Multichannel customer support: what is it & why does it matter?

The essence of multichannel customer support? Connection. It's not just about offering a phone line or email address anymore. It's about empowering your customers to connect with you through the channels they find most convenient - be it social media, live chat, self-service portals, or even good old-fashioned phone calls.

By embracing a multichannel approach, you're not just providing support, you're building stronger relationships by showing your customers you value their individual preferences and their time. Join us as we explore the multi-faceted world of multichannel support and what it can do for your business.

What is multichannel customer support?

The current customer service vitals read that customers expect choice and flexibility. Multichannel customer support offers a variety of ways for customers to reach your business for assistance. Imagine your ideal customer. They're engaged, enthusiastic, and ready to be a brand loyalist. But then they hit a momentary snag - a question, a hurdle, a moment of confusion on your website for example. In the past, they might have bounced away, lost in the marketplace.

Multichannel support goes beyond a convenient detour for them, it is your chance to turn that frustration into a thriving relationship and unlocking their buying potential. By offering options, you show your customers you value their time and their preferred communication style. It fosters a sense of connection and builds lasting relationships, turning one-time buyers into brand advocates who rave about your stellar service. Social media whiz? They can fire off a quick message. Tech-savvy researcher? They can delve into your knowledge base. Traditional phone call lover? You've got them covered.

Why is multichannel support important?

Multichannel support is where convenience meets satisfaction. In today's customer-centric world, ignoring how your customers want to connect with you is like leaving money on the table. It's about unlocking growth for your business. By being present on various channels, you reach a wider audience, cater to diverse communication styles, and build stronger relationships.

Imagine a potential customer with a burning question. If they can't find the answer on your website and your phone lines are jammed, frustration sets in. There goes a sale. But with multichannel support, they can hop on live chat for a quick answer, or fire off a tweet and get a response in minutes — smooth sailing all the way to a happy purchase.

When should you choose multichannel customer support?

A multichannel customer support strategy is a must-have for businesses that want to cater to a tech-savvy customer base and deliver exceptional service. Here are some green flags to look out for: Today's customers expect convenience and flexibility. They might initiate contact through email for a complex inquiry, then switch to live chat for a quick question, and finally prefer a phone call to finalize a purchase.

Yes, multichannel tools help you capture a wider audience, but sometimes ​​the transition between channels can lead to dropped threads or wasted time repeating information (which is frustrating). Tech-averse customers might prefer phone calls, while younger demographics gravitate towards social media. By offering multiple channels, you ensure no potential customer feels left out, but it invites more problems than possibilities: With multichannel, your agents lose out on the benefit from customer interactions being routed to a single platform, disregarding the personalized and seamless journey they were promised in the first place.

Multichannel support is a solution for some, but what if there was a way that went beyond simply offering multiple channels and actually unified them? Let’s explore an elevated approach.

Benefits of omnichannel customer support over multichannel

Multichannel support is a good start, offering options like phone, email, and social media.  But it's like having a scattered toolbox – customers might find the right tool eventually, but it can be frustrating and inefficient. In today's competitive landscape, customer loyalty hinges on exceptional experiences, right? Ask yourself: Are you offering just a basic multichannel approach to customer support, or are you ready to truly differentiate yourself with omnichannel excellence?

Omnichannel support, also known as cross-channel, takes customer service to the next level, where all channels – phone, chat, social media, and even in-store kiosks –  work together in perfect harmony. Here's why omnichannel is the future-proof strategy you need:

• Unmatched customer satisfaction: Imagine a customer who starts a chat conversation, then seamlessly switches to a phone call for a more complex issue. Omnichannel support empowers this fluidity, preserving context and eliminating the dreaded "starting from scratch" routine. Happy customers become loyal brand advocates.

• Boost efficiency and revenue: Omnichannel platforms offer a unified view of customer interactions. Agents can resolve issues faster, reducing handle times and costs. This frees them up to tackle more complex problems, boosting customer satisfaction and potentially leading to upsell or cross-sell opportunities.

• Data-driven personalization: Omnichannel gathers customer data across touchpoints.  Leverage this goldmine to personalize support experiences – proactive outreach, targeted self-service options, and recommendations based on past interactions. This builds trust and loyalty, leading to increased customer lifetime value.

• Future-proof flexibility: As technology evolves and new communication channels emerge, omnichannel systems seamlessly adapt. You'll be ready to meet customers wherever they choose to interact, ensuring your brand stays ahead of the curve.

Which channels should your business support?

Phone/emotional support

You might think phone calls are a dying breed for customer support. But hold on! While email, chat, and self-service options are fantastic, phone calls still offer unique advantages that can't be replicated elsewhere. Here's why phone support remains a valuable weapon in your customer service arsenal:

• The human touch: Sometimes, there's nothing like a friendly voice to calm a frustrated customer or build rapport. Phone calls allow for personalized conversations and empathy, which can go a long way in de-escalating situations and fostering trust.

