Think of a fitness journey that feels effortless, personalized, and effective. You'll have all the tools and support you need to achieve your best self, both physically and mentally. 

This is the omnichannel customer experience that Peloton, a fitness and media company that sells internet-connected exercise equipment and offers fitness classes, delivers. From purchasing top-notch equipment online or in-store to enjoying a 30-day home trial and participating in live or on-demand classes via their app, each interaction—an email update, a workout session, or a motivational text—flows effortlessly into the next.

This seamless integration has become necessary to build customer loyalty. The recent BRP Consumer Study reveals that 87% of consumers demand a personalized and consistent experience across all channels. 

Peloton’s success vividly demonstrates how effective omnichannel routing can meet these high expectations. So, can you create a similarly cohesive and engaging customer experience? 

Let us explore the concept of omnichannel routing, uncover its benefits, and share best practices to help you. 

Understanding omnichannel routing

Omnichannel routing is a strategic contact center approach that directs customer inquiries across various channels to the most suitable agents. It intuitively directs customer queries to the most suitable agents based on predefined criteria, ensuring that each case is handled efficiently, regardless of whether it comes through phone, chat, email, or other channels.

This system enables contact centers to handle a high volume of interactions efficiently with fewer resources. As a result, customers receive faster responses, and agents work more effectively.

Consider this example: A customer calls a support line late at night. Instead of waiting, the call is seamlessly redirected to an agent in a different time zone who can assist promptly. The customer finishes the call satisfied and reassured.

In this scenario, omnichannel routing works behind the scenes to ensure inquiries are managed swiftly and smoothly, enhancing the overall customer experience and strengthening loyalty.

Benefits of omnichannel routing

Verizon notes that businesses utilizing omnichannel routing solutions can achieve significant improvements in their customer service operations. Specifically, they can reduce call transfers and enhance first-contact resolution rates. 

Let’s look at some of the key benefits of implementing omnichannel routing in your customer service strategy:

👉Improved agent productivity and enhanced workflows  

Omnichannel routing boosts agent productivity by directing customer interactions to the channels and representatives best suited to handle them. This keeps agents focused on the questions they’re trained to answer, ensuring they stay productive and efficient throughout their shifts.

👉Decreased average wait times and abandon rates  

With smart routing, customers are quickly connected to the right agent, reducing wait times and the chances they’ll hang up before getting help. Efficient queue management ensures that no one is left waiting too long, keeping frustration at bay.

👉Reduced average handle times  

Omnichannel routing helps resolve issues faster by sending inquiries to the agents who are best equipped to handle them. This means each customer’s problem is addressed more swiftly, reducing the overall time spent on each call or chat.

👉Higher customer satisfaction  

It also directs customers straight to available agents, minimizing unnecessary transfers and improving the chances of resolving issues on the first contact. This direct approach helps make every customer interaction more satisfying.

👉Unified customer view and personalized interactions

Omnichannel experience means a unified customer view. This implies that agents have access to a complete history of interactions. They can provide more personalized support, as they can see past issues and context, making it easier to offer relevant solutions.

👉Valuable insights 

Omnichannel routing provides valuable insights into customer behavior and agent performance. It allows for a clear view of how interactions flow through different channels, which helps refine processes and improve service quality.

👉Proactive customer support  

Finally, this routing allows for proactive engagement by integrating various communication channels. You can anticipate customer needs and address potential issues before they become problems, enhancing the overall support experience.

7 types of omnichannel routing

Now, let us explore seven key types of omnichannel routing, each designed to streamline operations, improve agent performance, and elevate the overall customer experience.

💡Skill-based routing

Skills-based routing enhances customer service by directing inquiries to agents with the most relevant skills. Unlike traditional queue-based systems, it requires setting up routing rules and assigning skills to team members. Modern CaaS solutions simplify this process with integrated IVR systems and AI tools that assess customer needs and match them with suitable agents.

