121 CRM playbook · Multi-channel follow-up

Coordinate email, SMS, telephone and other approved channels so the customer receives a coherent conversation, not repeated chasing.

A fictional training provider emails course details, then uses one SMS reminder only where requested. This playbook turns that kind of situation into an owned sequence with explicit stop points, exceptions and measures. Use only channels, data and capabilities approved for your setup.

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Customer Thread

Multi-channel follow-up: the working sequence

Illustrative example

Choose a primary channel
Check recent activity
Keep one owner
Human review

Choose a primary channel
Use the customer’s preference and the nature of the information.
Check recent activity
Stop or adapt when the customer replies elsewhere.
Keep one owner
Make a person accountable for the whole conversation across channels.
Human review
A person checks the outcome and any exception.
Human decision

Illustrative playbook — names, organisations and activity are fictional.

Fictional workflow demonstration

Follow multi-channel follow-up from start to next action.

The coded interface shows an example sequence using fictional data and does not expose a live CRM account.

121

Northstar Joinery

Fictional

Keep customer messages together

OverviewContactsInboxPipelineAutomation

Keep customer messages together

See the message, customer context and responsible owner in the same working view.

Search inbox

Bramble Studio

Jamie Clarke · Email

Contact confirmed

Could Thursday morning work for a short discovery call?

09:54

Yes — 11:30 is available. I can send the appointment details once the scope is confirmed.

10:02

Thursday morning would work well. Thank you.

10:24

Write a reply…

Illustrative 121 interfaceAll people, organisations, dates and activity are fictional. Any figures are illustrative. Controls demonstrate interaction patterns, not enabled account features.

What supports the playbook

See what the CRM can coordinate — and where your team steps in.

The CRM can organise the sequence, but the business still sets the rules, checks consent and handles the moments that need human judgement.

Capability 01

Conversations inbox

Brings supported connected message threads into a shared operational inbox.

How it works: Handles an eligible customer interaction through a configured inbox, number or connected channel.
Why use it: Helps a team see the customer history and coordinate replies from one working view.
Plan for: Delivery, message types, geographic coverage, approval and charges vary by channel and provider.
Your team owns: A person must own sensitive conversations, failed delivery and any situation outside the approved script.

Capability 02

Email conversations

Sends and receives supported email messages against the customer conversation and contact record.

How it works: Handles an eligible customer interaction through a configured inbox, number or connected channel.
Why use it: Keeps email context visible to authorised colleagues rather than one private mailbox.
Plan for: Delivery, message types, geographic coverage, approval and charges vary by channel and provider.
Your team owns: A person must own sensitive conversations, failed delivery and any situation outside the approved script.

Capability 03

SMS and MMS

Uses a configured phone provider and compliant number to send and receive supported text and media messages.

How it works: Handles an eligible customer interaction through a configured inbox, number or connected channel.
Why use it: Supports quick customer updates while preserving the thread in the CRM.
Plan for: Delivery, message types, geographic coverage, approval and charges vary by channel and provider.
Your team owns: A person must own sensitive conversations, failed delivery and any situation outside the approved script.

Capability 04

Call handling

Supports configured inbound and outbound calling, routing, voicemail and related call records.

How it works: Handles an eligible customer interaction through a configured inbox, number or connected channel.
Why use it: Makes call activity part of the customer history rather than a separate phone log.
Plan for: Delivery, message types, geographic coverage, approval and charges vary by channel and provider.
Your team owns: A person must own sensitive conversations, failed delivery and any situation outside the approved script.

Capability 05

Goals and exits

Moves or removes records when the configured outcome or stop condition has been met.

How it works: Runs an ordered sequence only after its configured trigger and conditions are met.
Why use it: Helps avoid continuing follow-up after the customer has already acted.
Plan for: Automation follows its configuration; it cannot repair poor data, unclear rules or an unavailable external service.
Your team owns: A process owner must approve, test, monitor and pause or correct faulty automation.

Entry criteria

Begin with a valid trigger, enough context and one owner

A live customer task needs follow-up and the appropriate channels and preferences are known. Before any automated action, confirm that the event, customer record and communication basis are suitable for this playbook.

Trigger

A live customer task needs follow-up and the appropriate channels and preferences are known.

Practical scenario

A fictional training provider emails course details, then uses one SMS reminder only where requested.

Human decision retained

Accountable owner

Name the person or queue that accepts the work, monitors exceptions and can stop the sequence.

The sequence

Run the multi-channel follow-up playbook step by step

Each step should leave evidence a colleague can understand. Timing and channels should follow the customer context rather than a generic high-pressure cadence.

1. Choose a primary channel

Use the customer’s preference and the nature of the information.

2. Give each channel a role

Let one explain, another remind and a person handle questions.

3. Check recent activity

Stop or adapt when the customer replies elsewhere.

4. Limit cadence

Set a clear attempt count, spacing and end date.

Close the loop

5. Keep one owner

Make a person accountable for the whole conversation across channels.

Owner, timing and exception

Make the operational state easy to review

The supporting view keeps the next action and human checkpoint visible around the automated steps.

121 CRM · Connected operations

Book discovery

October · illustrative availability

MTWTFSS1234567891011121314

11:3014:00

Appointment sequence

Booked

Calendar entry created

1 day before

Reminder scheduled

Exception

Owner reviews a reply

Journey summary

New

Illustrative

Owned

Illustrative

Due

Illustrative

Website

Referral

Direct

Illustrative exampleAll dates, counts and workflow states are fictional. Availability and behaviour depend on the agreed setup.

Exception paths

Stop the normal route when the facts change

Exceptions are part of the process, not failures to be hidden. Route them to a person with the authority and context to decide what happens next.

Human review

Conflicting preferences

Use the most restrictive current choice and obtain clarification.

Human review

Reply on another channel

Pause queued messages and respond in the thread the customer chose.

Human review

Sensitive matter

Move to the approved secure or specialist route.

Operational review

Measure whether the work became safer and clearer

Use measures that reveal ownership, service quality and control. Counts of messages, tasks or workflow runs are supporting signals, not proof of customer value.

Customers receiving duplicate or contradictory messages

Target zero.

Live follow-ups with a named owner

Check the cross-channel view.

Responses honoured before next send

Review workflow timing and sync delays.

Questions about this page

Useful answers, without the sales fog.

1. When should the multi-channel follow-up playbook start?

A live customer task needs follow-up and the appropriate channels and preferences are known. Confirm the record is eligible and that a named owner or monitored queue is available before allowing customer-facing action.

2. Which channels should the multi-channel follow-up playbook use?

Use only configured channels that suit the purpose, customer preference and consent position. Give each channel a distinct role and check provider availability and usage charges before launch.

3. When should multi-channel follow-up automation stop?

Stop when the purpose is complete, the customer responds or opts out, the data conflicts, or an exception needs judgement. In this playbook, pay particular attention to conflicting preferences, reply on another channel, sensitive matter.

4. How should we judge whether multi-channel follow-up works?

Review customers receiving duplicate or contradictory messages, live follow-ups with a named owner, responses honoured before next send. Combine the numbers with sampled records and customer context; do not treat activity volume as a business outcome.

Read all CRM questions

Continue the journey

Conversations Campaign management Follow-up automation Human handover

Delegate the work. Keep the human.

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