How WebRTC is Disrupting Traditional Customer Experience

WebRTC is changing many facets of our everyday lives, as developers and as consumers. Most consumers are using WebRTC without even realizing it or understanding how it works. And that’s the point — WebRTC should be silent, unknown, in the background. What should be loud, known and right in front of the consumer is an amazingly positive customer experience and brand interaction. WebRTC is increasingly powering this interaction.

Many brands are jumping at the chance to reach their customers in new, exciting ways using WebRTC.

Amazon Mayday Button

Amazon’s Mayday button is a pretty slick tool. WebRTCHacks published an article investigating whether the button was using true WebRTC or not, with the consensus that it most likely uses WebRTC video, though perhaps not audio.

Created for use with the Amazon Kindle Fire tablet, the Mayday button connects users with a real, live Amazon tech support rep at the push of a button, 24/7/365. That rep can talk to you via two-way voice and data (they see what’s on your screen in real-time), draw on your screen to explain things, or even do a task for you.

This level of VIP concierge tech support, available whenever customers need it in the comfort of their own homes using any device, is impossible without the use of WebRTC. As more companies adopt technology like this to offer the best support, customers’ expectations for it will increase.

Telehealth Services

In addition to retail and ecommerce customer support, WebRTC is also changing the way other industries provide experiences, like healthcare.

There are a number of apps out there now that allow consumers to see a doctor online, using two way WebRTC audio/video and data communication. Notable examples are First Opinion in the US, which allows you to talk to a doctor for free but charges $39 for prescriptions, and MDLive which charges $49 per visit. EQ Virtual is another two way voice and video app to see a doctor, and is free for patients to use in British Columbia, Canada.

As WebRTC becomes more integrated into customer experiences around the world, and more brands jump on board, providing this new level of customer experience will become expected by consumers.

Don’t get left behind.