Executive summary

When Midco’s previous customer engagement platform fell short of expectations, they partnered with Khoros to operationalize service for customers across various messaging channels, including Apple Messages for Business and SMS.

Midco uses Khoros Modern Chat, with automation powered by Khoros Bot, to further improve engagement and efficiency across these channels. They plan to integrate Modern Chat with internal systems to perform functions for their customers, starting first with workflows, office hours, and automated messages. Midco’s stated goal is to increase digital support significantly, with an ambitious target of 75% of interactions to be handled in a digital format within five years. This includes self-service and automated interactions, as well as agent-assisted channels.

Leveraging the Khoros platform, Midco connected customers via SMS, and Apple Messages for Business, resulting in a marked increase in customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores. Compared to the traditional phone and chat support techniques that Midco previously used, the completion rate for Twitter, Facebook, SMS, and Apple Messages for Business jumped from just five percent to 28%. Customer satisfaction improved as well; Midco’s Khoros Care platform boasts a 4.5 out of 5 CSAT.

Khoros also helped Midco connect its internal teams with messaging in place of traditional channels. Operations dispatchers use Khoros Care to message technicians out in the field via SMS, improving communication efficiency and decreasing time-consuming phone calls. Across all of these channels, agents have a unified queue and workflows to help them avoid collisions in customer care. With asynchronous messaging support on Khoros Modern Chat, Midco agents and customers can use full conversation histories to recall previous interactions and, if necessary, pick up the discussion right where it left off.

With the help of Khoros, Midco has realized positive movement in customer satisfaction — their top priority. They plan to continue down this path because they understand that digital is the preferred engagement method for the customers they serve.

Results

Since implementing Apple Messages for Business, Midco has realized a 73% increase in call deflection, resulting in reduced response times. Likewise, Midco has seen a 20% drop in call volume to their 1-800 number since connecting their SMS to Khoros. Midco has leveraged these increased efficiencies to create an ambitious five-year plan. In that time, Midco will utilize the Khoros platform to handle 75% of interactions digitally.