Last year, Google introduced the concept of micro-moments – intent-driven moments of decision-making and preference-shaping that occur throughout the consumer journey. Micro-moments occur when people instinctively turn to their mobile device to browse, research, resolve a problem, or buy something.

With the rise of this “need now, get now” culture, it is not surprising that customers expect similar levels of service when it comes to engagement and support – an expectation that has proved challenging for today’s online retailer.

In order for retailers to meet evolving customer experience demands, they must adopt an omnichannel approach that delivers accessible, personalised and consistent customer service.

Retailers that can successfully implement this approach will be the most resilient, and will continue to gain and retain customers. Below are a few common challenges in customer service that are completely avoidable with the right approach:

• Siloed communication – One of the largest problems with customer service is the disconnect between channels. Customers may initially use social media to voice a complaint, only to be moved to a live chat or an agent over the phone. The problem is that there is no interaction between these service channels, so the customer is left explaining the issue over and over again, which is frustrating and time consuming. When dealing with a problem concerning a product or service, a customer is already upset, and the need to repeatedly explain the issue to various customer service channels only escalates that frustration.

• Inefficient use of channels – Efficiency is the key to success in customer service. Questions with simple tasks like password resets or updated billing information likely do not require a phone call to reach a solution. In these cases, methods like on-site live chat can likely provide the same results in a shorter window of time. Another popular solution for many companies is an FAQ page, and for good reason. Research firm Vanson Bourne recently conducted a global study of mobile engagement on behalf of LogMeIn titled Effective Mobile Engagement, which found that 42 per cent of respondents from Australia and New Zealand “always” or “usually” look for FAQs on a retailer’s website or app when they need to get a question answered. Unfortunately, most companies are not creating efficient FAQs, with four out of five ANZ respondents reporting that they have abandoned a mobile experience because the support or contact information was too difficult to find – and around two in five (38 per cent) had done so within the last month.

• Disjointed customer information – While providing multiple channels for customers is important, often companies cannot share information across channels, forcing customer service agents to switch between various dashboards to get the full picture. This toggling process can lead to mistakes that ultimately delay resolution time. Companies need to be especially cautious of cross-channel information gaps as it only takes one mistake or miscommunication to lose a customer forever.

• One-size fits all mentality – As technology continues to evolve; the ecosystem of channels will only grow. Supporting an abundance of channels can get costly, so more and more companies are looking to self-service options to streamline productivity and curb costs. In the right situations, this is extremely effective, but customer engagement is not one-size fits all. For instance, the Effective Mobile Engagement survey found that among millennials in ANZ, phone calls are quickly being taken over by live chat. Today’s customers are also looking for more personalisation, with 93 per cent of respondents saying that they should always be able to contact a real person during their mobile experience.

Effective mobile engagement can – and should – be a competitive differentiator for businesses. Yet many businesses simply view the device as an extension of their customer engagement strategy. By understanding the unique behaviours of your mobile customers, you can better tailor the experience to their needs and proactively support customers through their journey.

Daniel Cran is the APAC managing director, LogMeIn.