multichannel interaction strategies and the customer experience

Multichannel Interaction Strategies and the Customer

Experience

CEM World CongressBerlin 2012

© Vladimir Dimitroff / PRISM Consulting 2012

Agenda

Reasons and purposes of interactions› the different perspectives of company and customers› where these perspectives meet (and where they don't)

The channel toolkit: comprehensive and open-ended› what is a channel?› Types of channels, channel portfolio› what is a touchpoint?

The full experience› some overlooked interactions and channels

Practical guidelines: a multichannel interaction model› starting simple› adding dimensions› managing it all


Customer interactions

Parties - the ‘us’ and ‘them’ Talking and ‘doing’ Direct and indirect

› the many different faces of a company› do you interact with a phone?

Two-party and multi-party interactions› one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-many

Stakeholders› other internal and external ‘customers’

What about Customer Experience?


Why we interact with customers?

The ‘Get’, ‘Keep’ and ‘Grow’ of any business Objectives and processes:

› acquisition› retention› development

The functional view› Marketing, Sales, Customer service› but also Billing, Collections…› PR, CSR and other ‘lesser’ functions

Who started first?› company-initiated vs customer-initiated› ‘initiation’ as a reaction


Why customers interact with us?

Needs, wants and ‘jobs to be done’› fundamental needs and value creation› perceived needs, ‘wants’ and preferences› Discrete specific needs (‘jobs’)

The importance of a classification› recording, analysis and learning› structured management of customer processes› lean organisation and system design

Sample classification (KISS rules)› first ‘why’ (reason), then ‘about’ (subject)› matrix and tree structures› single logical model for databases and process design


The conflict - and CX challenge

Their reasons to interact are different form ours!(Surprise?)

Mapping and meeting


Channels

Distribution vs communication› physical and virtual distribution› mass and direct communication› primary and auxiliary communication

Channels vs media Transaction channels How about social media? The full portfolio

› multipurpose channels overlap› describe yours


Touchpoints

Points in time, points in space Journey points and ‘moments’

› most are interactions, some are indirect› they define the customer experience

Interface points› part of a channel› physical, even for virtual channels

‘Multichannel’ as in -› touchpoints represent channels

What happens there› events› Interactions› transactions (?)


A sample channel portfolio

Distribution› own retail outlets› dealers› other channel partners

Mass communication› broadcast: radio, TV,

social› print› outdoor

Direct: human assisted› F2F - retail› F2F - field sales› remote - paper mail› remote - phone› remote - personal email› remote - personal SMS› remote - IM, web chat› remote - social platforms

Direct - automated › IVR› SMS› USSD› email› web main site› web self-service portal› web - community portal› web - 3rd pty social sites› kiosks› web apps, widgets› mobile apps› barcodes, QR, other› NFC tags

Financial (payments)› DD, standing orders› debit /credit cards… etc


The model

Can be complex and multidimensional› where to start?

First iteration: a table (2D matrix)› your channel portfolio as main dimension› choose your other dimension (easier from the company

viewpoint) What’s in those intersections?

› ‘tick boxes’ (binary)› weights and scores› business rules, descriptive guidelines› new dimensions

Keep adding dimensions (and don’t forget the Customers!)› customer differentiation (segments as dimension)› their perspective (the ‘jobs to be done’ view)


Model-building example

Starting point: your channel portfolio

call centre CC - IVR SMS email retail app



channel marketing sales service

call centre

CC - IVR

SMS

email

retail

app

Add a dimension, e.g. - functions




call centre

CC - IVR

SMS

email

retail

app

Determine the functional relevance of each channel



channel acquisition

retention growth

call centre

CC - IVR

SMS

email

retail

app Choose another dimension, e.g. - key activities



channel VIP middle CLV

low CLV

call centre

CC - IVR

SMS

email

retail

app Always consider channel relevance fordifferent customer groups (segments)




call centre

CC - IVR

SMS

email

retail

app

Quantitative weights are better than binary ticks


Master one dimension at a time

functions

ch

an

nels

segm

ents

activities

tou

ch

poin

ts

tran

sact

ions

- before you continue adding complexity


Managing it all

From clear strategy to structured operations› visionary and pragmatic

Process implications› end-to-end customer processes with common logic

Organisation implications› efficient cross-functionality and de-duplication of work› improved responsibilities allocation

Systems implications› single architecture and modular integration

Financial implications› budget allocations› performance measurement


Discussion

Your questions and opinions?

Thank you!

Vladimir DimitroffDirector

PRISM Consulting (UK) Ltd 22 Cheviot DriveCharvilReading RG10 9QDUnited KingdomPhone: +44 (0)7947034944 E-Mail: [email protected]

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