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July 08, 2021

Omnichannel Support in 2021: Customer Service via Social Media, Chatbots and Voice Assistants



Technology is inherently becoming part of our lives; it is simply becoming part of the world's culture.  From the development of hardware and software to computer programming, all these are fastly being incorporated into our day to day lives - everyday technology.



The current global pandemic can be seen as a stimulant to the accelerated growth of commercial services such as omnichannel support services. In such unprecedented times, the mechanism has proven to be proficient in helping curb the spread of the virus. Omnichannel support provides channels through which customers and organisations communicate. This opens up any sort of market for business and allows transactions to take place without having to leave the comfort of your home.

By opening up several ways in which customers can get in touch with an organisation, businesses are suddenly getting new customers from channels they had not used before. As a result, the importance of customer service has been elevated to a whole new level. 

Let’s look at how social media, chatbots and voice assistants have changed how customer service is now perceived. 

Social Media

Customer service is being promoted through social media platforms such as Facebook (News - Alert), Twitter and Instagram. Let’s take a look at Kohls, for example. The supermarket chain is on Facebook and Twitter - you can contact their customer service department through these platforms. By opening these communication channels, they have gained access to their customers, as most people are always on social media these days. Customers can quickly request their weekly Kohls ad or pass on their compliments and complaints. Kohls also has a chance to rectify issues much faster as they can identify customers with problems immediately and tailor-make solutions to individuals in real-time.

Chatbots

Chatbots have proven to have become essential to today’s customer care services. The bots are designed and programmed to give a unique service that barely needs assistance from human operators. For example, they can answer commonly asked questions about a specific product, thus ensuring unfiltered customer care. Through this channel, organisations can provide 24-hour service on any day of the week and help customers with any difficulties. 

The bots are user friendly and are only as far as your phone, iPad or computer. This means you can access them at any time of the day and wherever you are, so long as you have a device at hand. Organisations have drastically improved their customer care service game because of how quick and easy chatbots are to use. This software has proven to be revolutionary.

Voice Assistants

Artificial intelligence is taking over the world, as evidenced by the development of voice assistant enabled devices. If we talk of omnichannel support, we certainly can’t leave out voice assistants (VAs). This mechanisation, or channel, gives customers the ability to engage and connect with an organisation as if talking in person. After asking the VA a question about a particular query, you will get a vocal reply.  Communicating like this is giving customers a better sense of connection to brands and organisations, and business is improving. 

Omnichannel support provides several ways in which companies can access their customers, and it’s also encouraging those who hadn’t yet encountered some brands to explore. Businesses that embrace this tech through social media, chatbots, and voice assistant portals can only enhance their customer service and level up. 



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