• Complexities conquered: Not all issues can be solved with a quick email or a form submission. Phone calls provide a platform for in-depth troubleshooting and real-time guidance. Your customer service agents can walk customers through complex problems step-by-step, ensuring a clear resolution.

• Building trust: The ability to speak directly with a representative can be incredibly reassuring for customers. It demonstrates that you're a real company with real people who care about their experience. This builds trust and loyalty, which are essential for long-term customer relationships.

• Faster resolutions: Phone calls are the clear winner for urgent issues requiring immediate attention. Customers can get their questions answered and problems solved quickly, minimizing downtime and frustration.

• Uncovering valuable feedback: Phone conversations are a goldmine for gathering customer feedback. Your agents can get a deeper understanding of customer needs and pain points, allowing you to improve your products, services continuously, and overall customer experience.

Think of phone support as a safety net for your customers. It gives them the option for a direct, personalized connection, which leaves a lasting impression on their budding customer loyalty and trust.

Online live chat rules

Customers crave instant gratification. They don't want to wait on hold or write lengthy emails. That's where live chat enters the game, transforming your multichannel support strategy into a customer service powerhouse. Here's why live chat is a must-have:

• Speed is king (and queen): Live chat offers real-time support, allowing you to address customer concerns the moment they arise. This minimizes frustration and keeps your customers happy. Imagine a visitor on your website with a burning question about a product. With live chat, you can answer them right there, before they abandon their purchase or click away to a competitor.

• Convenience reigns supreme: Live chat is the epitome of effortless communication. Customers can reach out for help without leaving your website or app. It's perfect for quick questions, clarifications, or troubleshooting – all while they're still actively browsing or shopping. This seamless experience keeps them engaged and fosters a positive brand impression.

• Boost conversions and sales: Live chat isn't just about resolving issues; it's a powerful sales tool. Proactive chat allows you to engage website visitors at the right moment, answer product inquiries, and even guide them toward a purchase. It's like having a friendly salesperson by their side, nudging them gently towards a positive decision.

• Personalized touch at scale: Live chat lets you deliver personalized support without the limitations of phone calls. Agents can see a customer's browsing history and past interactions, allowing them to tailor their responses and recommendations for a more relevant experience. This builds trust and strengthens customer relationships.

Live chat isn't just a trend; it's a customer service game-changer. By integrating it into your multichannel strategy, you're providing your customers with the convenience, speed, and personalized touch they need.

Email is evergreen

Email might seem old-school compared to flashy live chat or social media interactions, but don't underestimate its power in your multichannel support strategy. Think of email as the reliable workhorse of customer communication, offering unique strengths that complement other channels beautifully. Here's why email remains a vital player:

• Asynchronous advantage: Not everyone needs a real-time response. Email allows customers to reach out at their convenience and provides a record of the conversation for future reference. This is perfect for detailed inquiries, complex troubleshooting, or situations where customers need time to gather information before responding.

• Detailed communication: Emails allow for clear and concise communication of complex information. You can attach screenshots, documents, or knowledge base articles for further explanation. This provides a comprehensive record of the interaction and ensures customers have all the resources they need to resolve their issue.

• Targeted communication: Email marketing tools allow for segmentation and targeted campaigns. You can send personalized support emails based on customer needs, purchase history, or past interactions. This ensures customers receive relevant information and solutions, promoting a more satisfying experience.

• Multi-purpose powerhouse: Email isn't just for reactive support. It can be used for proactive outreach as well. Send follow-up emails after purchases, gather feedback through surveys, or share valuable resources and content. This keeps your brand top-of-mind and fosters long-term customer engagement.

Social media for the strategic

By incorporating social media strategically, you can transform it from a marketing channel to a vibrant customer support hub, fostering positive brand perception, building customer loyalty, and propelling your business forward. Sounds like a plan you can implement wholeheartedly? We recommend taking these tips to heart when turning your social media presence into a customer support beam:

• Be present and responsive: Customers expect brands to be reachable and responsive on social media. Regularly monitor your channels and aim for quick response times. A timely reply shows you care about their concerns and fosters trust.

• Embrace transparency: Social media thrives on transparency. Acknowledge customer issues publicly, and outline the steps you're taking to resolve them. This demonstrates that you're listening and actively working towards solutions.

• Humanize your brand: Social media is a fantastic platform to showcase the human side of your brand. Let your customer service agents shine! Their friendly and helpful personalities will resonate with your audience and build stronger connections.

• The power of community: Don't just focus on individual inquiries. Use social media to foster a supportive community. Encourage customer interaction, answer general questions, and share helpful content. This creates a sense of belonging and positions your brand as a trusted resource.

• Multichannel integration: Social media shouldn't exist in a silo. Integrate it with your other support channels. Offer options to direct message for more private discussions, or provide links to your knowledge base for further self-service. This creates a seamless experience for customers, no matter how they choose to connect.

