What is Omnichannel Communication?

Omnichannel communication refers to providing a seamless, consistent customer experience across these evolving channels, whether it’s online, through a mobile app, over the phone, or in-person at a branch or some currently unknowable technology. This ensures that customers receive a unified experience, with each channel being fully integrated and providing a consistent level of service.

What does good Omnichannel Communication look like?

A bank’s fundamental brand promise should be consistently applied and reinforced across channels. An effective omnichannel experience for a banking customer might involve starting a loan application online, receiving personalized follow-up via email or text, and then finalizing the loan with an in-person appointment at their local branch, with each step being smoothly connected and information flowing seamlessly between channels.

How Can Banks Achieve An Excellent Omnichannel Experience?

To create these experiences, banks should follow several steps to ensure omnichannel effectiveness. As described above, everything in CX starts with a deep understanding of customer journeys. This will help identify all the potential touchpoints a customer might use throughout their banking experience. This includes digital channels like the bank’s website and mobile app, as well as embedded but branded finance channels and traditional channels like call centers and physical branches.

Next, banks should invest in technology that enables the integration of these channels. This could involve deploying a CDP system for a unified customer view, or a customer relationship management (CRM) system that centralizes customer data from all channels, allowing for a unified view of each customer’s interactions with the bank. 

Such systems ensure that whether a customer calls in, visits in person, or logs into their mobile banking app, the bank’s representatives have access to the same information and can provide consistent service. It is of critical importance once again to ensure that this information does not lean on an LOB or product perspective, but is holistic, comprehensive and customer centric.  

Finally, training staff to operate effectively within an omnichannel environment and providing the tools to do so is essential.  It is in this area that employee experience and customer experience meet, as no one knows better what enables great customer service than the people on the front lines providing it.  Employees should be knowledgeable about the bank’s digital tools and services and be prepared to provide consistent, high-quality service across all channels. They should understand the personas they will work with and on which the bank is focused. Finally, all bankers in every LOB or unit at the bank must be empowered to solve problems and offer meaningful remediation. This will no doubt require regular training sessions on new digital banking features, related security and compliance issues and cross-training staff members to understand better and support services offered through different channels. 

A Seamless and Satisfying Banking Experience

To summarize, an effective omnichannel communication strategy involves a deep understanding of the customer journey, listening to those on the front lines, investing in the right technology to integrate channels, and ensuring staff are well-trained to provide consistent service. By focusing on these areas, banks can deliver a seamless and satisfying banking experience to their customers, regardless of how they choose to interact with their bank.

Chat with our experts about how Barefoot can supercharge your bank’s communication strategy, and check out our CX in Banking whitepaper for more strategies for success.

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