The metaverse is a meaningful space that will be more familiar to each of us in the coming years. What all of the media is forgetting though, and perhaps the players and brands getting into this space, is that the metaverse is just another avenue we, as customers, will jump in and out of when interacting with brands.
What’s The Experience Today?
Let’s use your current bank as an example. Today, you’re in the bank’s app, you may go online and authenticate on their site, dial up the Contact Center, go to the branch, and even get cash from their ATM or someone else’s.
The journey can differ across all of these access points. Sometimes the experience is great, and other times it isn’t. What’s important is that you’re not just using one entry point into your bank. You’re likely using most or all of them depending on the need.
Many companies, including banks, are super focused on creating great experiences across all of these access points. You may have heard the term “omni-channel” to describe this. Some are more successful than others. It is really hard to deliver a great experience across each channel. Why? Think about how hard it is to align all the different tech, people, processes, infrastructure, etc. so that it feels like you’re dealing with one bank all of the time.
What’s The Experience Tomorrow?
Now think about the experience in the metaverse. Nobody, in our lifetime at least, is going to fully live in a virtual or fully-digital world all of the time. Some people may, but most of us will not.
Let’s go back to the bank example. And in this example, you need to call into the Contact Center. The problem you’re trying to solve is a charge on your credit card you’re not familiar with. Today, you dial a number, speak with an agent, they’ll investigate and potentially issue a refund if it was erroneous.
In the metaverse, you’ll put on your headset and speak with an Agent’s avatar directly. They can show you the product you purchased by bringing up a picture of it and perhaps an image of the front of the store where it was purchased. This is done all in real time.
But you likely didn’t just put on your headset to dial up the Contact Center. Chances are you were looking at a hard copy of your statement, in app, or even online first. And because you are still using multiple channels to engage your bank, including virtual worlds, you have moved from omni-channel to omni-verse.
Why Is This Important?
If you’re a designer, a technologist, a business owner, a business leader, or just a consumer that wants the experience to work across all touchpoints, start getting prepared for this eventual new way of engaging with a brand.
Get the current digital and physical experiences consistent now. And start to strategize about how you want your company to engage in the metaverse. When customers engage your brand in new digital spaces, the lack of the consistency in experience will be pronounced.
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