With omnichannel customer service, customers and businesses both win. Here’s why.

If you were asked about your customer service, which of the following could you say is true? 

(Be honest…)

Does your team provide fast service? Convenient service? Consistent service? 

Hopefully, you didn’t have to answer “no,” “maybe,” or “depends.” But realistically, you probably did. 

Customers today expect service fast, and on their preferred communication channel — but you knew that. But did you also know that 76% of customers expect a consistent experience across departments? 

So, if you (honestly) answered no to any of the above, it’s time to start exploring an omnichannel customer service strategy. 

What is omnichannel customer service?

Omnichannel customer service is a support strategy that connects all communication channels into a single, integrated user experience. This strategy provides customers with the flexibility to connect with brands in a way that works best for them. Whether they are putting in a service request via email, phone, live chat, or social media, they receive a consistent, seamless interaction with your brand. 

Omnichannel service strategies have become more common in the customer support industry because as more digital channels have become available, more customers have demanded convenience. But another strategy, multichannel customer service, has entered the space too.

So what’s the difference between the two?

The difference between multichannel and omnichannel customer service lies in integration. With multichannel support, customers can reach out on multiple platforms, but each channel operates independently. In contrast, omnichannel support combines channels so interactions on one platform flow smoothly into the next. This enables companies to provide a seamless customer experience, regardless of where the customer initiates or continues their conversation.

Five benefits of omnichannel customer service

So, why make the shift to omnichannel? Let’s look at the key benefits that make omnichannel customer service a must for customer support teams today. 

Faster ticket resolution, happier customers 

Omnichannel customer service software allows teams to view all customer interactions in one platform. With this unified view, customer service agents are able to work together better to prioritize, manage, and respond to requests more efficiently, improving ticket resolution times and minimizing customer wait times.

Enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty

With traditional customer support, customers are limited to one or two options for reaching a support team — email or phone. When customers can get help from their preferred channel of communication, though, they’re more likely to be satisfied with their customer service experience. Omnichannel support gives them that opportunity and reduces the friction they often encounter with traditional support. When you provide convenient, seamless interactions, you’re signaling to them that you value their time and care about their experience, likely increasing customer loyalty.

One workplace, endless efficiency

For many teams, omnichannel support simplifies their workflows. Instead of juggling multiple systems, support agents can work from a single, centralized interface. Many modern omnichannel solutions also provide teams with real-time collaboration features that allow them to do things like create shared drafts, leave internal comments, or escalate requests effortlessly, boosting operational efficiency by improving teamwork and cutting down on duplicate work.

Make better, data-informed decisions

Most omnichannel platforms capture data — think agent performance metrics, channel performance data, trend and issue tracking — from every channel and every interaction. With these real-time insights, your team can identify and monitor trends, adjust channel-specific strategies, and optimize overall support strategy. 

Boost productivity

Unlike traditional shared inboxes and multichannel service solutions, omnichannel customer service tools provide agents with a single workspace, so they don’t have to bounce between apps but instead can organize and respond to messages faster.

That’s not all — many omnichannel solutions also provide teams with AI and automation capabilities. For example, agents can create and customize AI-powered workflows that will execute automatically so they can spend less time on repetitive, operational tasks, and more time focusing on providing personalized support to complex issues (think technical troubleshooting, account-specific concerns, escalated complaints, etc.). 

How to implement an omnichannel customer service strategy

Implementing an omnichannel approach takes planning, but the results can transform your customer support. Here are a few steps to get started:

1. Define objectives and KPIs

Before you begin, clarify your goals. Are you aiming to reduce ticket resolution time? Boost customer satisfaction? Define KPIs to track your progress, such as average response time, CSAT scores, and retention rates. Once you have your “north star” goals in place, you can start to strategize.

