Consistency Key to Omnichannel Experience

Jenni Palocsik discusses the role real-world interactions play in omnichannel service.

When a customer walks into a bank branch, they may have a simple transaction to complete or be interested in learning more about getting a mortgage.

Whatever prompted them to visit a physical location, today’s consumer expects that their bank can help them; they want to continue a journey that may have started with a call or a visit to the website. Perhaps the issue is too complex to be completed through an online or self-service channel.

Many financial institutions have fully developed their multichannel approach to banking and can do it very well. By definition, multichannel means that a customer can interact with a company on multiple channels, assisted or self-service. Or, in the case of retail banking, insurance, and other industries, a physical store or branch.

This usually works for routine transactions, as well as any request that is initiated and completed in the same channel, often during a single interaction (or online session).

Unlike multichannel, however, omnichannel considers the customer journey, and the transitions that sometimes need to occur between channels, which may result in a visit to the bank branch. The potential for a great customer experience in this face-to-face interaction is very high, but can only be achieved if your branch employees are equipped with the information they need.

Organisations need to ensure consistency between the virtual and physical worlds

Organisations need to ensure that context, customer data, history and consistency are maintained between the virtual and physical world for a high-quality customer experience.

Does that seem like an insurmountable hurdle? It doesn’t have to be. An employee desktop can consolidate multiple customer channels, account status, and previous customer engagement history, as well as a comprehensive knowledge management system. This system can suggest articles or other reference content specific to the particular topic, and your customer will find it easier to do business with you through your employees.

You can help your employees provide a personalised customer experience not only to retain that customer but also to grow their accounts and balances on deposit.

The same employee desktop solution and knowledge management can also be used by contact centre employees when they work with customers on the phone, providing important history on a customer’s interactions so that they don’t have to repeat themselves and the information needed to provide a consistent and high-quality customer experience.

Financial institutions (and other organisations) can also make this knowledge base available through their website to help digitally inclined customers answer their own questions or get additional information through web self-service.

By appropriately using the data you have about your customers, and sharing content to proactively provide answers to questions, you can use technology to equip your employees across the branch and across the enterprise to meet the needs of today’s customers. If you don’t, one of your competitors likely will.

With thanks to Jenni Palocsik at Verint