Driving Enterprise Success through OmniChannel Customer Experience

Enterprises have to constantly keep an eye on evolving user preferences in terms of their preferred channels. This reduces friction and maximizes inclusion when engaging with customers.

Omnichannel works best when customers experience one smooth conversation, not scattered messages. We start with WhatsApp for rich, two-way journeys, rely on SMS for universal reach and delivery, and test RCS on Android groups with automatic SMS fallback. Every message follows India’s rules—DLT registration for SMS, DPDP consent, and WhatsApp opt-in. Journeys run on an orchestration layer that picks the channel by rule, not guesswork, and connects to a live agent when automation ends. The outcome is consistent—faster resolution, better conversion, and clear impact on revenue.

Once upon a time, customers expected to physically visit a business to get service. However, today the expectation of the customer is to be engaged via channels such as telephone, SMS, chat, email and more recently WhatsApp. Research from PwC, Twilio and Hubspot shows that there is significant differences between age groups –

• Millennials prefer newer communication modes
• GenX and Baby Boomers prefer older modes

Omnichannel vs Multichannel: Why It Matters

Multichannel sends messages in separate lanes, where each thread runs alone. Omnichannel, on the other hand, unifies identity, consent, and context so the customer experiences one continuous journey across WhatsApp, SMS, RCS, voice, email, and push.

An orchestration layer plays a key role here. It decides who to contact, what to send, when to engage, and where to deliver. It also records delivery, read, reply, and resolution back into CRM. This avoids repetition for customers and gives teams one clear funnel to manage.

Technology Shifts Driving Engagement

• RCS Adoption: Google, in partnership with mobile operators, has launched RCS (Rich Communication Services) in multiple markets as a powerful alternative to SMS and WhatsApp. While adoption is still growing, RCS offers app-like features, 2-way conversations, and can deliver up to 10X higher engagement for enterprises.
• Market Trends: In India, enterprise messaging has crossed the billion-dollar mark. WhatsApp usage remains massive, RCS traffic is expanding, and SMS still anchors delivery. With Apple’s iOS 18 introducing RCS support (Android already leads), rich native messaging will grow even further, while compliance requirements also tighten.

The Value of Omnichannel Experiences

Surveys show that customers who engage with brands across multiple channels tend to spend more and stay loyal longer compared to single-channel customers. This underlines the importance of delivering a consistent and integrated omnichannel experience that adapts to diverse customer behaviors.

Building Blocks of Omnichannel Customer Experience

Enterprises can strengthen their strategies with:

1. Authentication for Trust
   • Use WhatsApp Authentication templates during service windows for verified profiles, read receipts, and quick actions.
   • Keep SMS OTP as the universal fallback—reliable for every mobile number, even in low-data areas.
   • Add SIM-based, OTP-less checks on trusted devices to reduce friction.
   • Policy approach: try WhatsApp first, fall back to SMS in seconds, escalate to masked voice calls for high-risk cases.
2. Technology Stack
   • Data & Identity: CDP/CRM stores identity and consent.
   • Orchestration: Applies policy, selects the right channel, and routes conversations.
   • Channels: WhatsApp, SMS, RCS, voice, email, and push.
   • Bots & Agents: Bots handle routine tasks; handover routes to agents with full history when needed.
   • Analytics: Real-time feedback on delivery, read, reply, resolution, and conversion ensures marketing and care operate on the same truth.
3. Core Principles
   • Separation of Data & Channels: Keep customer data in CDP/CRM.
   • Personalization & Targeting: Use data to tailor offers and communication.
   • Seamless Integration: Continue conversations across channels without losing context.
   • Interactive Engagement: Use rich features in RCS, WhatsApp, and Messenger.
   • Data Analytics & Insights: Optimize strategies based on customer behavior.
   • Proactive Support: Solve issues quickly; adding more channels alone is not enough.

Compliance as a Foundation

Compliance is not an afterthought—it’s built into the system:

• SMS: Must pass through TRAI’s DLT system (Entity, Headers, Templates) with ₹0.025 scrubbing charges per SMS. Promotional traffic must follow set time windows.
• WhatsApp: Needs explicit opt-in and template approval; service replies are limited to 24 hours.
• DPDP Act: Requires purpose-based consent and clear opt-out options.
• Enforcement: The orchestration layer blocks non-compliant messages before they leave the system.

By embedding compliance in workflows, enterprises not only avoid penalties but also build long-term trust with customers.

The Winning Approach

The future belongs to enterprises that:

• Standardize on orchestration—one policy layer, many channels.
• Focus on measurable results like revenue and customer satisfaction, not vanity metrics.
• Leverage platforms like Times Mobile’s cPaaS, which supports multiple channels (SMS, RCS, WhatsApp, Voice, Email) and delivers analytics to identify multi-channel behavior, for example, a customer who prefers SMS during the day and WhatsApp in the evening.

Enterprises that master this orchestration will not only achieve higher ROI but also create lasting customer relationships, turning every interaction into an opportunity for trust and growth.