GasboxDMG

Description

Over the past ten years, there has been a massive shift in the way brands can communicate with consumers and the legislation that governs this. Whereas once, traditional methods such as post and telemarketing were very much the only option, standing separated from other marketing activities, there is now a need for other methods to become much more integrated. Organisations have to hand a variety of platforms through which to promote their products and interact with both their prospects and their existing customers, including SMS, email, websites and downloadable material. As such, the choice now available to customers teamed with their past experiences of brands means that in order to become a key differentiator in the market, business must establish channels to communicate relevantly, intelligently and in a timely manner. The key to a successful multichannel approach is understanding how each process will translate into an actual experience from the customer's viewpoint. If a brand were to use voice, email and post to interact with one customer, it must ensure that each method is seamlessly integrated and not ignorant to the communications activity that has gone on elsewhere. For instance, following a telephone call with a customer, an agent could send an email containing added information, building on the previous conversation. By doing so, a brand reflects it is tuned to a customer's needs and values the relationship they hold with them. To guarantee that every agent and the communication methods they use are representing and selling the brand, organisations must implement strict training procedures. Continuing advances in real-time technology have meant that agents can now be informed as soon as a prospect opens their email. Therefore, if through training they are placed in their customer's shoes, agents will be far better placed to react accordingly and convert more prospects into leads through using the right channels to engage even those consumers that may be time poor. Brands that do adopt a multichannel approach are often in a far better position to build rapport with a wider range of clientele, as they are able to use an individual communication technique for every customer they interact with. Through doing so, customers will feel valued and in turn are likely to be more receptive to the brand. For those brands that are at the early stages of developing their contact strategy, the good news is that there are lots of ways that multichannel can be delivered. Implementing this kind of approach does not necessarily mean that a brand must encounter a substantial cost outlay on channel development and/or CRM systems. By using inbound/outbound voice with email and SMS tracking interactions, a brand can identify the best course of action for each customer, avoiding unnecessary communications costs. If delivered appropriately, the use of digital content and fulfilment in multichannel activity can in fact save money. Additionally, it can help to gain more insight into customer preferences, enabling a brand to develop the conversation further in a way that suits the customer.

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