Welcome to the World of Multimodal Customer Service

Welcome to the World of Multimodal Customer Service

Welcome to the World of Multimodal Customer Service Table of Contents Welcome to the World of Multimodal Customer Service 3 Multimodal Contact Center Implications 3 Context is Key 3 Eliminating Limitations, Empowering Consumers 4 About KANA, A Verint Company 5 2

Welcome to the World of Multimodal Customer Service Just as organizations have finally gotten on board with the move to omnichannel customer service offering a seamless consumer experience through available shopping channels the game has changed once again. Customer service is now moving to another level with the advent of multimodal service. Previously, a customer would engage with a company or business in a linear manner, engaging by one single channel before moving to another separate channel, if needed, to resolve the issue or gather information. Today s multimodal customers have a very different engagement pattern. Now, thanks to technology advances, more customers are using multiple customer service channels simultaneously (i.e., live chatting while Web browsing). As more customers embrace technology and continue to adapt to the ever-increasing functionality of their devices, multimodal customer service will soon be the new norm. As such, it is critical for organizations to understand the implications, challenges and opportunities in servicing today s multimodal consumer. Multimodal Contact Center Implications Mobile devices have been a big enabler of this new multimodal era. Consumers have quickly embraced the new functionality of these devices simultaneously (text and voice, Internet access and voice, app and chat, etc.) and use them to tackle multiple tasks. Since they use their devices for multitasking on a daily basis, they now expect this same multitasking functionality in customer service. In the hands of the contact center agent, the ability to add channels when needed can greatly enhance the customer service processes providing relevant context to make the process faster, easier and more rewarding for the customer. For example, a customer dealing with a flight cancellation on the phone with a customer service agent can have a list of available flights emailed or presented in a browser or app for a quick overview of all available options. Context is Key When it comes to using multiple channels in customer service, the contact center must put all context together so that interactions are complete, consistent and contextual. This context includes the customer s previous purchases, current service plans, past calls or complaints, and all channels used. And, in the multimodal scenario, it s context that helps contact centers decide exactly which combination of channels best meets the needs of each customer and his or her concerns. Organizations must quickly determine in what situations is a specific channel most appropriate. 3

The rise of the multimodal customer service model also raises new and important questions around contact center performance metrics. Many organizations are questioning what metrics to track and how to track them when multiple channels are in use concurrently. We ve already seen major chance in performance management in the contact center and for customer service initiatives. Many organizations have moved away from focusing on interactionbased metrics, such as First Call Resolution, Average Handling Time and others, in favor of engagement-based metrics, such as Net Promoter Score, customer retention, brand affinity and sentiment ratings. The multimodal movement will further evolve customer service metrics and performance management. Companies will devise new measurements that recognize the use of blended channels in customer service, with a focus on whether or not the desired outcome was achieved, and how difficult it was to attain said outcome. Eliminating Limitations, Empowering Consumers Recently, organizations have tried to unify channels to fully understand a customer s experience to understand the context of interactions across various channels to deliver better service. Multimodal customer service raises the bar even higher for organizations to create experiences that are seamless removing interaction inefficiencies for agents and customers and meet the customer s expectations. Multimodal customer service can also give organizations the ability to customize interactions to meet the needs of different customer journeys. It can empower customers to tailor their own experiences by leveraging the channel mix that fits their needs and preferences. This can help customers get rich, interactive multimedia support when they need or want it. Delivering these types of consumer-designed experiences can give organizations a powerful competitive advantage. But, they must be able to bring together all the channels, process and context to help ensure agents and customers have complete, consistent and contextual data that can be made actionable. Correctly done, multimodal service will most likely result in more satisfied and loyal customers. The irony is that, for years, the pundits have debated and prognosticated which service channels will earn the greatest favor with consumers mobile, social, live chat, etc. It seems the real answer may be all of the above and all at once, when and where it s deemed most appropriate. 4

About KANA, A Verint Company KANA, A Verint Company, is a leading provider of cloud and on-premises customer service solutions. KANA helps global organizations including many of the Fortune 500, mid-market businesses and public sector agencies optimize their engagements with consistent and contextual customer journeys across agent, web, social and mobile experiences. Using KANA solutions, organizations can reduce operational costs, increase resolution rates and improve brand loyalty. Learn more at www.kana.com Copyright 2014 KANA, A Verint Company. KANA and the KANA logo are registered trademarks of KANA. Other company, product and service names may be service marks of their respective owners. 840 W California Avenue, Suite 100 Sunnyvale, CA 94086 T 650.614.8300 F 408.736.7613 www.kana.com Contact us at http://www.kana.com/contact-us/contacts.php Twitter @KANASoftware Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/kana-software-1129?mostpopular=&gid=1129 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/kana-software-inc/146154198748782 All Rights Reserved. 0110-01 5