Modern customers expect to have easy experiences with companies, regardless of the channel(s) they choose. Customers also count on companies to recognize them and follow their interactions and journeys across channels and devices.
For example, if a customer engages with an agent in an online chat, and then calls in to their customer service line, they expect a seamless transition without having to rehash the conversation they previously had with another agent.
Unfortunately, many companies still experience issues trying to tie together their customer service channels into a unified experience. The divide between contact centers who manage multiple channels well, and those that don't, is particularly acute between premise-based call centers and those which have migrated their technology to the cloud.
A recent research study from Aberdeen Group found that cloud contact centers are 27% more likely to be integrated with a company's CRM system than premise-based contact centers. This integration provides agents with a complete view of customers. However, many premise-based call centers are missing out on providing better customer experiences.
The key to delivering on the seamless omnichannel promise is the CRM. Customer relationship management systems like Salesforce are invaluable tools for aggregating customer data compiled from interactions across all channels. Integration between your CRM and contact center platform is critical to enabling your agents to deliver personalized and consistent experiences across channels.
In addition to a better customer experience, CRM integration enables better agent experiences and coaching opportunities. For instance, the use of speech and text analytics tools can be applied against calls to identify common challenges with your website, operational improvement opportunities, and areas where your agents could use additional coaching and training.
The cloud enables an abundance of opportunities to better integrate your customer relationship management systems and improve satisfaction. If you are interested in taking your call center to the cloud, or creating a better integration with your CRM system, contact us today for more information
