Omnichannel Contact Centre
An omnichannel contact centre is a service team that customers can reach by voice, email, chat, SMS, social media or messaging apps. Your agents answer them all from one screen.
Want to see how it could work for your team? Call us and we will talk through which channels to add first.
What Is an Omnichannel Contact Centre?
In an omnichannel contact centre, customers can reach you by voice, email, web chat, SMS, social media or messaging apps. Whichever they choose, your agents handle it on one screen.
The channels are joined up. If a customer starts on chat and then rings, the agent sees the history, and nobody has to explain things twice.
- One workspace for every channel
- Customer details and history on screen
- Switch to a call or video in the same conversation
- Language
- English
- Customer
- Alex Morgan
- Company
- Example Ltd
- Subject
- Invoice query
- Queue
- Billing text messages
- Case number
- 10482
For illustration only. The names, numbers and records shown are made up and are not real customer data.
Omnichannel or Multichannel?
A multichannel centre offers several channels that work separately. An omnichannel centre joins them up. The customer’s history follows them from one channel to the next.
That joined-up view is what makes the experience feel personal, and it saves your agents time.
Channels Your Customers Already Use
Voice
Calls with queues, menus and routing, backed by clear, secure audio.
Emails join the same queues as calls and are shared out fairly between agents.
Web Chat
Live chat on your website, answered from the same screen as your calls.
SMS
Text messages in and out, for confirmations, updates and short replies.
Social Media
Messages from social media reach the same team, with the same history.
Messaging Apps
Customers who prefer messaging apps can reach you there, and you reply from the agent screen.
How Does an Omnichannel Conversation Flow?
Customer Gets in Touch
They call, write or message on the channel they prefer.
The Platform Recognises Them
Where it can, the system matches the customer to your CRM and shows their details to the agent.
The Right Agent Responds
Routing sends the conversation to an agent with the right skills who is free to help.
Switch Channel if Needed
The agent can move from chat to a call, or to video, within the same interaction, and the history stays attached.
Agent Tools That Help Every Conversation
One Workspace
Agents handle every channel from a single interface and can switch between them during an interaction.
Customer Data on Screen
For supported CRM systems, customer details appear automatically when a conversation starts.
Co-Browsing
Agents can look at the same web page as the customer and guide them through it.
Video Escalation
Move a customer to a video call when seeing the problem helps.
Expert Connect
Agents can bring in a colleague with the right knowledge, without sending the customer elsewhere.
Callback Options
Queued callback and web callback let customers keep their place without waiting on the line.
Engage: Reach Customers Beyond the Contact Centre
Not every customer conversation happens in the contact centre. Account managers, sales teams and service staff also need to reach customers.
Engage lets them contact customers by voice, video and text message from the same platform. The history is kept in one place. More channels are being added over time. Ask us what is available today.
For illustration only. The screens and messages shown are examples, not real customer data or live systems.
Proactive Outreach: Contact Customers First
Do not wait for customers to ring. Text and messaging campaigns let you reach them on the channel they check most.
Notify
Send personal updates in bulk, such as appointment reminders, new products and offers.
Interact
Run two-way campaigns that lead back to an automated agent or a person.
Alert
Tell customers and your own teams promptly when something changes or goes wrong.
Collect Feedback
Ask for a rating or short survey straight after a conversation.
Seamless, Personal Experiences
- Customers are recognised, with their details and history on screen
- Nobody has to repeat themselves between channels or agents
- Skills-based routing sends each enquiry to someone able to help
- Customers choose the channel, and can change it halfway through
Voice Only and Omnichannel Contact Centre Compared
See what changes when you move from voice only to an omnichannel contact centre.
| Area | Voice only | Omnichannel contact centre |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | Phone calls | Voice, email, chat, SMS, social media and messaging apps |
| Customer history | Held in separate places | One record, whichever channel is used |
| Agent screen | Phone and separate tools | One workspace for every channel |
| Changing channel | Customer starts again | The conversation carries on |
| Reports | Call volumes only | Activity across every channel |
Key Terms for an Omnichannel Contact Centre
These words help you compare options for an omnichannel contact centre.
A route customers use to reach you, such as voice, chat or SMS.
Channels joined up, so the history and context follow the customer.
Several channels that work separately, with no shared history.
One screen where agents handle every channel.
Agent and customer view the same web page together.
All the steps a customer takes, from first contact to resolution.
Where Does an Omnichannel Contact Centre Help Most?
Any business whose customers use more than one channel can gain. Choose a sector to see an example.
Retail and Delivery
Customers ask about orders by chat, text or phone. Agents see the order and answer on the same channel.
