Research by software company Smart Communications has outlined the importance of delivering personalised, omnichannel conversations amid increasing consumer expectations to build trust.
According to Smart Communications, customers are increasingly comfortable engaging with enterprises across a variety of digital channels, with cOVI accelerated by Covid-19. In 2020, Smart Communications said it uncovered that nearly half of consumers in the US changed their preference from direct mail to digital communications.
With a digital first approach however, the element of personalised, human connection that comes with doing business face-to-face can be lost. Smart Communications outlined that in order to be successful today, enterprises must consider how these interactions can be tailored to build and nurture trust.
Surveying both consumers and business leaders, Smart Communications’ annual benchmark report revealed 81% of global consumers said communications are important to their overall experience with a company. To ensure customer and business satisfaction, enterprises should invest in and prioritise technology solutions that are able to evolve and scale over time, delivering interactive, two-way conversation that encourage engagement and brand loyalty.
Channel preferences are also key. Smart Communications reported that 61% indicated information being provided through the wrong channel leads to frustration. Other factors include irrelevant messages and frequency of contact being too high.
Therefore, the software company explained, businesses should focus on omnichannel interactions that guide customers through critical processes and provide more engaging experiences via their preferred digital channels.
In addition, Smart Communications highlighted the importance of building trust with customers. In addition to channel preference and personalisation within communications, businesses should explore broader initiatives that encourage trust. Smart Communication’s report suggests factors such as the ease of contacting a company, strength of data security, and transparency influence the degree of trust a customer has for a company.
While consumers overwhelmingly prefer digital-first interactions, Smart Communications said business’ cloud adoption lags. This is important because, according to Smart Communications, the only way to achieve the agility, speed and scale that a digital-first approach requires is to invest in pure cloud solutions.
The company said that despite the investment of both budget and resources, the benefits of migrating to a cloud solution will outweigh the costs. The companies that take a strategic approach and future-proof how they interact with customers will ultimately be the ones to succeed.
The Smart Communications Conversation Cloud platform is a pure cloud platform that delivers personalised, omnichannel conversations across the entire customer experience. Its key capabilities – collect, communication, collaborate and coordinate – are built on integration and intelligence layers, allowing enterprises to engage in smarter customer conversations.
Find the full report here.
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