Your customers expect to interact with you as they do with their best friends. They want to connect on their favorite channels, whether that’s SMS, chat, phone, or something else. And, they want to know they’ll have the same experience and consistent answers, no matter how they choose to reach out to you.

Enter your next-gen omnichannel strategy. When done right, they connect fragmented customer journeys, reduce agent burnout, and create seamless experiences for every single interaction.

But here’s the thing: without the right tools, training, and focus, omnichannel can quickly feel overwhelming. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. The following omnichannel best practices give you actionable steps, clear outcomes, and ways that can make your strategy work for you.

Setting the Foundation for Success with Three Omnichannel Best Practices

1. Start By Auditing Your Customer Journey Map

A customer journey map is your roadmap to uncovering gaps and friction points in your CX. It’s the first step toward building an omnichannel system that works.

Actionable Steps: 

• Use mapping tools to capture every touchpoint, from website interactions to call center inquiries.
• Bring in stakeholders from different departments to ensure all perspectives are covered.
• Look for drop-off points or areas with excessive delays.

Outcome: 

You’ll pinpoint problem areas where customers are falling through the cracks and prioritize fixes that improve overall CX.

2. Break Down Data Silos

Your data should flow freely between systems, channels, and teams. When it doesn’t, agents are left scrambling through more than half a dozen screens (on average), processes are disjointed, and customers are frustrated.

Actionable Steps: 

• Consolidate your data using a platform that integrates seamlessly with all your systems.
• Ensure that data from sales, marketing, and customer service is accessible in real-time.
• Regularly audit your data sources for gaps or redundancies.

Outcome: 

Unified data gives your agents a full customer profile, which lets them deliver consistent and personalized experiences.

3. Train Your Agents for Omnichannel Fluency

Great omnichannel experiences start with agents who can navigate channels like pros. They need the tools, confidence, and training to do so seamlessly.

Actionable Steps: 

• Implement cross-training sessions with role-playing scenarios tailored to common channel-switching use cases.
• Write out a few scripts and best practices for moving between phone, chat, and social media conversations without losing context.
• Use technology like unified agent desktops to simplify transitions.

Outcome: 

Your agents will be equipped to resolve issues faster, improving first-contact resolution (FCR) and customer satisfaction scores (CSAT).

4 Omnichannel Best Practices to Optimize Your Customer Experience

4. Create Consistent Messaging Across Channels

Your customers shouldn’t notice a tone shift when they move from email to chat or from social media to a phone call. Consistency is key.

Actionable Steps: 

• Work with your marketing team to create style guides that include tone, language, and phrasing rules for all channels.
• Train agents to adopt this voice while still personalizing conversations.
• Use templates for common responses but leave some room for customization.

Outcome: 

Customers experience a cohesive, branded interaction, boosting trust and reducing friction.

5. Add Proactive Customer Support

Proactive outreach can turn a potential frustration into a positive experience. Think notifications about delays or tips for using a product better.

Actionable Steps: 

• Use AI-powered systems to send alerts about outages, billing issues, or updates before customers need to ask.
• Identify common pain points and address them in proactive messages or FAQ updates.
• Automate follow-ups to ensure resolutions stick.

Outcome: 

Reduced inbound call volume and happier customers who feel cared for and valued.

6. Use Chatbots (Strategically)

A chatbot is like a digital concierge. They’ve evolved over the last several years to become a critical piece of the service experience, according to research from Gartner. But overuse it, and you risk alienating customers. Strike a balance by blending automation with human escalation.

Actionable Steps: 

• Deploy bots for repetitive queries like order status or billing questions.
• Set up clear escalation triggers for complex or emotional customer issues.
• Regularly test chatbot workflows to ensure they’re meeting customer needs.

Outcome: 

Chatbots free up agents for high-value conversations while keeping the overall experience scalable and customer-friendly.

7. Personalize Every Interaction

No one wants to feel like just another number. Personalization isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a loyalty builder.

Actionable Steps: 

• Use CRM data to tailor responses based on a customer’s history, preferences, and prior interactions.
• Add dynamic content to emails and automated messages.
• Train agents to reference past interactions to make conversations feel more personal.

Outcome: 

Stronger customer loyalty, increased retention, and more repeat business.

Align Your Technology with Next-Gen Omnichannel Best Practices

8. Get to the Cloud

Cloud based customer support systems are the backbone of modern omnichannel strategies. They offer flexibility and instant scalability, without insanely taxing your agents.

Actionable Steps: 

• Migrate to a cloud-based CCaaS system with omnichannel support. (*Cough*—ours is pretty cool *Cough*)
• Look for platforms with native integrations for voice, chat, social, and email.
• Prioritize tools with real-time updates and 24/7 support.

Outcome: 

Seamless system updates, greater agility, and a foundation for omnichannel innovation.

See how the Broadvoice GoContact CCaaS platform can make your customers swoon at your omnichannel service experience.  

9. Make Data-Backed Decisions

Flying blind? Not anymore. Real-time analytics let you spot trends, identify bottlenecks, and boost performance. (And it’s a recurring theme for the omnichannel best practices you should start ASAP.)

