Modern Consumers Want Modern CX: What It Takes to Deliver

In today's hyper-connected world, modern consumers aren't just buying products or services, they’re putting a high price on customer experience (CX). So high, in fact, that 79% of consumers say they would switch to a competing brand or company if it provided better CX.

People expect brands to understand their evolving needs, anticipate their questions and provide seamless service across their preferred communication channels. Major brands have set the bar for modern CX, but there’s big opportunity for mid-size brands to raise it and stand out.

That’s because, according to the most recent Forrester Customer Experience Index, CX quality in the US is at an all-time low. Most businesses are falling short in trying to meet sky-high consumer expectations, and Forrester attributes several factors to the decline. Chief among them is the inability to provide seamless customer and employee experiences across channels and underwhelming digital experiences through chatbots.

For those brands that get it right, though, the benefits are measurable. According to Forrester, loyal customers will pay 50% to 220% more to stay with a brand, making masters of CX clear winners.

The rise of the omnichannel consumer

This shift in consumer expectations and rise of the omnichannel consumer is driven by several factors. First, the proliferation of mobile devices has put information and connectivity at our fingertips 24/7. Social media has empowered buyers with a public platform to voice opinions and expectations. Also, the prevalence of digital-first brands has changed what a good customer experience looks like, amping up expectations.

When communication channels are disconnected and force people to repeat information or navigate inconsistent messages, the result is not a winning experience. To build enduring loyalty, you have to ensure people feel known, understood and valued at every point in their journeys.

That takes strategy, people, processes and technology that are what Forrester calls “customer-obsessed.” And while it requires an intentional investment, it’s one worth making. Forrester research finds that when businesses–of any size–commit to the effort, their revenue and profit grow faster than competitors that don’t.

Start building from a strong foundation

To capture the opportunity, start building your CX from a strong foundation. A connected, consistent experience at all touchpoints is the critical foundation for modern CX.

The supporting research is widespread:

• High-effort transitions between self service and agent-assisted channels lead to worse CX outcomes (Gartner)

• Omnichannel customer engagement increases average sales revenue by 9% (CapitalOne Shopping)

• If they can’t use self-service to resolve an issue, 38% of Gen Z and millennial customers say they are likely to give up on a customer service issue (Gartner)

• 65% of customers say they expect instant responses when they contact a brand (Salesforce)

What is an omnichannel experience? 

Simply offering multiple channels isn’t an omnichannel experience. Consumers fluidly switch between channels, and they expect businesses to keep pace.

A true omnichannel experience means someone can ask an initial question by email, follow up over live chat, re-start the conversation on social media, then finish the conversation with an agent over the phone. At every touchpoint, there’s no need to repeat information.

The days of siloed communications are over. Modern consumers won’t tolerate repeating information across the channels they use. They expect people and technology to remember previous interactions, regardless of where it occurred. They want to easily pick up where they left off without missing a beat.

Omnichannel CX delivers that.

What are the benefits of an omnichannel experience? 

Contact centers that deliver true omnichannel experiences typically see benefits in these areas:

• Stronger loyalty and retention. Seamless transitions between channels deliver convenience and quick issue resolution, paving the way to long-term loyalty. Consistent messaging across channels is also a boost for brand trust.

• Enhanced insights. Integrated channels make it easier to collect data–sentiment, profile and behavior insights. This allows for more personalized, tailored recommendations based on preferences and past interactions. These insights can also be used to improve marketing and operations. 

• Increased efficiency. Omnichannel CX empowers agents to solve issues faster, increasing productivity. More channels also reduces the risk of overwhelming a single channel, lowering backlogs and wait times–especially at peak times.

• Improved agent experience. When agents are more efficient and empowered to solve problems more quickly, it’s a major win for their experience–and morale. Dissatisfied and frustrated customers take a significant toll on agents, increasing attrition and driving up operational costs.

• Better automation and AI integration. Omnichannel systems make it easier to leverage automation and integrate AI.  Instant responses to common inquiries through AI frees up agents to focus on more complex, higher-stakes issues–an overall productivity boon.

Omnichannel in Practice

Let’s explore some real-world scenarios to illustrate how connected experiences work in practice, and where breakdowns can happen. 

Proactive Service

Ann shares dissatisfaction with the quality of a product on social media and tags the company . The company’s social media support team sees the post, responds quickly and sends a direct message offering options. Later, she calls the customer support line with questions, and they have all the information from past interactions to quickly address. Weeks later, she posts a raving online review. 

End-to-End Support

Marie places an order using a retailer’s app and opts for in-store pickup. Upon arrival, she receives an automated push notification with pickup instructions. A store associate scans a code from the app, immediately retrieving the order upon arrival. When she arrives home, she has trouble assembling. She calls support, exchanges videos and pictures with the agent, and they assemble together.

Disconnected Engagement

Vincent purchases a subscription service online and later visits the physical location for assistance with cancellation. The in-store staff has no visibility into online transactions, cannot process the cancellation, and redirects him back to the website. The customer leaves frustrated by the lack of support.

What does it take to deliver an omnichannel experience?

Implementing a successful omnichannel experience requires a fundamental shift in how businesses think about customer engagement. Technology, though, is a critical component. Here are some important considerations when choosing a solution: 

• A unified platform. A true omnichannel experience starts with a unified, cloud platform that’s intuitive and easy to use. It brings all communication channels–voice, chat, email, SMS, social media, and even in-app support–into a single view, providing a complete engagement history. The platform should be mobile-centric, including features like biometric authentication, media sharing and location caching.

• The context for personalized interactions. A robust omnichannel platform should provide instant access to the full context of past interactions–previous conversations, purchase history, support tickets and other customer data.  

• Automation and self service. Integrating self-service options like FAQs, knowledge bases and chatbots empowers people to independently find answers quickly if preferred–with options to seamlessly transition to agents. Look for a solution that integrates with the latest conversational and generative AI for intelligent self-service, agent guidance and process automation.

• Analytics and reporting. Delivering superior CX is an ongoing process. Robust analytics and reporting are essential for identifying areas for improvement, while minimizing sensitive data storage (PII), simplifying compliance and enhancing customer trust. 

UJET can help

Truly modern CX starts with a strong foundation. Ready to start building your omnichannel solutions? Read the Next-Generation Omnichannel CX report, or request a demo to see UJET in action.