Multichannel vs Omnichannel Customer Service

Multichannel vs Omnichannel Customer Service: Which One is Right for Your Business?

Most businesses today offer multichannel customer service, which means they allow customers to interact with them through multiple channels, such as phone, email, chat, and social media. However, multichannel customer service does not provide a seamless experience. Customers may have to repeat themselves or provide the same information to different customer service representatives depending on the channel they use.

Below we will discuss the difference of multichannel vs omnichannel customer service in more detail, compare each concept, and help you understand how to choose the most suitable customer service approach for your business. We will also discuss how businesses can implement omnichannel customer service.

Table of contest:

What is Omnichannel Customer Service?
What is Multichannel Customer Service?
Difference between omnichannel and multichannel
Which Customer Service Approach is Best for Your Business?
When and why does your business need an omnichannel customer service strategy?
How to transition from multichannel to omnichannel customer service?
Conclusion

What is Omnichannel Customer Service?

Omnichannel customer service is a customer service strategy that provides customers with a seamless experience across multiple channels. This means that customers can interact with a business using the channel they prefer, such as phone, email, chat, social media, or in person, and still receive a consistent and personalized experience.

For example, a customer might start a chat conversation with a customer service representative about a product they are interested in. The customer service representative would be able to see the customer’s previous interactions with the company, such as their browsing history and any previous customer support tickets they have submitted. This would allow the customer service representative to provide a more personalized and helpful experience.

Here are some of the key features of omnichannel customer service:

Seamless experience: Customers can start a conversation on one channel and continue it on another without having to repeat themselves or provide the same information.

Consistency: Customers receive a consistent experience regardless of the channel they use.

Personalization: Customers receive a personalized experience that is tailored to their individual needs and preferences.

Integration: All of the channels are integrated so that customer service representatives can see all of the customer’s interactions across all channels.

What is Multichannel Customer Service?

Multichannel customer service is a customer service strategy that allows customers to interact with a business using multiple channels, however, it does not provide a seamless experience. This means that customers may have to repeat themselves or provide the same information to different customer service representatives depending on the channel they use.

Here are some examples of how multichannel customer service can be used:

A customer calls a company to inquire about a product. The customer service representative takes some notes, but they cannot see the customer’s browsing history or any previous customer support tickets they have submitted.

The customer then decides to email the company with more questions. The email customer service representative does not have access to the notes from the phone conversation, so the customer has to repeat themselves.

The customer then decides to chat with a customer service representative online. The chat customer service representative still does not have access to the notes from the phone conversation or the email, so the customer has to repeat themselves again.

Multichannel vs Omnichannel Difference

Omnichannel vs multichannel customer service are two different strategies that businesses can use to provide customer service.

Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between the two:

Key Areas	Omnichannel Customer Service	Multichannel Customer Service
Data Sharing	Customer data is shared across all channels so that customers can be served consistently.	Customer data is siloed, so customers may have to repeat themselves or provide the same information depending on the channel they use.
Customer Experience	Customers receive a seamless experience across all channels.	The customer experience may vary depending on the channel they use.
Ease of Use	Customers can easily move from one channel to another without having to repeat themselves or provide the same information.	Customers may have to repeat themselves or provide the same information depending on the channel they use.
Personalization	Customers receive a personalized experience that is tailored to their individual needs and preferences.	The customer experience may not be as personalized.
Goals	The goal of omnichannel customer service is to provide a seamless and integrated experience for customers.	The goal of multichannel customer service is to allow customers to interact with a business using multiple channels.
Cost Efficiency	Omnichannel customer service can be more cost-effective in the long run by reducing the number of abandoned calls and emails.	Multichannel customer service can be more expensive to implement and maintain.
Customer Preference	Customers prefer omnichannel customer service because it provides them with a more convenient and seamless experience.	Customers may prefer multichannel customer service if they only use one or two channels to interact with a business.