Actionable Steps: 

• Set up dashboards that monitor FCR, Average Handle Time (AHT), and channel-specific performance metrics.
• Review reports weekly with your team to identify quick wins.
• Use predictive analytics to anticipate customer needs.

Outcome: 

Informed decision-making that drives both operational efficiency and a better CX.

10. Prioritize Security and Compliance

Your contact center handles sensitive data. If security is compromised, so is trust.

Actionable Steps: 

• Choose platforms that comply with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC II (again, like we do…).
• Implement encryption and multi-factor authentication across all channels.
• Conduct regular security audits.

Outcome: 

Trustworthy interactions that protect both your business and your customers.

A Couple Omnichannel Best Practices to Build a Resilient Contact Center Team

11. Build a Culture of Collaboration

Teams that work well together mirror that cohesion in their customer interactions.

Actionable Steps: 

• Use connected UCaaS tools (like b-hive) to encourage cross-channel collaboration.
• Conduct brainstorming sessions focused on real-world problem-solving scenarios.
• Celebrate wins that result from teamwork.

Outcome: 

A connected team that delivers better CX and enjoys higher morale.

12. Create a Feedback Loop for Continuous Improvement

Feedback isn’t a one-and-done task; it’s an ongoing process. If you don’t already have one-on-one meetings set up for your agents, get on that stat. Then, during those conversations, ask them for feedback. Then actually put the feedback into practice.

Actionable Steps: 

• Survey agents and customers regularly about pain points and successes.
• Use feedback to refine training programs and workflows.
• Share insights across teams to align everyone toward shared goals.

Outcome: 

Continuous growth and adaptability in an ever-changing CX landscape.

Scaling Your Omnichannel Experience

13. Start Small, Scale Smart

Big changes can overwhelm teams. Start with small wins and then grow your strategy steadily.

Actionable Steps: 

• Pick one underperforming channel and focus your optimization efforts there.
• Set achievable goals, like improving response times by 10% in one quarter.
• Document processes for future scaling.

Outcome: 

Incremental improvements that build momentum and confidence.

14. Stay Ahead with Emerging Technologies

Future-proofing your contact center is essential to keep pace with customer expectations.

Actionable Steps: 

• Explore tools like generative AI for drafting responses or sentiment analysis to gauge customer emotions.
• Work with tech vendors that prioritize scalability and innovation.
• Test emerging tools in pilot programs before rolling them out widely.

Outcome: 

A forward-thinking strategy that meets today’s needs and anticipates tomorrow’s.

15. Benchmark Success with Industry Metrics

As the saying goes, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” And while, that’s not necessarily true in every single instance, in your customer experience, having data to benchmark your success makes managing your operations a whole lot easier. It’s one of the omnichannel best practices you should start ASAP.

Actionable Steps: 

• Regularly evaluate metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), CSAT, and Customer Lifetime Value (CLV).
• Compare your performance to competitors and industry averages.
• Use benchmarking data to set ambitious but realistic goals.

Outcome: 

Sharper insights into your performance and a competitive edge in the market.

10 More Best Practices to Keep in Your Toolbox

16. Use Voice of the Customer Tools for Actionable Insights

Customer surveys, social media listening, and feedback loops aren’t optional anymore.

Outcome: 

Data that pinpoints exactly what’s working—and what’s not.

17. Add Agent-in-the-Loop AI

AI tools can assist agents in real-time by suggesting responses or pulling relevant data.

Outcome: 

Faster resolutions and reduced agent workload.

18. Enable Self-Service Portals for 24/7 Support

Customer self-service is a win-win. And 61% of customers say they’d rather use self-service tools for simple issues. With the help of AI, they can book a meeting, make a payment, change their password, or ask questions whenever the need strikes—not based on your agent’s availability.

Outcome: 

Lower call volumes and empowered customers.

19. Test All Channels Monthly

Regular testing keeps all channels running smoothly.

Outcome: 

Fewer technical issues and better CX continuity.

20. Invest in Workforce Management Tools

WFM tools optimize staffing and ensure agents are where they’re needed most.

Outcome: 

Balanced workloads and better service coverage.

21. Focus on Agent Well-Being to Combat Burnout

Happier agents lead to happier customers.

Outcome: 

Lower turnover and improved agent performance.

22. Align Your Omnichannel KPIs With Business Objectives

Your KPIs should drive your business goals, not just your contact center metrics.

Outcome: 

Stronger alignment and bigger wins for your organization.

23. Use Social Media as a Proactive Channel

Turn your social channels into engagement powerhouses.

Outcome: 

Faster response times and improved customer sentiment.

24. Design an Easy-To-Use Mobile Experience

Your mobile CX should be intuitive and fast.

Outcome: 

Higher engagement and fewer complaints from on-the-go customers.

25. Schedule Regular Check-Ins for Your Omnichannel Strategy

Strategies can stagnate without consistent evaluation.

Outcome: 

Continuous improvement keep your team ahead of the curve.