What is multichannel communications?

Customer engagement can take place in many ways and many environments, and you'll often hear analysts talking about omni-channel, cross-channel and multichannel communications. These terms can be confusing and are often misused. What is multichannel communications, exactly?

Multichannel communications explained

Multichannel communications means communicating with your customers across several channels. This helps you reach as wide an audience as possible and gives you better brand exposure across all channels. Those channels could include:

  • Print media
  • SMS
  • Live chat`
  • Mobile apps
  • Websites
  • Social media
  • Email
  • Telephony
  • Video

Multichannel communications can be difficult to manage because many organizations have different teams dealing with different channels. This can mean each team delivers a different (sometimes off-brand) message, leading to confusion and frustration for customers.

Multichannel communications solutions differ slightly from omni-channel communications, where the same content is sent to all of the channels. With multichannel strategies, the content can be customized for each channel. It also differs from cross-channel communication because the customer can start an experience on one channel (such as social media) and then continue the experience on another channel, such as a website.

The importance of a multichannel communications strategy

Having a robust multichannel communications strategy can help reduce the confusion and difficulties associated with having multiple channels for your brand's messaging and communications. Multichannel communications are usually one-way things, such as ad campaigns, and these campaigns are more effective when the message is consistently reinforced across each channel.

Researchers have found it takes at least seven exposures to a brand name or a message for a consumer to build strong associations with that name. If you want to be thought of as the go-to supplier for a specific type of product, you'll need to show your marketing messages repeatedly for people to associate your brand name with that product. Fortunately, unconscious exposures can contribute to this effect.

Communication matters too

Multichannel communications are ideal for marketing, but consumers want to have their voices heard, too. Thanks to the ubiquity of social media and the variety of devices, platforms and communication methods available to the average user, consumers can now build their own bespoke customer experiences.

Successful brands play to that, letting consumers shop online, via their own branded apps and even via embedded links in social media. They offer support through as many channels as possible and reward consumers who serve as influencers and marketers within their social circles.

At 8x8, we make it easy for brands to manage their multichannel communication strategies. Our all-in-one business communications platform includes VoIP telephony and video calling as well as support for a variety of APIs and social services.

With our cloud communication solutions, contact center managers can supply their agents with access to all the tools they need to provide a smooth, seamless service to their customers, whatever platform they're contacting them from.

If you'd like to know more about our contact center systems and how you can integrate them with popular APIs, contact us today to schedule a free demonstration and get a quote. Our team would be happy to discuss your options and help you choose the best solutions for your business.