cx-channel-strategylisted

# Channel strategy The usual failure mode is **adding channels because customers ask for them**, without a migration plan, a cost model, or a reason the existing channels failed. You end up with five ways to reach support, the same backlog, and higher cost — because each new channel is staffed, instrumented, and trained separately while demand never moved. Channel strategy is not "be everywhere." It is **matching contact routes to customer need, accessibility obligation, and what you can afford to run well.** ## Start with demand, not preference surveys | Question | Why it matters | | --- | --- | | Where do contacts actually arrive today? | Volume and driver mix by channel | | Where do customers go when channel A fails? | Leakage, not deflection | | Which drivers are channel-specific vs universal? | Phone for complex; chat for quick | | What is cost per contact by channel? | Async is cheap; voice is not | | Who cannot use your current channels? | Accessibility gap, not "nice to have" | A "customers want WhatsApp" survey without **why they want it** often means chat wait times are bad or the help centre failed — not that WhatsApp is the right fix. ## Cost to serve by channel Use **marginal** cost per contact — variable agent time and vendor per-contact fees — not fully loaded cost that includes fixed overhead. Savings are realised only when capacity or headcount changes. | Channel | Typical cost driver | What "cheap" hides | | --- | --- | --- | | **Self-service / KB**