The past two years have marked an unprecedented acceleration into the digital era. While the transformation into a digital era has been coming and expected for decades, this specific acceleration was a direct result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. With most businesses shifting to a digital and remote operation model nearly overnight, and many other workers leaving their employees to pursue their own ventures, the economy was launched into a digital space in the blink of an eye. Communication has always been a fundamental aspect of building customer relationships. However, in the past, there has nearly always been an aspect of face-to-face communication between businesses and their customers. In a digital economy, this is hardly the case. Yet, even without any face-to-face interactions, communication remains a top priority for both businesses and customers. This is why finding solutions for digital communications, real-time communication, is so vital.
Real-time communication has many shapes and forms, especially in today’s economy which bristles with a variety of communication channels. Historically, real-time communication came in many forms, from face-to-face interactions, to live phone-calls. These types of interactions between customers and businesses proved extremely beneficial to the customer-relationship. In today’s market, however, face-to-face interactions have dwindled significantly, and phone calls from businesses are typically screened by caller-ID. However, that doesn’t mean that real-time communication has disappeared, it’s just evolved.
Rather than taking in-person visits, many organizations have transitioned to video-conferencing programs. These are especially popular in a variety of business settings, and even certain medical communities. In other areas of customer communication, like online-shopping and e-commerce, real-time chat is available with a customer service rep ready to help you with whatever you could need. There is a real benefit to retaining an aspect of real-time communication into your business, even when prioritizing a digital mindset.
Using Real-Time Communication to Meet Customers Where They Are
Another influential factor in the evolving communication practices of today are the many varied ways in which customers prefer to receive their communications. For instance, there is still a relatively significant demographic that continue to prefer phone calls for their communications. This alone, reflects a larger trend that no matter the individual, real-time communication has it’s time and it’s place. Being convenient and personal are big parts of this equation. In other words, customers don’t want to be bothered by needless or lengthy communications. The best way to communicate effectively with customers is to ensure that they have the option to reach you through various channels, while respecting the channel through which they ask to be reached and still remaining personal. In other words, if a customer prefers SMS updates, but wants to be able to call for a real-time conversation; an organization needs to be equipped for both.
The act of sending communications through a customer’s preferred channel is part of meeting the customer where they are. Rather than forcing them to communicate with your brand in any specific manner, they’re free to engage with you and your organization however is most convenient for them.
Real-Time Communication Strategies
As mentioned above, there are a few real-time communication strategies that are rather intuitive. For example, live telephone calls, where they’re still applicable, are a great example of real-time communication that is both effective and semi-popular in today’s digital market. Even live-chatting with agents, or ecommerce specialists through an online store might seem like a no-brainer for digital natives, and other demographics already familiar with a digital landscape.
However, there are other creative and imaginative ways in which businesses are successfully implementing real-time communication. From utilizing social media features like live-streaming and live tweeting, to making use of their brand presence to join important social conversations that matter to their customers. These are all accessible strategies aimed at increasing and bolstering real-time customer communications.
Embracing The Digital Era
The digital era is here to stay. In fact, the presence and impact of technology in our daily lives will likely continue to increase before we see it ever decrease again. This is an important reality for leaders of businesses and organizations alike to confront as it’s going to pave our way forward in terms of business operations. Embracing the digital era today through implementing communication tactics like real-time communication, will set your organization up for continued success through the following years of even deeper immersion into a digital era.
Many customers already exist and operate with a digital first mindset. Meaning they prefer to interact with service providers and various other businesses through digital and remote means. This will be an extremely important demographic of consumers in the decades to come.
Not only will this apply to important consumers, but also to important employees. With the rise of the digital era, many employees transitioned to work-from-home positions and immediately felt the benefits. Asking for these workers to return to an in-office environment likely won’t go over well. So rather, it serves everyone to find ways to optimize work from home atmospheres. This way, employees can continue to reap the benefits that working from home provides, while companies are able to maintain expected levels of productivity.
A Quick Recap
Communication has and always will be an integral aspect of the business to consumer relationship. However, the ways in which we communicate have been evolving since the beginning of time. This includes the way businesses communicate with consumers. Operating in today’s digital economy requires an organization to meet customers where they are, while also setting up various avenues of real-time communication for consumers to utilize.
Integrating a sophisticated CCM, like that offered by Topdown Systems, will give you and your staff the tools you need to fully serve the modern consumer. With automated messaging technology powered by A.I. and business logic, and a suite of other communication centered features, CCM software is built to bolster your communication strategies.
For more information on how to communicate in the modern digital era, or anything else on CCM software, keep browsing Topdown System’s content library.