For example, if a CRM indicates a customer speaks French, the system will route the call to a French-speaking agent. This targeted approach reduces wait times, improves resolution speed, and ensures customers receive support from well-suited agents. As a result, skill-based routing boosts customer satisfaction, loyalty, and overall business growth.

💡Channel-preference routing

Channel-preference routing is directing interactions to customer’s preferred channels. For example, if a customer prefers chatting online over using self-service options, their inquiries are routed to a chat support team.

The process begins with understanding customer preferences, which can be assessed through historical interactions or direct feedback. Additionally, the type of assistance required is crucial. For instance, a technical issue might be better addressed by a specialized team, even if the customer’s preferred channel is email. 

With these insights, designing the routing becomes more straightforward, ensuring smooth transitions between channels. Ongoing feedback and data analysis help refine the effectiveness of the routing system, continuously improving the customer experience.

💡Contextual routing based on customer history

Contextual routing utilizes AI algorithms to analyze customer inquiries in real time, taking into account the nature of the query, customer preferences, agent availability, and skill level. The system evaluates the content and intent of each request to determine the most suitable agent or team for handling the issue. For example, technical problems are routed to agents with the relevant expertise. 

Additionally, customer history and preferences are considered to ensure a personalized experience, with requests being directed based on past interactions and current needs. The system also facilitates smooth transitions between agents or teams, eliminating the need for customers to repeat information. 

💡Priority routing for high-value customers

Priority routing ensures that customer interactions are directed based on specific criteria, allowing high-priority requests to receive prompt attention. To implement effective priority routing for chat, start by defining clear criteria, such as the urgency of the inquiry, customer status (e.g., VIP), or specific product or service needs. These criteria help shape a targeted routing strategy that meets diverse customer requirements.

Managing priority routing during peak times or high chat volumes can be challenging. Companies can improve efficiency by dynamically adjusting agent availability, using automated chatbots for routine questions, and employing intelligent chat queues that consider factors such as agent performance and current workload. This approach ensures that priority requests are handled effectively, even during busy periods.

To optimize priority routing, continuously monitor and evaluate performance metrics like response times, customer satisfaction, and agent workload. 

💡AI-powered predictive routing

Predictive routing utilizes AI technology to enhance customer interactions by anticipating needs and directing them to the most suitable resources. Unlike traditional systems that may only consider basic factors such as agent availability or skill sets, AI-powered predictive routing analyzes a range of variables, including a customer’s past behavior, product preferences, and real-time data. 

This approach allows the system to match customers with agents whose skills and personality traits are best suited to their needs, boosting the chances of resolving issues on the first contact. 

As new data and insights are continuously fed into the system, AI refines its predictions and adjusts routing strategies to balance agent workloads and adapt to evolving conditions. This results in a more efficient, personalized, and engaging customer service experience.

💡Load-balancing routing

Load-balancing routing helps manage customer interactions by distributing them evenly across multiple agents or teams, preventing any one resource from getting overwhelmed. The system keeps track of how busy each agent is, including their current workload and response times. 

When a new interaction comes in, it’s routed to the agent or team with the least amount of current work, ensuring that no one is overburdened while others are underused.

As interaction volumes change, the system adjusts in real time, rerouting requests as needed to balance the load and avoid delays. This dynamic adjustment keeps things running smoothly, reduces wait times, and helps maintain high service quality. 

With a fair distribution of work, agents can manage their tasks more effectively, leading to quicker responses and more reliable service for customers. Overall, load-balancing routing improves resource management and boosts customer satisfaction by ensuring everyone gets prompt and efficient support.

💡Language-based routing

Language-based routing is a strategy used to direct customer interactions to agents who speak the customer’s preferred language. This approach enhances communication and ensures that customers receive support in the language they are most comfortable with, improving overall satisfaction and efficiency.

The system first identifies the language preference of the customer, which can be determined through their initial choice in an IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system, or by analyzing the language used in their written communication. 