Knowledge base

In a well-oiled multichannel support strategy, your knowledge base is the unsung hero, empowering your customers and lightening the load for your agents. Here's how to leverage this powerful tool:

• Knowledge at their fingertips: Imagine a world where customers can find answers to their questions instantly, without waiting on hold or emailing back-and-forth. A comprehensive knowledge base makes this a reality. By providing clear, concise articles, FAQs, and tutorials, you empower customers to self-serve and resolve basic issues on their own. This frees up your agents for more complex inquiries, leading to faster resolution times and happier customers.

• Consistent answers, every time: Knowledge bases ensure consistency in your customer support.  Everyone, from new agents to seasoned veterans, is referencing the same source of truth. This eliminates the risk of conflicting information being delivered to customers, fostering trust and credibility.

• Reduced agent load: A well-stocked knowledge base deflects common questions, freeing up your agents to focus on complex issues that require personalized attention. This allows them to dedicate more time to each customer, leading to higher-quality interactions and improved overall customer satisfaction.

• Proactive problem solving: Don't wait for customers to come to you with questions.  Use your knowledge base proactively. Anticipate common pain points and create targeted articles or video tutorials to address them. This reduces the number of reactive inquiries and empowers customers to learn at their own pace.

• Integration is key: For maximum impact, integrate your knowledge base seamlessly with your other support channels.  Live chat agents can share relevant articles during conversations. Self-service portals can prominently feature knowledge base search bars. This makes it easy for customers to find the information they need, regardless of how they choose to interact with your support team.

Multichannel customer service best practices

Centralize your multichannel support to one platform

Juggling multiple support channels can be a recipe for chaos. Embrace a unified platform. Ditch the scattered spreadsheets and overflowing inboxes. Invest in a centralized customer service platform, like Freshdesk Omni, that integrates all your support channels – phone, email, chat, social media – into a single, unified system. This gives your agents a complete view of every customer interaction, regardless of the channel used. No more switching between apps or piecing together information – just a streamlined workflow that boosts efficiency and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Wherever you’re providing support communication channels, use Freshdesk Omni to help design a customer service strategy that delivers a consistent experience for your customers and improves key business metrics (like CSAT, customer retention, churn, and more).

Emphasize customer experience

A multichannel support strategy isn't just about different contact routes; it's a powerful tool for elevating your CX from the ground up. A flexible, seamless and personalized experience for them could mean repeat sales for you. A good example would be a customer encountering a hurdle on your website. With multichannel support, they can seamlessly switch between channels – starting with a quick self-service knowledge base search, then transitioning to a live chat for further clarification. This multichannel experience eliminates friction and ensures a smooth and personalized journey, boosting customer satisfaction.

Utilize data to serve customers

Use data as your guide and data paints a vivid picture of the customer journey. Use website analytics to see where customers encounter roadblocks, or analyze social media sentiment to identify common pain points. This allows you to proactively address issues before they snowball, and tailor support options to specific touchpoints in the customer journey. Imagine placing targeted knowledge base articles or live chat pop-ups exactly where customers need them most. Data empowers you to track key performance indicators (KPIs) like response times, resolution rates, and customer satisfaction. Analyzing social media mentions, email response times, and live chat transcripts, reveals areas for improvement, allowing you to optimize your multichannel strategy for maximum impact.

Leverage AI & automation

Since you already know that customers crave efficiency and swift resolutions, here's how Freshworks, with its powerful AI and automation capabilities, can supercharge your multichannel support strategy and keep your customers happy (effortless ticketing to start). Reduce manual work for agents with automated ticket creation from emails, social media messages, or chat conversations. Freshworks streamlines the process, freeing up agents to focus on complex issues. You can also leverage AI-powered routing to ensure customer inquiries reach the most qualified agent based on skills, availability, and issue type which speeds up resolution times and ensures customers get the right help, the first time.

Research and choosing the right platforms for your customer base

A successful multichannel support strategy hinges on understanding your customers and their preferred communication styles. A business selling trendy clothing to young adults might find their customer base thrives on social media interactions and live chat support for quick fashion advice. Conversely, a company offering complex financial products might require a robust knowledge base and email support for in-depth inquiries. Researching your customer demographics and their preferred channels allows you to tailor your support options, ensuring you're reachable where they are most comfortable.

Multichannel vs Omnichannel

The difference boils down to perspective: multichannel is channel-centric, focusing on offering various pathways, like a collection of individual roads, each leading to a support destination. Both multichannel and omnichannel customer support empower customers with various ways to connect, but the key lies in the level of integration and focus. Customers can choose their preferred path, but the experience may be disjointed if they switch between channels. Information sharing between channels might be limited, requiring customers to repeat long-winded explanations or context.

Omnichannel support, on the other hand, is a meticulously designed interconnected network. It's like a seamless highway system, allowing customers to effortlessly switch between channels without losing their place. Information inclusively flows through the network, giving agents a complete picture of the customer's journey and enabling them to deliver consistent, personalized support regardless of the chosen channel.