There is no denying that customer service should be at the forefront of your marketing, sales, and communication strategies, simply because the modern customer needs to interact with their brands whether they are looking to buy a product, sign up for a service, or simply develop a deeper relationship with the brand.
Now, what makes for great customer service? The tools you use to communicate with your customers and audience, of course. These include direct messaging for customer support and even workplace collaboration, social media communication, websites chat functions, email, and most importantly, phones.
Phone communication is one of the best ways to lead people thorough your sales funnel, build a trustworthy connection with your target demographic, and simply run an effective operation across the board. That said, traditional phone systems are not only costly, but are also outdated in this digital era, which is why today we’ll be talking about VoIP systems, why you need one, and what are the features you should be looking for. Without further ado, here is what you need in a good VoIP phone system to grow your business.
Use Transcription to Read While You’re on a Call
The first handy feature that VoIP systems bring to the table is the ability to transform voice to text with a push of a button. You can use this function in many different situations, for example, if you’re already on a call but you’re waiting for an important message from a colleague, or a piece of information that can turn a dead-end pitch into a new account for your company.
Many sales agents and customer support agents will use transcription to multitask in an efficient and effective way, and resolve customer problems and pain-points without ever having to put them on hold, forward their calls, or worst of all, tell them that they will get back to them later.
In the modern business world, every second spent with a customer on the phone is an opportunity for a quick conversion or a risk that you’ll lose them for good, which is why you have to have speech-to-text functions at your side so that you can work seamlessly and have all the necessary information at your disposal.
Forward Calls to Various Devices
Call forwarding is an essential feature in any call center and business operation, and companies are typically using this feature to forward calls to different phones in the same department or even to colleagues from other departments. However, this is not the most efficient way to run a modern call center or office space, simply because of the limitations that traditional phone systems put on your staff, preventing you from improving your operation effectively.
Nowadays, companies are employing people from all over the world as freelancing, outsourcing, and remote work are becoming commonplace, and sometimes people are simply out of the office in meetings all over town. Whatever the case may be, you need to be able to forward all incoming calls to various devices, and most importantly, you need to be able to do it in a specific order.
Because VoIP systems integrate with various devices, you can use this feature to make calls go to your office phone first, then to your mobile phone if you’re not picking up, then to your home phone if you so wish, after which the caller can reach your colleague if you’re unable to pick up on any of the devices. This is a great way to avoid losing a lead and maintain productivity wherever you are.
Stay Connected via Smartphone
Speaking of maintaining productivity, one of the most important features small business phone systems need to have is the ability to integrate everything into your smartphone. Modern employees rely on their smartphones to retain productivity and efficiency throughout the day, which is why it is so important to have all of your VoIP features on your phone.
This is something that the popular Nextiva VoIP service focuses on in their VoIP plans, as you can easily utilize all VoIP features and perks via smartphone or desktop app if you’re in the office. This effectively pushes the limits to which you can maintain productivity while you’re out of the office, for example, if you’re running from meeting to meeting all over town while having to communicate with clients, join internal video calls, and manage remote employees along the way.
Increase Bandwidth as Needed
Because VoIP is a cloud-based solution, it is typically the most scalable phone system in the world, allowing you to grow your operation seamlessly and as new growth opportunities arise. Instead of having to get new phones to expand your call center or expand your infrastructure as a whole, you can simply request more bandwidth from your provider and you will be all set to take on more work and keep productivity high in the office and beyond.
Minimize Operating Costs
Last but not least, it’s important to note that VoIP, unlike traditional phone systems, is a cost-effective solution for companies of all shapes and sizes. This is because the VoIP infrastructure scales to the size of your business and your unique needs, however, you have to find a provider that offers tailor-made solutions so that you can get the best VoIP plan that will accommodate your needs in the short, mid, and long term.
Wrapping up
While having a phone system in your company is paramount for success in the long term, that is not to say that you should opt for a traditional phone infrastructure. Instead, be sure to look for these handy features and find the right VoIP plan that will help take your company forward as a whole.
Featured image credit: Unsplash.com
Sophia Smith is beauty and lifestyle blogger, an eco-lifestyle lover, graphic designer and a DIY enthusiast. Design plays a huge role in her personal expression. Sophia loves sharing meaningful content that educates and inspires people. She has contributed to a number of publications including: Women Love Tech, Cause Artist, Carousel and Viva Glam Magazine.
