Don’t force your customers offline, it’s time to focus on digital channels.

We’ve all been there: You’re on a webpage, need assistance and there it is, the customer support number. Salvation! You call the number and feel great knowing that help is on the way.

But wait, what just happened? Why are you on the phone when your request for assistance began from where you came, in a digital context on the webpage?

It’s a fact that 60% of customers* who contact customer support began their journey online, on the company webpage. Even more interesting, 30% of them are still on the webpage while they are speaking on the phone with customer support.

Contextual Help is Optimal

With all of the engagement technology available, such as proactive chat, it´s hard to understand why companies are still taking the long way around (for both parts) to get connected.

The customer is on the webpage in their context, a click away. The service agent could assist them directly on the webpage with chat messages or advanced co-browsing to help in more complex web processes, such as applications or check outs.

Here are some obvious reasons why you should avoid prioritize calls in a digital context such as your webpage:

• A digital process gets interrupted
  Customer is forced to leave the process in order to get help
• On-going web processes are not visible for the agent
• Authentication as well as identifying context/customer intent quite often has to be repeated

Digital Engagement is Smarter and more Efficient

A chat is a fraction of the cost of a phone call. A trained service agent can handle up to 4 chats at a time, it’s a bit challenging to do this with calls :).

Also, assisting in a critical buying process directly, without the customer having to call, will really increase your conversion rate.

Triggers and rules are also configured in the engagement platform, that route the customer directly to the properly skilled agent, avoiding irritating phone systems and wait time. You can target specific, high-value customers and offer them assistance at just the right time while automate other interactions.

Time for Re-evaluating Old Truths

A common argument for prioritizing calls is the belief that, “Our customers prefer the phone over chat” or, “They’re used to phones”. Of course, there are cases in which a phone is the best channel for achieving some goals. But, with the latest engagement solution features, such as “click-to-call”, “Video chat” and “co-browsing”, it’s harder to motivate because digital engagement will result in a better customer experience and better results.

Connecting the right customer to the proper service agent, at the right moment, by using the most efficient channel is at the core of a modern engagement platform.

Do you want to know more?

*Source :CEB ”The effortless experience”