| By :
Martin Hofschroer
Businesses are unprepared to improve customer service across multiple channels, according to a study. Research by Econsultancy and Foviance revealed that 90 per cent of British brands realise the importance of providing integrated customer service across multiple channels but less than a third currently have the processes in place to do so. Organisational structure was the biggest barrier to enabling businesses the opportunity to improve customer service on a multichannel level as 41 per cent claimed that they were currently not arranged to provide such provisions. The 'Multichannel Customer Experience Report', which surveyed 500 companies and agencies, also found that 38 per cent of businesses thought that growing numbers of both on and offline customer touch points were to complex. In addition, 38 per cent of firms felt that they could not improve customer service because multichannel consumer management was split between different departments within the company. The report discovered that budget allocation was preventing businesses improve customer service as just 31 per cent of respondents had dedicated funding in place to help them enhance consumer experience. Additionally, 28 per cent had not been allocated any funding to improve customer service, while 41 per cent were using the money provided for other activities. Econsultancy's research director Linus Gregoriadis said: "It's clear that, while the vast majority of companies understand the impact on business performance, very few organisations have integrated, cross channel processes and systems in place or a strategy to help them achieve this." A lack of forward planning may hinder those firms that want to improve customer service as of the 69 per cent of brands starting to develop a strategy; just 22 per cent had a developed plan in place. Worrying was the discovery that nine per cent of firms were doing nothing to improve customer service despite 49 per cent believing a multi-channel customer experience was 'very important' to the business. Ian Luxford told HR Zone that increasing employment engagement is a sure way to improve customer service as engaged workers are more likely to provide a greater consumer experience. He said: "Many companies focus on enhancing their workforce's knowledge and expertise of the products or services they are offering, in order to turn them into better customer service representatives. "However, the intangible element that actually makes for successful service is employee engagement; employees who are tuned into, and passionate, about what they do." Mr Luxford urged companies not to cut training during the current economic climate as this will affect employee engagement.
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