Connected CX with omnichannel communications

Many customers (69%) prefer making a phone call (instead of using digital self-service) for customer support. An inbound interactive voice response (IVR) system automatically directs callers to the correct self-service tool or live agent, reducing call transfers, handle times, and costs. Agents receive IVR call transcripts, so customers don’t have to explain the issue again.

Email management is a tried-and-true approach for connecting with customers, particularly for marketing campaigns. Across generations, 70% of U.S. consumers said they like being contacted by brands via email. Segmentation helps brands cut through inbox clutter and increase response rates, and communications control uses a decisioning engine to prevent sending conflicting or excessive messages.

Companies use business messaging for promotions, notifications (such as delivery status, service outages, and appointment reminders), and customer support. Commercial SMS and MMS remain highly effective channels, consistently delivering higher open and read rates than email.



Rich communication services (RCS) builds on the global reach of SMS by adding the interactive features of modern chat apps—enabling clickable buttons, rich media, and more engaging message experiences. This makes it easier for customers to respond in the moment, increasing response rates.

Social media is a popular channel for advertising, brand communication, and gathering feedback. When social media is integrated with other channels, customers can begin a discussion on social media and continue it on another channel without losing context and having to start over.

Businesses can send targeted push notifications to customers based on their interests (via browsing history) and purchase history. Push notifications can announce new app features, remind customers of upcoming events (such as sales), and prompt customers to purchase items they left in their shopping carts.

Conversational-AI-powered virtual assistants provide customer support services 24/7, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction. Virtual assistants can answer common questions, schedule appointments, update account information, and provide basic tech support. Conversational AI assistants anticipate customer needs based on their profiles, sentiment, and cross-channel interactions.

Several industries (e.g., financial services, healthcare, legal) are required to provide certain documents to customers. For example, mortgage companies must notify customers when their loan is paid in full. Financial institutions can use customer journey orchestration to trigger direct mail services when customers don’t respond to digital communication (such as email).

In-store customer service representatives (CSRs) should have information about the customer’s previous interactions (e.g., chat or contact center transcripts), allowing them to quickly assist customers. CSRs won’t waste time repeating the previous, unsuccessful attempts to resolve the problem.