Introduction
In today’s fast-paced world, providing exceptional customer experience is paramount for businesses to thrive. However, many companies struggle to communicate effectively with their customers, clients, and recipients, resulting in missed opportunities and subpar customer experiences. In this blog, we will demonstrate how using enterprise communications processing (ECP) can revolutionize your communication strategies to reduce operating costs, improve customer experience, and boost engagement rates.
The Challenge of Personalization
According to a recent study by Deloitte, more than 50% of consumers feel that personalization efforts miss the mark and fail to meet their needs, interests, or preferences.[1] This begs the question: Why do so many companies struggle to deliver optimal experiences? The answer often lies in the limitations of technology and information sharing within organizations.
The Disconnect within Organizations
While sales and marketing departments possess valuable insights into customer preferences and communication preferences, the back-end account servicing and billing departments often lack access to this information. Consequently, communication delivery falls short of expectations, as it fails to reach recipients through their preferred channels or desired formats. For example, many customers prefer to communicate using their mobile phones instead of traditional mail or desktop computers.
Key Obstacles to Effective Communication
To better understand the challenges that organizations face, let’s examine the five most common reasons communication fails to be optimized for the end recipient:
- Outdated Legacy Systems: Legacy systems that cannot output PDF or HTML files for mobile apps hinder the delivery of communication in the desired format.
- Fragmented Data Management: Customer databases that do not share eDelivery preferences with account servicing teams lead to inconsistencies and missed opportunities for personalized communication.
- Limited Output Flexibility: When print services are outsourced, some organizations lack the ability to modify and tailor communication outputs according to customer preferences and changing requirements.
- Siloed Departments and Budget Constraints: When communication-related tasks fall outside a department’s responsibilities, limited budgets hinder the support for new digital channels.
- Ineffective Email Marketing: Companies may face poor response rates to marketing emails due to ineffective targeting or lack of personalization, resulting in high unsubscribe rates.
Leverage the Power of ECP Solutions
Fortunately, organizations can overcome these challenges by implementing an Enterprise Communications Processing (ECP) solution. ECP serves as a technology integration platform that bridges the gap between communication creation and output delivery, ensuring seamless and personalized communication with clients.
Traditionally used to optimize print communications, modern ECP solutions have evolved significantly. They now use middleware web services and APIs to connect different software platforms, applications, and devices together intelligently and efficiently so they can be integrated into a single system. The single enterprise communications processing system then provides a unified service to its users. ECP solutions use state-of-the-art technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to eliminate extensive programming efforts to seamlessly integrate with existing CCM software. They can transform print data into optimized PDF and responsive HTML for mobile devices, facilitate real-time communication delivery through mobile apps and other digital channels. By integrating with hyper-automated, no code workflows, and preference management systems, ECP solutions enable organizations to suppress print and deliver communications through the preferred channels, as desired by end users.
Unlocking Enhanced Customer Experience
Effective customer experience management involves orchestrating journey maps and empowering clients to choose their preferred communication channels. With the help of ECP solutions, organizations can market to clients digitally while delivering billing and account servicing communications digitally as well, resolving the technology limitations previously encountered.
The Cost and Accessibility Benefits
Implementing an ECP solution not only enhances digital engagement but also yields significant cost savings. By suppressing print and mail, businesses can save millions of dollars in postage expenses. With postage rate continuously increasing, these savings will grow in the future. Furthermore, with a growing number of adults having disabilities,[2] ECP platforms enable the creation of accessible digital communications, complying with accessibility standards such as WCAG, PDF/UA, and HHS. Additionally, ECP solutions facilitate options for Braille, Large Print, or audio versions of communications, ensuring compliance with accessibility laws and supporting inclusive strategies.
Conclusion
To improve customer experience, enhance communication, and optimize eDelivery rates, businesses must address the technology and information-sharing gaps within their organizations. By adopting an ECP solution, companies can streamline communication processes, tailor messaging to individual preferences, and unlock the potential for cost savings and accessibility compliance. Embracing ECP technology empowers organizations to build valuable digital relationships with clients, fostering increased response rates, faster payments, and overall satisfaction in today’s evolving business landscape.
[1] https://www.deloittedigital.com/content/dam/deloittedigital/us/documents/offerings/offering-20220713-personalization-pov.pdf
[2] https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/miscellaneous/cb12-134.html
