What are the Factors that Influence the Choice of Communication Channels?

[Dimaeiya323]

As mentioned earlier, everyone has their own preferences. So how do you know which channel(s) to position yourself on as a business? There are a few market trends that impact the choice of channels. You can take these into account to get to know your customers and their preferences.



46% use multiple channels at once
Who likes to wait? Not many. Consumers use multiple channels simultaneously, just to get a faster response. Don’t focus on just your customers’ favorite channel. Focus on making all your channels effective.

Preparing for the new generations
Gen Z and Millennials have different expectations than their elders. More than 70% of them expect customer service to be available 24/7. In addition, they are more likely to permanently leave a brand or store after just one bad experience. These young people are even more reluctant and anxious about calling customer service. It is therefore no surprise that for these generations, it is important for a company to be available via messaging and live chat applications. They are also more favorable to chatbots than previous generations.



42% feel impatient during customer service interactions
There are a lot of emotions involved when analyzing customer service interactions, both for customers and employees. Did you know that more than 4 out of 10 people feel impatient when contacting customer service? Emotions of course depend on the situation, waiting times, and mood of the day. These emotions are also influenced by the channel chosen. In the case of personal contact, more people feel grateful. They tend to feel more impatient for channels with longer waiting times. The same goes the other way around: emotions also influence channel choice . When someone is annoyed, they will want a faster solution and more personal interactions.

Every Customer Service Interaction is Unique
When a customer has a simple question, a chaer wants to taowner/partner/shareholder email lists lk to you on the phone. When it comes to emotions, for example when someone is sick or has to deal with personal setbacks, they will also want to talk to a human. The type of problem and the urgency have a big impact on the choice of channel.

Live in the present moment
The way a person addresses customer service depends not only on the problem to be solved, the urgency or the emotional state. It is also influenced by the physical context. Where is the customer at that moment? You may recognize yourself in this situation: you are in the toilet when you remember that you have to ask your health insurance if your dental care is reimbursed. A quick message on WhatsApp would be ideal. Or when you are stuck in traffic and you remember that your package should have arrived yesterday. It is then easier to call (hands-free) the online store. Many interactions begin at a time when you are busy doing something else . The time also matters: if it is late in the evening, it is easier to send an email or text message because you know you have to wait for a response. During your breaks at the office, on the other hand, it may be easier to call.