2. Identify essential channels

Omnichannel doesn’t mean every channel. Not every channel will be critical for your business, so don’t offer them all. Evaluate which channels your customers use most and prioritize those first. For example, a tech-savvy younger audience might prefer live chat or social media messaging for quick and informal communication, while an older demographic might favor email or phone calls for their clarity and reliability. Choosing to prioritize live chat and email in this case would meet the immediate needs of both groups without overwhelming your team by offering less-used channels like SMS or video calls.

This doesn’t mean you should write off those other channels though. It’s important to keep an eye on up-and-coming channels and how your customer’s preferences are shifting. 

3. Integrate with existing systems

To create a seamless experience, integrate your omnichannel support platform with the essential tools your team is using daily. To create a seamless experience, integrate your omnichannel support platform with the essential tools your team is using daily. For example, connect Front with Salesforce for customer insights, Slack for internal collaboration, or Shopify to streamline order-related support. By adding more channels, you’ll likely see an influx in support messages, so bring all of the insight your team needs into one platform so they have the need-to-know information at a glance.

By adding more channels, you’ll likely see an influx in support messages, so bring all of the insight your team needs into one platform so they have the need-to-know information at a glance.

4. Unify customer data

Speaking of bringing everything into one view, having customer data in one place is key to omnichannel success. When customer information is stored in one place, agents have a complete history of interactions, enabling them to provide more personalized and accurate support. So be sure to sync all customer data with your omnichannel support system to provide the most personalized experience possible.

5. Train and empower your support teams

Empower your team to deliver great service by training them on the omnichannel tools you’ve implemented. Familiarize them with collaboration features, automation tools, and the importance of delivering a consistent brand voice across all channels. And leverage analytics to guide continued training as you identify areas of improvement as your strategy evolves. 

Best practices for omnichannel customer service success

First, use the steps above as a guide to build the foundation of your omnichannel strategy. Next, implement these best practices to optimize and maintain it:

Prioritize channel alignment and consistency

Adding new channels to your support strategy doesn’t come without its challenges — it opens you up to the risk of creating data silos and inconsistencies across different channels. However, these challenges are less worrisome with the right omnichannel solution in place. With the right tool, you can seamlessly integrate all channels, making it easy to keep your channel strategies aligned, brand voice consistent, and ensure all your goals are being met. 

Leverage analytics for continuous optimization

In order to provide the best service possible for your customers, your strategy should evolve. By monitoring key metrics, like response time and resolution rate, teams are able to clean up their processes and make adjustments to ensure they are their most efficient while customers are getting support in a timely manner. Some omnichannel solutions also enable teams to track customer satisfaction scores (CSAT) and customer feedback, so agents can better understand customer needs and preferences and provide personalized service to every customer. 

Personalize interactions with customer data

Personalization makes all the difference, so take advantage of customer data to tailor responses. Your customers want speed, convenience, and consistency, but they also want to be treated like humans. Knowing a customer’s history allows you to engage in a meaningful, personalized way, showing them that you care enough to go the extra mile. 

Automate routine interactions

Evolving your customer service strategy to include more support options may seem like it would take more time, but it doesn’t have to. Use automation to handle basic inquiries and repetitive operational tasks, like categorizing or routing messages, so you can free up agents to address more complex issues. 

Regularly review and update channels

We said it before, but we’ll say it again: Omnichannel doesn’t mean every channel. Prioritize the channels that make the most sense for your business now. But, technology and customer expectations are constantly evolving. So regularly assess your channels to ensure they still meet customer needs and align with your support goals.

From old-school to omnichannel with Front

Your customers want convenience, consistency, and above all, quality service. With the right tool and strategy, your team can provide it all.

Ready to make the switch from old-school support to omnichannel? Take the first step with Front today. 

Front isn’t just a customer service tool — it’s a true omnichannel service solution trusted by 9,000 businesses of different sizes and industries. Unlike traditional support tools, Front provides purpose-built features — including an omnichannel inbox, AI-powered automation, and advanced analytics — that help customer service teams go above and beyond to meet their customers exactly where they want to be met.