In my last blog, I talked about persistence: the need for companies to “pick up where the customer left off” when a customer moves between channels. But persistence only solves half the problem. The other half is consistency.

Because what good is remembering the customer’s cart if the prices, policies, or even the answers are different depending on the channel where they show up?

A Hidden Gap in CX

Customers live in a multi-channel world. They bounce between apps, websites, stores, and contact centers without a second thought. To them, it’s all one company. But inside the business, it’s usually not that simple. Each channel can have its own systems, data sources and knowledge management. And its own processes, policies, and constraints.

Lack of channel consistency is a by-product of this complexity.

That’s how you get situations where the website says one thing, the store says another, and the agent on the phone says something completely different. For the customer, that feels like broken promises. For the company, it’s lost trust — and can lead to lost business.

The Channel Paradox

Here’s the paradox: companies have made significant investments to expand the number of channel choices and capabilities within the channels. And yet companies can create channel inconsistency by restricting the channel choice. Or by not being straightforward about what interactions can be completed in each channel.

• You can sign up online to receive the best deal but then find out you have to call if you want to cancel.
• You’re encouraged to use digital self-service, but when the issue can’t be resolved, it’s impossible to find a number to call.

So which is it? Is it about giving customers a choice of channels and consistent experience, or about steering them to what’s best for the company?  For most organizations, the truth is somewhere in between. But for the customer, the inconsistency can be glaring.

Why Consistency Is So Hard

Consistency doesn’t mean replicating the same capabilities and offers across all channels. Customers don’t expect the mobile app to solve the same problems a live agent can. What they do expect is clarity and continuity:

• Correct and consistent information regardless of the selected channel
• Transparency about what each channel can and can’t handle
• Easy access to whatever channel is selected
• Context carried forward, so they’re not repeating themselves at every turn

The reality is that this is hard work. Legacy systems don’t always talk to each other. Data can sit in silos. Differing security requirements may create friction.  But none of that matters to the customer. From their perspective, inconsistency equals confusion.

Why Voice Still Matters

This is why the voice channel still carries so much weight. It’s the channel that is expected to pick up the pieces when everything else fails. It’s where the most complex, emotional, and high-value conversations take place. It’s where trust is won or lost in real time.

Voice still matters because the customer holds the agent accountable-not the chat bot, the website, or the mobile app-when there is lack of channel consistency.

Persistence + Consistency = Trust

Persistence means I don’t have to start over. Consistency means I don’t have to wonder which answer is the right one. Together, they’re what define a modern, trustworthy customer journey.

Until companies solve both, they’ll remain stuck in the paradox: offering choice on the surface, while taking it away in practice.

And customers notice, not just in what they say, but in whether they come back.