Last updated: Omnichannel messaging: The art of conversation in an omnichannel world

Omnichannel messaging: The art of conversation in an omnichannel world

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“I only wish I could find an institute that teaches people how to listen. Business people need to listen at least as much as they need to talk. Too many people fail to realize that real communication goes in both directions.” –Lee Iacocca

During conversations with colleagues in the boardroom, or friends at the dinner table, being an active listener is the most important role.

Executive leadership workshops advocate that managers be better listeners, and I propose that we need to go further: Companies need to be active listeners.

Omnichannel messaging: Listening is the key to customer engagement

Every good conversation begins with good listening. We now live in an age where how a brand communicates with their customer is as important, if not more important, than the products they offer.

Conversations between customer and company have traditionally been one-sided, initiated by the company, and held in the communication channel of its choice. Coupons for oil changes are sent by snail mail. Event calendars show up in email. Dinner-for-two offers arrive in mobile apps. The list continues: There’s real-time Web chat, telemarketing, and multi-page FAQs. (Don’t kid yourself: FAQs scream “We don’t want to hear from our customers or interact with them if at all possible!”)

In the day of omnichannel, companies are now taking a step toward improving their listening skills by letting customers select the communication channel that works best for them, and responding to them quickly, with personalized responses, rather than with a generic message. Airlines, for example, have done a nice job letting customers choose from SMS, email, or phone call regarding alerts about flight delays or changes.

Aligning messaging with channels

The next step in making customer communications more intelligent is to adapt the channel to the message. Any market would benefit from more flexible, customer-centered correspondence, but banks are almost the perfect business model for an integrated messaging strategy.

For example, I wouldn’t want to be awoken by an email or text message in the middle of the night to tell me my new bank statement is available; that can wait until normal business hours. On the other hand, if my debit or credit card was used in Lithuania to charge the maximum amount (especially if I am not in that country), I want an SMS, a phone call and an email – no matter what the time of day it is!

When the message aligns with the channel, companies are actively listening and intelligently communicating with their customers.

Strategize: Purposeful responses, not patchwork messaging

It seems as though when it comes to customer messaging, the approach of many organizations is ridiculously fractured, resulting with a frantic, jump-on-the-bandwagon, me-too feel:

Customers like SMS? We can do that! Let’s buy a platform!

You can build a mobile app? Let’s do that, too!

Email performance is down? Stop the campaigns!

Without a solid understanding of why a medium isn’t working, or if your customers prefer one channel over the other at different times, suddenly you have a Frankenstein’s monster of communications that doesn’t serve anyone well. What’s worse is that you can count on over-investing or under-investing in these separate initiatives. In rushing to join the latest and greatest, you lose your overall communication strategy and financial oversight.

Communication as a Service (CaaS) has the potential to simplify and unite communications so companies can be active listeners and respond accordingly. It also addresses the hugely popular communication channels of social media and instant messaging. Companies can’t ignore Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and all the other apps people enjoy using to communicate with their personal tribes.

CaaS moves all communications to the cloud and centralizes customer communications so that customers can interact in their chosen channels – and companies can actively listen to what they say.

Personalization: It’s not magic.
It’s method.
Find out who does it best HERE
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