Once the preferred language is identified, the system routes the interaction to an agent who is fluent in that language. This ensures that language barriers do not hinder effective service delivery.

How to implement omnichannel routing

To build an effective omnichannel contact center, begin by assessing the various communication channels your customers use and prefer. 

This involves understanding their interactions on platforms such as social media, text messaging, live chat, and their reliance on self-service tools like chatbots and knowledge bases. 

With this understanding, you can select a cloud contact center platform that aligns with your needs and start crafting your omnichannel approach. Here’s how you can proceed: 

Step 1: Establish your communication channels  

Identify the key platforms for your customer interactions and ensure your business is active on these channels. For example, if your audience engages heavily on social media, set up and integrate your social media accounts into your contact center system to maintain effective communication.

Step 2: Manage workload and agent availability

Create rules to balance the workload among agents and manage their availability. Set limits on how many tasks an agent can handle at once and use a unified status system to adjust their availability across different channels from a single interface. Customize these statuses and automate updates based on activity to keep operations running smoothly.

Step 3: Develop routing rules  

Define how customer interactions are directed by setting up routing rules that use triggers, conditions, and actions. Choose a routing approach that suits your operations, whether it’s matching interactions to agents based on their expertise (skills-based routing) or distributing tasks evenly (rotary model).

Step 4: Implement self-service solutions  

Incorporate self-service tools such as chatbots, virtual assistants, and knowledge bases to handle frequent inquiries and issues. These tools should use natural language processing and AI to understand customer needs and either resolve queries or escalate them to live agents as necessary. 

Step 5: Monitor and optimize  

Regularly review performance metrics using analytics tools to track channel usage, response times, and overall efficiency. Use this data to refine your routing rules and capacity settings, making adjustments to improve service quality and customer satisfaction.

Leveraging an AI-driven contact center solution can significantly boost your omnichannel strategy. AI can process large volumes of interaction data in real time, predict customer needs, and match requests with the most appropriate agents based on their skills and history. This integration ensures that all communication channels—whether social media, text, or self-service—are managed efficiently, providing a cohesive and effective customer experience.

How Plivo CX can enhance omnichannel routing

Implementing omnichannel routing is a pivotal step toward modernizing your customer service operations. Plivo CX's advanced features can help you reach your customers and create an efficient service experience that aligns with consumer demands.

Whether your customers reach out via live chat, voice calls, SMS, email, or WhatsApp, Plivo CX ensures that every interaction is handled efficiently and effectively from a single interface. 

Plivo CX’s unified agent desktop allows your team to manage all these channels without juggling multiple tools, simplifying the process and improving response times. 

With AI-powered capabilities, including OpenAI-driven chatbots and voice bots, the tool automates routine inquiries, allowing your agents to focus on more complex issues. This not only reduces operational costs but also ensures that each customer interaction is handled promptly and accurately.

Plivo CX’s no-code workflow builder empowers you to create personalized customer journeys across all channels, tailoring each interaction to meet individual needs. The platform integrates smoothly with your existing technology stack, ensuring a seamless transition and uninterrupted service.

The platform’s AI engine optimizes customer support by identifying and prioritizing urgent tickets, and improving response times. It also ensures brand consistency by training AI agents to reflect your company's voice and policies. 

Furthermore, Plivo CX is built to enrich customer interactions with multimedia support, allowing seamless exchange of images, videos, audio, and documents. It also offers agent workflows with message templates and internal notes, facilitating efficient conversation transfers and task management. Agents can stay agile with instant updates to AI agents, effortlessly adapting to new product launches, promotions, or policy changes.

Moreover, advanced features like real-time metrics, historical reporting, and call barge-in tools provide deep insights into agent performance and customer interactions. 

Experience the power of streamlined, effective omnichannel routing with Plivo CX. Schedule a demo today to see how our platform can transform your customer service operations!