Customers prefer to interact with businesses in different ways. Some consider email the ultimate customer support tool while others are more comfortable with social networks. While age impacts communication preferences, consumers also regularly use different channels and technologies for certain types of interaction.
That is why EDC’s Customer Communication Management solution is so valuable. It enables organizations to communicate effectively across multiple channels and take advantage of the significant benefits associated with engaging customers via their preferred channel.
Understanding how business communications have changed
Over the last ten years, the customer communications landscape has changed so dramatically that it is now almost unrecognizable. Globally, smartphone network subscriptions rose from 3.67 billion in 2015 to 6.97 billion in 2023. By 2025, this is expected to reach 7.43 billion (Statista In other words, the number of smartphone users has more than doubled in a decade, shifting the emphasis from computer-based channels like email to mobile channels like web portals and applications.
Exploring contemporary consumer communication
Statistics show that 70% of customers prefer to receive a digital copy of their communications, while also expecting the option to interact through channels like email, SMS, and websites. This highlights the importance of solutions that facilitate omnichannel communication and centralize its management in a single platform. For instance, EDC’s CCM platform enables organizations to engage with their customers consistently across many channels.
While 61% of customers prefer digital communications (e.g. emails and app notifications), 28% prefer a combination of print and digital communications. Both of these customer segments are too large to ignore and brands must cater to both to succeed.
Finally, research shows that only 24% of survey respondents receive communications from their bank via their preferred channel. This highlights how much potential for growth there is if businesses can optimize their customer communications.
Benefits of communicating via preferred channels
There are several benefits to ensuring you can communicate with customers via their preferred channels:
- Satisfaction - Personalized interactions based on customer channel preferences result in greater customer satisfaction.
- Engagement - Customers engage with businesses more if they can utilize their preferred channels. This makes building customer relationships significantly easier.
- Retention - Customers who are more satisfied and more engaged are more loyal and less likely to turn to a competitor. Long-term customers are also more valuable to brands. Existing customers are 50% more likely to try new products and spend 31% more than new customers (Forbes).
- Brand image - Communicating via preferred channels helps your brand build a reputation for customer-centricity and excellent support. Consistent, channel-agnostic messaging builds trust in your brand and keeps customers coming back.
- Efficiency - Streamlined and centralized management of customer communications saves you time, money, and resources. A centralized CCM platform ensures you get the right message to customers quickly.
- Insights - Consolidating data gives you greater insight into consumer behavior, enabling you to offer more personalized experiences and giving you a competitive advantage.
Omnichannel communication with EDC
As technology evolves, new channels emerge, and consumers become more demanding, omnichannel solutions that enable businesses to send customized communications, designed to display perfectly on any device, via preferred channels will become essential. We live in a multi-device, multi-channel society, where technology is integrated into our everyday lives. Businesses must recognize this and seek communication technologies that evolve and adapt to an ever-changing digital landscape.
EDC solutions are constantly updated, enabling you to respond to the growth of new channels and accommodate user preferences quickly. Our CCM solution gives you the edge over competitors that are yet to realize the importance of omnichannel communication and ensures customers can engage with your brand on their terms.
To learn more, contact our expert team today or explore our Customer Communication Management solution.
