How are conversational channels changing the world?

Written by Ana Mori — Partnerships Manager

With the evolution of the means of communication, today they have become strong allies for companies to be in contact with their customers, which requires them to be in the right channels to effectively serve consumers. These channels are largely responsible for revolutionizing the way brands relate to people. And these, in turn, dictate how they want to be served, by which channel and in what period, and that is why more and more companies have sought the means digital.

To get an idea, today 72% of people in the world have a smartphone and the download of messaging applications surpassed that of social networks. Given this scenario, we notice that not only are companies using new channels to communicate, but also consumers are changing the way they interact with companies. In Brazil, 60% of the people are sending messages to brands before making a purchase.

A survey conducted by Facebook shows that seven out of ten companies believe they serve their audience well, and only 20% of these customers have the same perception. Therefore, there is still room to improve services, ensure ease, quick responses and agile interactions; and being present in channels that people already use, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Apple Business Chat, Google message or RCS, can be an interesting way to deliver an even better experience.

Adapting communication with customers and inserting new channels for this may seem challenging, but with the right partners and a project with clear objectives, the initiative has everything to be a success. And to tell you a little more, I would like to share some practical lessons here, which you can start to adopt in your business, in order to deliver an amazing customer service experience through conversational channels:

1 - Have your customer at the center of your choice

Answer questions like: where is my customer? Where would he like to be seen? What would he like me to answer, in what way and at what speed? The search for the answer starts with a common point for most companies, since most people, regardless of location, have a smartphone in their hand.

2 - Choose the channel/channels that will act

The channel is any mechanism that allows, during the communication process, a message to leave a sender and reach a receiver. That is, it is a means that needs to connect one end to the other.

3 - Start by delivering ONE solution to your customer

Be clear about what customer needs must be met and what the expected result is. Answers to questions? Facilitate sales? Increased engagement or sales? Sending promotions?
The opportunities are endless even if there are some specific rules in each channel.

4 - Choose a robust technology partner that supports your process

The temptation to do everything in-house is huge, but believe me, having a partner whose core is infrastructure and technology will make all the difference in your results. Having your internal team aligned with this strategy will be essential.

5 - Keep discipline, dedication and focus on evolution

The results will be considerable for the business, but it is noteworthy that not all implementations will bring immediate results. In the case of a chatbot FAQ, for example, it takes about two to four months of work to notice the results, while cart recovery campaigns, or lead generation are more immediate.

We are in a time where living the digitization process does not depend on the core of your business being technology, you need to recreate yourself in this new context. Otherwise it is doomed to succumb. Is that you? What have you planned to create amazing experiences through your customer touchpoints?

*Ana Beatris Mori, is responsible for the Strategic Partnerships area at WAVY Global (now Sinch company), a Customer Experience company of the Movile Group. Graduated in Advertising and Marketing at ESAMC; with an MBA in business from FGV, the executive has more than 10 years of experience in the market. He has already worked in sales, marketing and operations, but found his passion in the technology market. Since 2017, he has been leading the new business area, testing chatbots, a WhatsApp service platform for the B2B market, at WAVY (now Sinch)