Need For Multichannel Customer Interactions

Modern life has impacted how strongly clients or customers interact with our suppliers of products and services. Factors such as saving time, avoiding travel, using voice and data technologies and other factors have forced companies to be very creative when they can interact with the channel clientes.Varias decades of interaction between the supplier and customer was limited to personal communication and face. With the development of new technologies, it has been set in motion new mechanisms to maintain communication and a close relationship with customers. For example, with the development of speech technology, began the use of the phone as a valid channel to serve customers and this in turn could take the initiative to contact their suppliers without having to move to site provider. This led to the development of multiple techniques such as telemarketing, teleshopping, the lines of free care, call centers (Call Centers) and lately the Contact Center (Contact Center). began to emerge new mechanisms based on the development of technology such as e-mail, Internet, chat, and many more, they have definitely changed the way we interact with customers and suppliers, both in the work setting and in the B2B B2C. So today Interaction Channel talk, which is nothing else that these mechanisms of contact between customers and suppliers that maintain a permanent and fluid communication.

Mechanisms that allow the customer has more choices when trying to contact a supplier or a company can combine the different channels to provide better service to their customers. From the point of view of competitiveness, the use of multiple channels of interaction between provider and client is a decisive factor in gaining market share. Those companies that do not have the right mix of channels of interaction, their competitors will begin to gain market share, because the client feels better served with a Multi-channel strategy. Let's see what have been the main motivators importance of interactions in multi-channel customer relationships.

Given the above framework, we can define Multichannel Customer Interaction Strategy as the definition, implementation and coordination of the mechanisms used to maintain a comprehensive commercial communication between supplier and client, that enables the customer expectations in the right time and the experience the customer gets to be consistently successful, no matter how, when and with whom the customer contacts the company.

The interactions Multichannel tries to solve various situations that arise in the commercial communication between supplier and customer.

1. Organize communication systems through the implementation of mechanisms to develop more effective interactions for both the customer and the supplier. 2. Record the events in each of these interactions, with the primary objective of maintaining a consistent and comprehensive communication between supplier and customer. Is necessary to avoid a breakdown in communication and this can be achieved if there is a log of communications, which can be found in each of the interactions and events enriched with every interaction. 3. Maintaining consistency in the quality of communication between supplier and customer, regardless of the change of actors or situation which generates the event of communication or interaction. The quality must be consistent and without trauma. Effective for the good of the parties.

The following chart illustrates Multichannel scheme for an organization.

Let's review a little what are the main drivers that lead to today's businesses need to implement a strategy of using multiple channels of customer contact:

Modern Customer

There is a phrase I like a lot, because I think it defines in a very short current client: "Today's customer is the one with some high expectations and little patience."

Both in the field of consumers, business buyers, we face increasingly savvy customers and they know they have many more resources at their disposal to evaluate a purchase. Additionally, the number of options that today has a buyer are many. Today, the client knows this and is very adept at using this resource.

A few decades ago, meeting customer expectations was not easy, but it was much easier than today. One aspect that has added more complexity to this concept is that the customer is not satisfied with the product or service you are providing is of good quality. In addition to this the client is waiting for an "experience" highly positive. When I buy a digital camera, I hope it's not just a product of excellent quality in their technical specifications and quality when making my photographs, I expect a website to upload my photos, a detailed guide to using the camera, a free software to improve my photos, etc.. I hope this because I've had similar experiences with other purchases or other types of products and services and so my expectation level is much higher and I do not settle only with the camera works well.

A similar analysis we can see in the B2B world. The customer expects much more from their suppliers and we are not talking only about the product or service base. We're talking about service and a holistic experience that generates a clear difference that makes the client's continued adherence to our product or service.

Therefore, it is clear that as our customers' expectations are much higher than for some years, even months. If we review the issue of "Patience", customers today operate at the same speed of computers, that is, we want things now, it's "I" may be too late. It's amazing the level of demand we have in terms of speed, but this is something the market has taught us. Before we could wait days and weeks to get our hands on a product. Not today. We want this thing and usually the shortest possible time. In the business market is the same. We now must develop a project or start a new workspace and leave everything to the end. Who ended up pushing for meeting dates and commitments? To our suppliers. This also reflects the fact a lot of options or alternatives that, in most economic activities, the client has. When a product or service is supplied only by a single supplier, we can clearly demonstrate inefficiency, because we "played" using the sole provider and he knows it. The world has become globalized.

This has generated a further requirement to companies wishing to have a greater geographic coverage. The speed of response to the needs and demands of customers depends largely on the logistics and the mechanisms with which your organization has to manage interactions with customers satisfactory. A very simple example can illustrate the theme: You plan to sell their products in the Chinese market. One of the first promotional mechanisms will be your website. What language hopes to communicate your offer? If potential customers in this market will be contacted by telephone, how you plan to manage these communications and in what language? The issue of globalization brings implicit having to think about multichannel.

All of these elements in a highly competitive environment is forcing us to capture the attention of the customer or consumer in a more creative, direct and to daring. A customer today does not expect me to do a document sent by physical mail, when my competitors are able to send you the document immediately by email. A customer expects his bank to provide your bank statement online and not have to go to an office, and other long lines to get your statement. A company does not expect an engineer from your provider may have to address to your facility to correct a problem with your software, expected to do so remotely and as expeditiously as possible.

These simple examples illustrate how the level of demand and the speed that customers require us today, we change the rules of the game and need, not just react, but anticipate these behaviors.

The Development of Information and Communications Technology

Some years ago, think about having a website with all information products and services was a privilege for few. Today, having a website that does not allow interactivity with the customer is only to have an electronic catalog, which will surely be outdated. A bank that does not offer its customers the possibility to make transactions and manage their products through the Internet or the phone, fixed or mobile, you may not have the ability to keep current customers and captivate new customers. A company that allows its customers to consult online the status of your office and know how long will the goods at your destination, you can expect the imminent loss of customers.

The implementation of new channels of customer interaction, has been largely developed, taking advantage of technological development, especially in information systems and telecommunications, and cost reduction in the use of such technologies. The traditional interaction channels such as direct visits or telephone contact have been important developments at the level of productivity, due to the inclusion of technological elements such as the use of mobile devices (digital assistants, smart phones, etc.). , Internet telephony (Voice over IP, etc.). Additionally, technology has allowed the introduction of new channels of interaction such as the Internet, chat (instant messaging), Web conferencing and many more. Many of these technologies, which not long ago were only accessible to companies with many financial resources are already available to all marketing at very varied. This allows them to be integrated into the development of a channel customer interaction, from micro to large corporations.

Here are some key technologies that can be effectively integrated in the interaction with customers:

• Presence on the Internet via interactive business portal • Using the Web as a means of developing more effective communications at lower costs • Development of telephone communications, especially mobile telephony and the Internet • Development of mobile computing, which led to the adoption of tools to support activities outside the usual workplace • Progress in the development of ever more complete software with better facilities for the end user and makes better use of the above technologies • Increased penetration and usage Internet business and personal level in Latin American countries. Increased availability of Broadband

Surely in the months ahead we will see many more developments that will potentiate the interaction channels and the spread of new technologies that other costs are not generally available today.



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