Just as when it comes to informing ourselves, we no longer stick to traditional information channels, but instead turn to other alternative sources of our liking (blogs, wikis, social networks, etc.), customers are no longer willing to accept one or two customer service channels. The number of communication channels is skyrocketing and the interactions between the user and the organization must be adjusted to the way in which the user feels most comfortable, depending on the subject in question and at the given time.

In addition, the use of multiple channels is mainly due to three key factors:

• Specific service

Customer activity for a specific moment is decisive in channel selection. Research has shown that customers choose a channel based on accessibility and the nature of the issue.

However, not all channels are able to meet the user's needs properly. Therefore, companies need to analyze the types of interactions with customers in order to ensure the success of the service.

• Consumer Preferences

Las psychodemographic characteristics they also play an important role in choosing the channel. Those defined as “elderly people” they prefer, in general, the use of the telephone. For its part, the Generation Y (born between 1982 and 1992) is more likely to use online chats. Other channels, such as email, are popular for a large number of groups.

• Business Objectives

Finally, we found that this model, if managed in the right way, also has multiple advantages for companies. Numerous investigations conclude that a multichannel service greatly enhances trust and loyalty of customers, as well as the reduced operating costs (up to 95% of the self-service Web in front of the phone, or 60% of the email).

“A good customer experience is highly correlated with loyalty and a clear willingness to buy more.”

What do we really mean by multichannel customer service?

It is common to define multichannel as the simple availability of several communication channels. If a company provides a service telephone number and, in addition, has an email address or a Twitter profile, it could be said that it has launched a multichannel service.

However, in many cases these channels operate as silos with little integration between them. Let's say that we send an email requesting information, and then we make a phone call in which the agent who serves us has no knowledge of our previous email. The result is an experience of frustration and annoyance on the part of the customer, which can result in negative consequences for the brand.

“Customers are very sensitive to repetition of information.”

Thus, to meet customer expectations and reduce costs, it is necessary to understand that a multichannel service is much more than the availability of channels. We found again three key elements that define true multichannel customer service:

• Una full channel integration that offers a seamless experience and facilitates the exchange of data between them. At its most basic level, a true multichannel solution allows customers to contact the company through a channel of their choice or, if necessary, to combine several without losing the context of the conversation.
• Una coherent experience across all channels. Consistency requires unified knowledge and processes available to agents and customers, so that responses and actions are the same across all channels.
• Una reliable experience carried out without interruption or slowdown. A true multichannel solution is built on a foundation that combines scalability and a high degree of flexibility in order to increase the number of available channels without creating “silos” channels.