Multichannel vs. Multichannel.
Companies, in general, hire different communication channel providers to make multichannel communications and usually each provider delivers its results separately without taking into account the rest.
This is Muchicanality, launching repeated messages to the same customer across many channels with a less than positive and even annoying experience for the customer. The starting point is usually the division of the target audience into different segments, with the company selecting the channel through which to communicate, in an attempt to obtain the best response from the customer.
The results are obtained dispersed by each contact channel and, in the absence of properly integrated statistics, the review of the campaign strategy is extremely complicated and the processes cannot be automated.
Multichannel requires a communication strategy based on the integration of the different channels, selecting the appropriate contact channel according to the customer’s preferences, thus turning communication into a positive experience.
The starting point is the customer’s unique vision and the campaign is planned with events or interactions between the customer and the company, distinguishing between Batch events, sending messages in a grouped way, and Real Time events, launching individual messages adapted to the response of each customer that need to be managed through an automated process.
The availability of results and statistics integrated in real time provides a unique vision of the client that allows rethinking the campaign and modifying the strategy when necessary.
Execution of an integrated multichannel communication campaign.
The following elements must be available for the execution of an integrated multichannel communication campaign:
- A customer database.
- A plan of contacts or events.
- Messages adapted at all times to the channel and the contact device.
- An interactive multichannel communication technology platform.
- With a scorecard to monitor the evolution and results of the campaign.
All these elements are part of the execution process within a scheme such as the following.
The Company’s Marketing Department has a customer database and a multi-channel communication strategy with messages designed according to the contact plan in Batch or Real Time.
- The execution is carried out with a multichannel communication platform that processes data, handles alerts and generates reports.
- A dashboard defines, manages and monitors the Campaigns.
- The platform has the capacity to generate communications through all channels.
The choice of customer contact channels depends on the contact plan.
Channels interact with customers through the Company’s points of contact such as social media pages, virtual offices on the website, call centers or customer service points.
The information on customer responses and reactions is used to facilitate feedback and configuration of new campaigns and actions.
The basis of all this lies in the scheduling of events and the automation of processes supported by an integrated multichannel communication technology platform that allows communications by constantly crossing the lines of each channel.
Multichannel on/off integrated across the lines.
The graphic representation below of a case of the organization of an event through integrated multichannel communications with attendees shows to what extent integrated multichannel is neither Online nor Offline but rather Noline crossing the lines of all channels in a continuous manner.
For the execution, 6 channels were used (Web, Printing, Twitter, Email, SMS and Mobile) that intervened in a staggered and simultaneous manner during the 25-day period of the campaign.
With an integrated multichannel communication platform, in addition to managing all processes in an automated manner, consolidated statistical information is obtained on the results of all channels with details of each event and for each customer, allowing CSV files to be exported to the company’s CRM.
Conclusions: Technological platform.
Multichannel communication campaigns to customers that allow a unique 360º vision of their actions and responses in real time can only be managed from a technological solution in the form of a platform that integrates an analysis and reporting capacity with campaign management, as well as multichannel graphic communication composition tools, all integrated with the different internal and external channel providers (printing, email, SMS, mobile, customer service points, contact center, RRSS,…) to obtain online information on their actions and results in a consolidated manner.
Javier Echebarria