The term “omnichannel” gets used a lot in our industry, often to mean little more than “we offer multiple ways for customers to contact us.” But true omnichannel customer experience is more demanding than that — and more valuable.
True omnichannel means that a customer can start an interaction on one channel and continue it on another without having to repeat themselves. It means that the context from a previous interaction is visible and usable in the next one. It means that the customer experience feels coherent and connected, not like a series of isolated encounters with different departments.
The Technical Challenge
Achieving genuine omnichannel requires integrating systems that have traditionally operated in silos. The telephony platform needs to share data with the CRM. The CRM needs to integrate with digital channels. Digital interaction history needs to be visible to voice agents, and vice versa.
This integration is technically achievable with modern cloud platforms, but it requires deliberate design and investment. It doesn’t happen automatically when you add a new channel.
The Cultural Challenge
The technical challenge is significant, but the cultural challenge is often greater. Omnichannel requires that different teams — voice agents, digital agents, back-office staff — think of themselves as part of a single customer experience rather than separate functions with separate KPIs.
Organisations that silo their channels — optimising each one independently without considering the cross-channel customer journey — tend to create exactly the kind of frustrating, repetitive experience that drives customers away.
Telnet’s Approach
Our ContactSuite CRM is designed with omnichannel as a core principle. Every customer interaction, regardless of channel, is recorded in a single customer record. When a customer calls after sending an email, the agent can see the email history. When a customer follows up a webchat with a phone call, the context is preserved.
This isn’t just better for customers — it’s better for agents. Having the full context makes their job easier, reduces the frustration of asking customers to repeat themselves, and enables more relevant and helpful conversations.
