A new study conducted on behalf of Rakuten Viber by technology research firm Omdia reveals that messaging has transcended its role as a simple communication medium and evolved into a essential tool for customer service and relationship management throughout the entire business interaction cycle.
Read: How Viber is changing the game for small businesses in Greece: Simple and effective tips
The research was conducted among nearly 300 business executives across Europe and Asia – including Greece – and highlights that while messaging has become a critical business tool, the use of multiple disconnected communication channels often creates inconsistencies in customer experience and limits growth potential.
Communication channel fragmentation as a barrier
The study emphasizes that using multiple different communication channels poses a significant obstacle to consistent customer experience. Although communication technologies have evolved, many businesses struggle to effectively manage their communications across SMS, messaging apps, and email.
In Greece, 17% of businesses report that communication fragmentation across different channels hampers effective customer communication, while 25% state that this leads to inconsistent customer experiences across various touchpoints.
However, the issue extends beyond user experience. The lack of coordination between channels can lead to lower engagement and missed sales opportunities. Specifically, 38% of businesses report that poor conversion rates from advertising campaigns represent a key challenge, while 32% face low engagement and message open rates.
Messaging as a strategic business tool
Despite these challenges, messaging is gradually evolving into a core operational tool for businesses rather than just another communication channel. Companies are already using it across multiple stages of customer relationships. In Greece:
- 68% of businesses use messaging for transactional notification messages
- 60% for promotional campaigns
- 31% for customer service and feedback collection
As messaging usage expands, it becomes increasingly important for communication platforms to integrate easily with other business systems, such as CRM and customer management tools. For 34% of businesses, the ability to integrate seamlessly with these systems is a key factor for effective audience communication.
Personalization, security, and revenue growth
Businesses are now seeking messaging solutions that offer greater value, such as personalized communication, high data security, and the ability to measure results.
For example, 45% of businesses consider leveraging artificial intelligence for personalized messages to be one of the most important capabilities for messaging evolution. Meanwhile, data security represents a significant platform selection criterion: 52% of Greek businesses state that strong data protection is a fundamental factor in choosing communication solutions.
At the same time, messaging is increasingly viewed as a revenue development tool. Over 80% of businesses believe that messaging-based commerce – such as in-chat payments or product discovery through conversations – will be a significant revenue growth factor within the next two years.
Simplicity as competitive advantage
The study concludes that the complexity of communication tools and channels represents a significant barrier for businesses. For this reason, many companies are turning to platforms that unify communication functions and facilitate management.
Specifically, 62% of business executives in Greece believe that consolidating different communication channels into a unified platform will help achieve their business goals within the next two years. This trend leads toward “super app” solutions that combine different communication services, automation, and analytics tools in a unified environment.
“The data clearly shows that the businesses that will stand out in the coming years won’t necessarily be those using the most communication channels, but those that manage to simplify the experience for their customers,” stated Cristina Constandache, Chief Revenue Officer of Rakuten Viber. “If they treat messaging as a core part of their business processes, companies in Greece can transform fragmented communication into steady growth.”
“Without clear strategy and measurable goals, messaging performance remains limited,” said Adam Holtby, Principal Analyst at Omdia. “The next phase of development will belong to companies that manage to simplify and coordinate their communications, rather than simply adding more channels.”