A customer texts about a late parcel. The agent sees the order, replies by text and offers a new delivery slot.
Healthcare and Appointments
Reminders go out by text. Patients reply, rebook or ask for a call, all in one thread.
A patient replies to a reminder to say they cannot attend. The agent rebooks the visit in the same thread.
Financial Services
Customers move from chat to a call for sensitive questions. The agent already has the background.
A customer starts on chat, then asks for a call about a payment. The agent picks up with the chat history on screen.
Professional Services
Clients email, call or message. Everything is logged against one record.
A client emails a question and later rings about it. The adviser sees both and answers without asking again.
Common Mistakes With an Omnichannel Contact Centre
Avoid these errors when you plan an omnichannel contact centre.
How to Choose an Omnichannel Contact Centre
These six points matter when you choose an omnichannel contact centre. Ask one of our team about any of these questions, and we will be happy to discuss a solution for your business.
All your channels in one workspace
Voice, email, web chat, SMS, social media and messaging apps arrive in one place.
Ask us: Can my agents handle every channel without switching screens?One customer record
History from every channel sits on a single record, so nobody starts from scratch.
Ask us: Will an agent see the earlier chat when the customer rings?Routing that includes digital
Skills-based routing covers chat, email and SMS as well as calls.
Ask us: Do digital contacts reach the right agent as quickly as calls?Links to the tools you use
Connections to your CRM and Microsoft Teams keep details in step.
Ask us: Does it work with the systems we already have?Reports across every channel
One set of reports shows how each channel performs.
Ask us: Can I compare channels side by side?Support based in the UK
Help comes from a UK team that knows your set-up.
Ask us: Who do I call when I need a hand?
Recognition Behind Our Contact Centre Service
Joining up every channel takes careful planning. It matters who does it with you. In 2026 the platform we install collected two Gold awards. In 2025 it reached Leader status in the GigaOm Radar. Blake Telecom also holds a Corporate Vision title.
Stevie® Awards
Customer Service Team of the Year
At the 24th American Business Awards in April 2026 the platform won this title. It also took Gold for Achievement in Management, two Silvers and a Bronze.
NY Product Design Awards
Product UX
Gold in April 2026 for the platform’s mobile workspace, which puts calls, video and team chat into one screen.
GigaOm Radar
Contact Centre as a Service
Placed as a Leader and Fast Mover in the 2025 GigaOm Radar for CCaaS. The review weighs contact centre platforms on features and how quickly they develop.
The platform we supply won these awards. Verified reviews from its users are listed on Gartner Peer Insights.
What Customers Say About Working With Blake Telecom
We have supplied business communications since 2004. For CCaaS, one UK-based team plans the routing, tests it before launch and looks after it afterwards.
Blake Telecom have been supplying our business communications for well over 10 years. We have found both their systems and support to be fully robust and they have given an excellent service throughout with value for money for their products. Their approach to helping our business has always been excellent from every aspect and I would highly recommend their services.
Blake Telecom have been paramount to the growth of our business by continuing to offer our business the very highest level of service. The equipment we have been supplied has been extremely flexible allowing us to change needs. Blake Telecom’s knowledge and expertise has been very professional and we look forward to working together on our future projects.
Blake Telecom have revolutionised the way we operate. They have gone the extra mile in making the setup process painless and it was easy to install. Any questions are dealt with quickly and efficiently, and the staff are a pleasure to deal with. I truly wish we found them years ago. We recommend Blake Telecom to many of our suppliers and even customers whenever we can.
Moving to rural office space, without the benefits of reasonable broadband speed, and without telephony services include, Blake Telecom directed us to alternatives and the solution we have is excellent. 4G Wi-Fi VoIP, serving our current needs and situation perfectly. The team were succinct in his explanation of what we could achieve, providing something promptly and getting this set up with minimum fuss and delay.
Questions About Omnichannel Contact Centres
Here are the questions we hear most often about omnichannel contact centres. If you cannot see yours, we are happy to help. Our contact us page has the details, or you can read our blog.
Prefer to talk? Ring 01325 647000.
Let’s Talk About Your Customer Channels
Tell us how your customers get in touch today, and which channels you would like to add. We will show you how an omnichannel contact centre could work.
We plan your queues and routing, connect your numbers and systems, and set everything up for you. Many firms start with voice and add channels as they grow.
Phone lines are staffed Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm. The rest of our details are on our contact us page.
- Voice, email, chat, SMS and more
- One workspace for every channel
- Works with your CRM and Teams
- UK-based support
Reviewed by Aaron Barrowman, Engineer at Blake Telecom, on 28/10/2026.