer made a particular purchase. Once you settle what was yours, the agent will confirm a mailing address to get you a new pin and card. Even if the agent is friendly, the process still feels painful and inconvenient. Having to listen to long lists of information (like banking transactions) is irritating for a customer. But, the reality is that we live in a world where this subpar experience is the status quo. Even though CX has been a strategic focus for most brands, we still haven’t truly gotten it right.
We know customers feel the pain of being inadequately supported on a particular channel. In fact, in a recent survey, we found that 46% of customers believe that they aren’t getting the support that they deserve.
A New Approach to Channels
The good news? A better way is on the horizon. It just requires making customer-centric decisions when it comes to channel deployments. Rather than focusing on a single channel, such as only text or only voice, brands should think about the power of deploying a few channels together with a cohesive strategy.
This way, channels can work together to optimize the experience for a customer. Technology has advanced, allowing us to use voice and text together, in parallel or simultaneously, or even interchangeably to make sure each type of customer transaction is handled through the path of least resistance.
Does one-channel-fit-all?
Channels cannot be treated as identical options for customers. Every channel has their own unique strengths and weaknesses, making them better suited for some transactions, time periods, and customers than other channel options.
For example, filling out a form is best and fastest via text channels, but the intricate process of submitting an insurance claim could be best automated via voice. Ignoring, or negating the power and potential of text being used with voice is the antithesis of great CX.
What do customers want?
We’ve been preaching about the potential of omnichannel solutions for a while. That’s because customers have spoken, and it’s clear what they want.
The lasting pain of ineffectively deployed voice or text applications is enough to make customers ditch a channel after a single bad experience. In fact, the easiest way to master how to create a successful omnichannel deployment is to put yourself in the shoes of your customers. Why do they default to voice for some transactions, but text channels for others? Understanding these nuances will make for productive interactions via voice, text, or a combination of both.
Let’s reimagine the frauded bank card scenario again, but this time using the best of text and voice together. Rather than calling in via voice and waiting for a line agent to handle your issue from start to finish, your banking transactions can be approved or denied through SMS or in a mobile application while you’re on the line with an agent explaining the situation. This saves the customer (and agent!) the time of having to listen to each charge read aloud, but it leverages text to avoid a very frustrating and loud interaction. Your card is mailed to your confirmed address, and you hang up happy in a fraction of the time.
There is significant power in voice and text being leveraged together. Brands should look to unlock this potential to save customers time and frustration, reduce agent minutes, and get operationally more efficient. The new dawn of CX requires not just voice or text, but both options working in harmony together.
