Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Skip to main content

Seamless Connections: Accelerating CX Transformation with Unified Data, Channels, and Technology

Imagine that you’re traveling, and you’ve lost your credit card. Your bank, having embraced digital transformation like many other companies, has recently introduced WhatsApp as a new customer service option.

While you’re impressed by the modern approach and mentally note to try it for checking your balance in the future, at this moment, you’re far from home and the last thing you want to do is interact with an app. You want to talk to a human being - someone who can genuinely understand your issue and is ready to assist.

This is a crucial distinction. Understanding when a customer prefers to use an app, texting, interacting with a chatbot, or speaking to a real human agent means truly finding out customer needs, and that’s what leads to creating a nuanced customer journey. It’s a simple concept but really tough to execute.

The pace of technological evolution is almost impossible to keep up with. What’s relevant today might not be tomorrow. On top of that, today’s customers expect instant, personalized engagement from every company. These compounding challenges mean that outdated approaches to customer experience (CX) don’t make the cut– and unfortunately, many companies find their approaches becoming outdated very quickly. CX transformation certainly isn’t a new concept, but I’ve noticed a void in building truly well-crafted experiences that meet customer needs.

So, what will fill this void? Is it the technologies, built for the future and insights that enable meaningful, personalized interactions? Let’ talk more on this.

The CX Convergence Index: evaluating your CX before diving into transformation

Evaluating customer experience before embarking on transformation is crucial. At Firstsource, we have engaged with clients to understand their CX journeys and, based on these insights, developed a robust framework that has driven successful transformations. This framework can help an organization evaluate its CX maturity across three key dimensions to decide if they’re ready to dive in:

  1. Data integration: Examining how connected or disconnected the data sources are. Breaking down data silos is the first step to building a unified overview of the customers.
  2. Channel orchestration: How seamless are transitions and interactions across customer touchpoints? Does the customer journey feel cohesive?
  3. Tech Enablement: Analyzing the effectiveness of the organization’s current technology in delivering real-time insights, automation, and personalized experiences.

It is important that every potential customer should be offered to use this kind of framework to learn where they are before implementing any new technology, as it helps service providers create a transformation roadmap. Let’s dive further into each dimension, breaking down exactly why they’re so important for a modern CX.

Read Also 3 CX best practices to drive customer acquisition

Data integration: breaking silos and building foundations

Traditional CX falls short of delivering the cohesive customer experiences that customers demand. Disconnected data and siloed technologies are a major reason for this shortfall. It is impossible to deliver a personalized, seamless customer journey when information can’t move from one place to another.

In fact, in a study, 54% of organizations said that fragmented and siloed data was their biggest barrier to leveraging that data. And even getting insights from data isn’t enough. At Firstsource, we have realized that integration can fuel a system of insights that empowers our clients’ operations and functions. That system is a layer that sits on top of your technology, picking up useful data points and sharing them across relevant departments. This ensures that each team has what it needs to build a seamless journey across digital channels. Perhaps more importantly, a system of insights creates a structure that makes it easy for an AI analysis tool to make sense of it.

It is important to prioritize data integration as the foundation for modern CX. When data can flow seamlessly through every touchpoint – from a CRM to a social media platform – organizations can build a 360-degree customer view. Truly understanding customer needs from every angle is the cornerstone of CX that builds customer loyalty.

Channel orchestration: meeting customers where they are

Here’s where we put that 360-degree customer view into action: building unique journeys. Customers are not monoliths, even within an organization.  A relatable example illustrates this concept. When considering how customer needs should shape various customer experiences, my go-to example hits close to home. I have taught my mom countless times how to use food delivery apps– and she definitely knows how to use them by now. Yet, she still feels much more at ease picking up the phone to call a restaurant or visiting in person to speak with someone directly, and she almost always prefers it that way. On the other hand, I rarely make phone calls to order food—for me, using an app or website is faster, easier, and far more convenient—and I’ll choose that option every time.

Many companies overlook this nuance, assuming all customers define convenience the same way. However, knowing how to use a tool doesn't equate to preferring it.

This contrast highlights where many companies miss the mark. They often assume that all customers define convenience in the same way. Just because my mom knows how to navigate an app doesn’t mean she finds it more convenient. Convenience isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s deeply personal. 

It’s a similar challenge to the one previously highlighted, that the companies blindly jumping into new channels like WhatsApp on the assumption that more or newer options are inherently better. However, what truly enhances customer experience is aligning with the needs of the customer. By leveraging a system of insights and data that enables a company to understand its customers’ personas and preferences, it becomes possible to design a CX that meets their expectations.

Let’s not forget about the power of channel orchestration and how it enables hyper-personalization. For instance, if a customer is using interactive voice response (IVR) to get support and they eventually follow a prompt to get connected to an agent, it’s vital that the agent must know what happened in the IVR conversation. Otherwise, a customer has to repeat themselves, spoiling the idea of a seamless experience. Customers today have a baseline expectation for this kind of information transfer – something they do on a website should be updated on an app or in their profiles.

For instance, at Firstsource, we recognize the need for unique customer personas and bring extensive domain expertise to the table, with over 20+ customer personas, 100+ customer journeys developed across our core verticals, seamless channel orchestration capabilities, a 10% increase in customer retention, and a 20% improvement in CSAT.

Furthermore, AI comes into play here as well. According to the Zendesk Trends Report, “72% of business leaders say that expanding AI across the customer experience will be a main priority over the coming year.” At Firstsource, we use AI-powered solutions in every aspect of CX transformation to elevate user experience and empower agents to be more successful. With 30+ GenAI and analytics partners and our cutting-edge, in-house tools under the relAI suite of AI led platforms, solutions and services, we are powering up every aspect of our customers’ business and bringing 30% agent efficiency improvement, 75% call hold time reduction, and extended coverage hours. Whether it’s reducing the training timeline for the customer service agents, enabling faster data analytics, or resolving support requests faster, AI is a key player for modern CX.

Technology as an enabler

From a technology perspective, transformation can present significant challenges for organizations aiming to modernize their CX. Many businesses have already made substantial investments in technology that rapidly becomes obsolete. Replacing such outdated tech stacks and overhauling systems can feel like starting over entirely.

For this reason, it is crucial for organizations to invest in the right technology, carefully considering the end customer's experience. By prioritizing customer-centric solutions, businesses can ensure their technological investments not only address current needs but also remain adaptable for future advancements, ultimately creating a seamless and impactful CX.

CX transformation: because your business depends on it

CX shouldn’t be treated as a back-burner project. It’s the lifeblood of a business, with the potential to inspire customer loyalty or drive customers away. Let’s consider the afore-mentioned scenario where someone loses a credit card while traveling abroad. When the person contacts the bank, he or she is immediately connected with an agent who understands the travel circumstances and provides tailored solutions to address the issue. This represents a customer journey that truly meets individual needs, an example of a well-executed CX transformation.

In a world where every interaction matters, seamless customer journeys are the key for unlocking growth, future-proofing businesses, and gaining a competitive advantage. With the right partner, we can transform our CX from a disjointed, cookie-cutter journey into a personalized experience.