The telecommunications industry provides the framework for business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) interactions. Rapid technological development continues to enable the introduction of new communication channels and applications.
Today, forward-thinking businesses enable customers to interact on their channel of choice. In this omnichannel approach, customers will enjoy a satisfying experience regardless of their chosen medium.
Mitto: Why Business-Customer Communication is Key
Effective business-to-customer communication drives a good brand experience. Ilja Gorelik is the Chief Operating Officer of Switzerland-based Mitto. He stresses the importance of B2C communication and emphasizes why businesses should prioritize these interactions.
“A business can only attract and retain a customer if that customer has positive experiences with the brand. Brand loyalty, conversions, evangelism, repeat purchases…none of these actions that enable a brand to grow are possible with unhappy customers.”
“For brands today, ensuring they’re ‘getting it right’ with their digital customer communications is vital. It’s more or less the only way the two interact these days,” he emphasized.
“Today’s consumers also demand a lot from brands beyond product and service communications. They want transparency, they want brands to vocalize what they stand for, and they want to see real action taken around social justice issues…Any missteps in those communications can quickly erode brand loyalty,” Ilja Gorelik remarked.
Rise of the Omnichannel Revolution
The aptly named “Omnichannel Revolution” is another name for an emerging communications paradigm. Companies that adopt this innovative framework offer the same quality customer experience on every communication channel.
Mitto Stands Out as an Omnichannel Evangelist
Over the past decade, Mitto has become known for its omnichannel expertise. Sophisticated messaging enablement capabilities join the firm’s industry-leading customer engagement technology. As a result, global enterprise brands and mobile network operators (or MNOs) are increasingly adopting Mitto’s value-added approach.
Ilja Gorelik puts Mitto’s mission and evolution into perspective. “At Mitto, we’re on a mission to deliver reliable, high-quality communications between businesses and their customers every time.”
Mitto’s SMS to Omnichannel Progression
“Our company was founded in 2013 with the specific aim of building a state-of-the-art Application-to-Person (A2P) SMS messaging platform, unrivaled in reliability, that could support the requirements of a new wave of A2P services. However, as the demand grew for the enablement of omnichannel communications capabilities, we expanded our portfolio beyond SMS.”
“[We] now include voice, chatbots, all major chat apps (WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger, etc.), Google Business Messaging, RCS, myriad CRM and marketing platform integrations and, most recently, pre-built tools for bulk campaigns and conversational support chats…Simply put, we make communication happen,” Ilja Gorelik concluded.
Spotlight on 5 Versatile Communications Channels
In the 21st century, customers frequently engage with businesses via voice, SMS/texting, chatbots, chat apps, and social media. Many customers opt for text messaging. This lightning-fast medium is convenient for the customer, and they often receive an equally quick response.
Voice Communications
Voice-based dialogue enables a customer to converse with a customer support associate in real-time. However, high call volumes often force frustrated customers to wait in lengthy virtual queues. In turn, this increases the business’ overhead expenses.
SMS/Texting
Short message service (SMS)/text messaging is the most popular customer communications channel. Easy, convenient, and super-fast texting is ideal for routine tasks such as delivery notifications and appointment reminders. Moreover, this communication channel has no downsides.
Chat Bots
Efficient little chatbots are AI-enabled software entities that mirror human conversation. A chatbot can answer routine questions and address many customer service issues. Human associates can step in for more complex problems. Available anytime, chatbots help to reduce staffing expenses.
Chat Apps
Many businesses integrate popular chat apps into their customer channels. These two-way media include Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Viber. In addition, customers often use chat apps for personal communications, making it easy to adopt them for business use.
Social Media
Major social media platforms are extremely popular with personal users and offer business accounts. Businesses participate in each exchange on this high-speed communication channel but cannot control it. Therefore, posters’ public complaints can damage the company’s reputation.
How Channel Preferences Vary by Country or Region
Customers in different countries or regions have their own brand interaction preferences. Mitto COO Ilja Gorelik puts it in perspective.
“Global brands have global customers, each of which interacts with brands slightly differently. Some prefer to interact with brands on SMS, and some on chat apps like WhatsApp and Viber. Some don’t have a preference. They want the ability to engage with a brand on whatever channel is most effective at that moment in time.”
“We’ve done a lot of consumer research over the past tumultuous year, seeking to better understand how people want brands to interact with them and vice versa.”
American Consumers’ Channel Preferences
“Channel preferences range by country — American consumers use chat apps to engage with brands much less than in other countries. Over 80 percent of consumers in China, Brazil, India, and Nigeria use chat apps for brand engagement, significantly higher than in the U.S. (51 percent).”
“There is no single channel to reach every customer, there is no perfect message, and customers’ expectations for brands are sky high.”
“Mitto’s services help brands navigate this complexity. Through its global partnerships with mobile network operators and advanced routing capabilities, Mitto gives brands the flexibility to meet customers wherever they are with the speed and agility they require today,” Ilja Gorelik remarked.
What’s Next for Communication Channels
Mitto’s Ilja Gorelik said the omnichannel revolution offers marketers increased opportunities to reach their customers. However, he emphasized the importance of taking the extra step to engage customers. Stated another way, brands should not force customers to use the brand’s favored channels.
“Brands need to speak to customers wherever they are ─ be it SMS, chat apps, or other ─ with a single consistent voice. Otherwise, they risk losing them and their revenue. So drawing multiple digital channels seamlessly together will become a foundational element to unify customers’ touch points across all channels,” Ilja Gorelik emphasized.
TelcoSwitch: Omnichannel Strategy Must Include New Channels Along with Integration Tools
Russell Lux, TelcoSwitch’s Chief Executive Officer, said substantial eCommerce growth had spurred customers to branch out into new communication channels. Because shoppers expect companies to respond without delay, he said businesses must bolster their omnichannel frameworks to enable these responses.
In addition, customers in an omnichannel setting often use multiple channels during one extended transaction. “Not all conversations can be effectively concluded on the channel they started on. Managing and tracking that transition can be complicated for those businesses struggling to keep up with the multitude of platforms available.
“Without the right tools in place to manage these channels and properly integrate them with CRM and other underlying systems, the customer experience won’t be nearly as sharp as it needs to be. To meet these challenges, omnichannel technologies must take another leap forward in sophistication and efficiency.”
The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Effect on Omnichannel Communications
“Omnichannel has been talked about for a long time, but the pandemic has moved the goalposts considerably, accelerating trends that before 2020 were developing at a much steadier pace. Now, customers expect more, they expect it faster, and they expect businesses to communicate on their terms,” Lux remarked.
Finally, Russell Lux emphasized that businesses must acquire the tools to bring new channels into a well-planned omnichannel framework. “Just as crucial as introducing new channels is having the tools to properly integrate them into an overarching omnichannel strategy,” he summarized.
Omnichannel Communications: Looking Ahead
New channels and applications may emerge as more companies adopt an omnichannel communications strategy. Over time, these advances will set the stage for further enhanced customer experiences.