As you can see, there are many key differences between omnichannel and multichannel customer service. Omnichannel customer service provides a more seamless and personalized experience for customers, while multichannel customer service simply allows customers to interact with a business using multiple channels.

Ultimately, the best customer service strategy for a business will depend on its specific needs and goals. However, omnichannel customer service is generally considered to be the better option for businesses that want to provide their customers with the best possible experience.

Which Customer Service Approach is Best for Your Business?

The best customer service approach for your business will depend on a number of factors, including:

The size of your business: If you have a small business, you may not have the resources to implement an omnichannel customer service strategy. However, if you have a large business, you may be able to afford the investment in technology and training that is required.

The industry you are in: Some industries, such as retail and hospitality, are more customer-facing than others. If you are in a customer-facing industry, you may need to provide omnichannel customer service to meet the needs of your customers.

The needs of your customers: What channels do your customers prefer to use to interact with you? If your customers prefer to interact with you online, then omnichannel customer service is a better option.

Your budget: Omnichannel customer service can be more expensive to implement and maintain than multichannel customer service. If you are on a tight budget, you may want to consider multichannel customer service.

If you are considering implementing an omnichannel customer service strategy, it is important to do your research and make sure that you have the resources and commitment necessary to make it a success. If you don’t have enough resources to implement omnichannel customer service, outsourcing is a good option. It can save you money and time, and it can free up your team to focus on other aspects of your business.

When and why does your business need an omnichannel customer service strategy?

Your business may need an omnichannel customer service strategy if you want to meet customer expectations, improve customer satisfaction, reduce costs, and build customer loyalty.

When:

When your customers use multiple channels to interact with you and you don’t offer omnichannel customer service, which can lead to frustration and lost customers.

When you can’t provide a seamless and consistent experience across all channels, which can make customers feel like they’re not being heard or understood.

When you can’t resolve customer issues quickly and efficiently, which can lead to customer churn.

When you can’t collect and use customer data to improve your customer service, which can prevent you from identifying and addressing customer pain points.

Why:

To meet customer expectations and exceed them, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy.

To improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, which can lead to increased sales and profits.

To reduce costs and improve efficiency, which can free up resources to invest in other areas of your business.

How to transition from multichannel to omnichannel customer service?

Transitioning from multichannel to omnichannel customer service can be a challenge, but it’s worth it in the long run. Here are some tips to help you make the switch smoothly and improve the customer experience for your business:

Assess your current customer service capabilities. This includes identifying the channels you currently offer, how well you integrate your channels, and what your customers’ pain points are. For example, do you have a lot of customers who start a conversation on one channel and then have to repeat themselves on another channel? This is a common pain point, and it can be addressed by integrating your channels so that customers can seamlessly switch between them.

Set clear goals. What do you want to achieve with omnichannel customer service? Do you want to improve customer satisfaction, reduce costs, or both? Having clear goals will help you track your progress and make sure you’re on the right track.

Identify the right technology. There are a number of different technologies available that can help you implement omnichannel customer service. The right technology for you will depend on your specific needs and budget.

Train your staff. Your staff needs to be trained on how to use the new technology and how to provide omnichannel customer service. This includes understanding how to interact with customers across different channels and how to keep track of customer interactions across channels.

Measure your results. It’s important to measure the results of your omnichannel customer service strategy so you can see what’s working and what’s not. This will help you make necessary adjustments to your strategy over time.

Conclusion

Omnichannel customer service is a customer service strategy that provides customers with a seamless experience across multiple channels. This is in contrast to multichannel customer service, which simply allows customers to interact with a business using multiple channels.

When choosing an outsourcing provider, it is important to select one that has a proven track record of success in providing omnichannel customer service. Pexly is a global customer service company that provides omnichannel customer support to businesses of all sizes. We have a team of experienced customer service representatives who are available 24/7 to help your customers.

Pexly can help you implement and manage your omnichannel customer service strategy, so you can focus on what you do best: running your business.