Customer service organizations are adapting to increasingly social and connected consumers seeking service in their preferred channel. Consumers have embraced platforms like Apple Business Chat (ABC), Google’s Business Messages, Messenger, and WhatsApp, but only a minority of brands offer service on these platforms, while a growing number are piloting service. Customer service leaders should read this report to learn why third-party platforms have evolved from nice-to-have to need-to-have in contact centers during the pandemic.