Omni-channel operations

Consumers now demand personalised, relevant and easy to understand communications, which they can access via the channel of their choice. Amanda Beesley offers some advice on operating via omni-channel platforms.

Typically, customers have expected utilities to deliver affordable and uninterrupted electricity, gas or water supplies. Although still primarily motivated by price, consumers are increasingly expecting a more rounded, comprehensive experience from suppliers. As a result, many utilities are making the transition from “customer service” thinking to “customer experience” thinking.

But the emergence of an increasing number of “disrupter” organisations is shifting market dynamics. Faced with growing competition, and fuelled by a record number of customers switching energy supplier, utilities are searching for ways to both attract new customers and retain existing ones – all against a backdrop of increasing regulation.

Utilities, particularly in the energy sector, have been wrestling with this challenge for some years. Central to this has been the implementation of systems that enable them to effectively and efficiently engage with their customers across a range of platforms with omni-channel communications strategies.

Such a transition to multi-channel communications presents an assortment of challenges for organisations, especially those in regulated industries. As the communication platforms available to consumers assume added importance, so too must the ways in which the industry engages with customers.

Embrace new technologies

Achieving customer experience excellence via mobile, digital, social media and print technologies therefore requires utilities to embrace new technologies and adopt modern customer communications management (CCM) solutions to keep pace with customer expectations. As such, as utilities focus on delivering simple and transparent communication channels, the delivery infrastructure to support these is becoming increasingly complex, subject to constant change as new technologies become available and therefore risk becoming fragmented and costly – the opposite of what utilities are striving for.

While the merits of modern CCM ecosystems are apparent, one of the biggest hurdles is deploying these systems in a cohesive way.

Companies that have complex IT infrastructures and rely on legacy IT systems, for instance, may encounter issues with the ­digital transformation necessary to utilise cloud-based services such as artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics, which play a vital role in providing individualised communications. Some may also struggle to provide the necessary IT time and resources needed to implement and operate a new communications strategy at pace.

Encompass the entire customer journey

An essential element of a modern communications solution is that it encompasses the entire customer journey. This is important for both the customer and the utility and requires all communications to and from customers to be visible via a single portal. This may be problematic in companies where operational silos hinder the sharing of information, but can be overcome with the deployment of a centralised CCM ecosystem.

Meeting the demands of customers to send communications via print, email, SMS, app notification or other preferred channels has led to a real need to have a centralised system to map the customer journey – considering the platforms that customers use and interacting with them in the most appropriate way, while at the same time delivering a seamless brand experience.

By centralising communication management and deploying enabling technology, businesses can deliver a truly omni-channel customer experience. Such systems enable utilities to design, manage and deliver high-volume, personalised communications on demand from a single, centralised platform.

The benefits of switching from a model that integrates multiple CCM platforms to one that utilises a single, unified, end-to-end solution are enormous. Not only can the latest generation of CCM platforms facilitate easier integration with legacy systems, they can also streamline processes and eliminate operational silos, while at the same time reducing the risk of non-compliance.

The result is increased operational efficiencies and reduced costs, as well as greater consistency in brand image and messaging.