According to the research, customers whose issues are resolved on first contact are “nearly twice as likely to buy again from the brand and four times more likely to spread positive word of mouth about it.”

But this article in the Harvard Business Review reveals that people aren’t getting consistent experiences over different channels of support. Ideally they should have an “omni-channel” experience, meaning they should get the same results over any channel (e.g., phone, self-service, chat), and be able to seamlessly switch between channels on the same issue.

While companies should ultimately offer all channels so customers can use their preferred method of contact, the article recommends at first offering fewer channels and getting it right before offering support over all channels.

Maintaining a single source of knowledge, such as the RightAnswers Enterprise Knowledge Hub, ensures a consistent experience over all support channels.

Author: Simon Yelsky