Today's customers want to inquire, book, buy, and troubleshoot problems on messaging apps -- not via email or phone. Multichannel messaging technology turns that idea into a reality. In this post, we'll review everything you need to know about multichannel messaging technology so that you can take advantage of the benefits.
Messaging is transforming the way we do business
Customer satisfaction scores around the world are getting a major boost as brands embrace business messaging. It's clear that customers prefer to communicate with businesses on the channels that they use every day, like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram.
And, the appetite for business messaging is only growing stronger as companies like Facebook, Google, and Apple continue to build out their services. Now, it's easier than ever for brands to connect with messaging apps users, which is driving an important shift in business-to-consumer (B2C) communications.
For example, just last year, Facebook invested $1 billion to build out its social commerce tools, like catalogs and payments in WhatsApp and Facebook Shops. These tools position Facebook to help businesses improve the entire customer journey from acquisition to sale.
Advances like these are accelerating B2C communication on messaging apps. It's expected that by 2023, messaging will dominate over all other customer communication channels.
Businesses must adapt or run the risk of getting left behind. Adapting, though, often requires businesses to invest in technology of their own. Multichannel messaging technology, namely, is necessary if businesses want to use messaging apps at scale.
What is multichannel messaging technology?
Multichannel messaging technology helps businesses manage conversations across popular messaging apps. It consolidates communications into one place, which makes it easier to collaborate with teammates and respond to customers in a timely manner.
To get a bit more technical, multichannel messaging platforms are the interface between customers’ messaging apps and a business' CRM or tech stack. And, they aren't just a way to manage inbound communications; they enable businesses to build richer experiences inside of the messaging app environment.
Common features of multichannel messaging technology include:
- a shared inbox
- ticket management tools
- workflow automation
- integrations with CRM (customer relationship management) software
- automated responses
These features make it possible for businesses to connect and engage with many customers across all of their preferred channels. They also help leverage customer data in ways that personalize experiences and make conversations more relevant.
Benefits of multichannel messaging technology
Improves customer experiences and net promoter scores
A major benefit of multichannel messaging technology is that it improves customer experiences, which, in turn, improves net promoter scores (NPS). Businesses that use our platform, for example, usually see more than a 50% increase in NPS and an 80% increase in engagement.
Helps manage asynchronous communication
Customers enjoy the fact that messaging is asynchronous, meaning that they can go about their day without having to wait on hold. Instead, they're able to communicate with businesses just as they would with any friend or family member.
Asynchronous communication is difficult to manage without multichannel messaging technology because without it, it's hard to keep multiple conversations moving at once. To scale on messaging channels, businesses must use automation and workflows to be effective.
Automates the majority of inbound inquiries
If you're like most businesses, 20% of your FAQs generate 80% of your traffic. Those are the inquiries that are ripe for automation.
The right multichannel messaging technology will help you automate your frequently asked questions. That means that customers get fast answers to simple questions, and service representatives have more time to help other people.
Adds value while reducing costs
Multichannel message technology helps reduce operating costs, but it also adds value. The return on investment for these platforms is extraordinary as it sets businesses up for long-term success.
For example, Businesses with seasonal upticks in inquiries can usually avoid hiring seasonal customer service workers and find it easier to maintain a consistent level of service. Automating frequently asked questions also reduces administrative overhead.
Improves collaboration and workflows
Multichannel messaging technology will help optimize your workflows and resources. For example, a good platform will help manage the handoff between chatbots (automation) and humans. This makes for more efficient teams.
With Hubtype, our clients can seamlessly route questions to humans if needed. After a human resolves an issue, they can even pass the conversation back to a chatbot. This creates a well-oiled customer service machine, ready to take on anything.
Enables rich messaging capabilities
Your multichannel messaging solution will help communicate with your customers with more than just text. It will help you use images, buttons, carousels, calendars, maps, videos, forms, and much more to provide richer experiences. You'll also be able to set up message templates for each channel to be delivered to each user at the best possible time.
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