The following has been penned by the team at digital transformation experts, Exigy 

Now more than ever, expectations from customers are at an all-time high. Whether it's through social media, live chat, or traditional phone calls, customers expect a positive, informed and professional experience across multiple channels. The demand for fast response times, personalised experiences, and consistent service now has businesses scrambling to get ahead of the competition through solutions that offer a unity across their channels.

The growing expectations

The growing need for omni-channel experiences is well documented. Recent studies reveal that 93 per cent of customer service teams across industries agree that customer expectations are higher than ever before. Customers now value the use of multiple channels to complete a transaction, putting the pressure on businesses to deliver a cohesive and responsive experience across all touchpoints.

However, the reality is often far from ideal. A staggering 80 per cent of people regularly report negative experiences with customer service, indicating a notable divide between customer expectations and actual service delivery.

Challenges in the customer service landscape

These reason for these emerging challenges can be pinpointed to several factors. One significant issue is the need to manage multiple communication channels simultaneously.

 With customers reaching out through various platforms—such as social media, email, chat, and phone—maintaining consistency across these channels becomes increasingly difficult, or even impossible in certain cases. Each platform has its own dynamics and expectations, making it difficult for service teams to deliver a consistent experience.

Another issue is the demand for fast responses. In the age of instant communication, customers expect near-immediate replies, putting pressure on service teams to be available and responsive 24/7 – a reality that is often not reasonable for smaller businesses.

Additionally, the importance of online reviews cannot be ignored. Customer reviews can significantly influence a brand’s reputation. A single negative interaction can quickly tarnish a company’s image, putting further pressure on treating every interaction with utmost importance.

High turnover rates among customer service staff are also quite a common issue in the industry. Frequent staff changes can lead to inconsistent service quality as new employees take time to get used to the new system. The need for training and adjustment can slow down the delivery of service, further complicating efforts to meet customer expectations.

The solution: Omni-channel customer service

To address these challenges, businesses are turning to digital solutions that offer an omni-channel approach to customer service. An effective omni-channel strategy integrates all communication channels, ensuring that customer interactions are seamless, consistent, and personalized.

An omni-channel approach allows businesses to finally centralise customer data. By having all customer interactions and data in one place, businesses can provide personalised service that meets individual needs.

With this innovative solution, it’s now also possible to automate responses. AI-driven tools can handle routine inquiries, freeing up human agents to deal with more complex issues, improving response times and customer satisfaction.

Additionally, this approach can lead to enhanced agent productivity by streamlining processes and providing agents with the tools they need. The net result for this is that businesses can boost the overall productivity and improve first contact resolution rates.

It is therefore no surprise that businesses quick to adopt an omni-channel approach are the first to reap the benefits, letting them take huge leaps ahead of their competition.

The Microsoft Dynamics 365 advantage

For businesses considering adopting the omni-channel approach, however one of the main technologies leading the way is Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 Customer Service. Research shows that businesses who’ve implemented the platform have experienced an average of 16% increase in agent productivity and increases in first contact resolution.

The increase in popularity of Microsoft CoPilot can also further enhance business customer service capabilities. This can be done by using the AI tool to assist agents by suggesting responses, automating tasks, and analyzing customer sentiment, allowing for even more personalized and efficient service.

Take the next step with Exigy

At Exigy, we specialize in helping businesses navigate their digital transformation journeys. Our projects have assisted businesses in successful transitions to omni-channel customer service, allowing them to benefit from increased response times and satisfied customers.

If you're ready to elevate your customer service with a digital solution that meets today’s omni-channel demands, our team of experts is here to guide you every step of the way.

Exigy is a Microsoft Gold Partner with over 20 years of experience in implementing digital transformation projects. We pride ourselves on delivering tailored solutions that drive business success. Let’s discuss how we can transform your customer service operations.