by Joe Taylor Jr.
In a world where automated Web site helpdesks and chat programs have replaced live customer service agents at many companies, smart businesses have discovered that accessible phone support can actually grow profits. According to academics and business analysts, companies that emphasize proactive customer service build more profitable relationships with customers than businesses that try to avoid customer contact. The latest business phone systems incorporate features that allow companies to turn phone calls into sources of revenue by allowing employees to focus on solving problems and creating loyalty.
Business Phone Systems Unify Customer Contact
No customer enjoys getting shunted from one branch office to another, then back to a call center. New phone systems leverage VoIP technology that allows callers to reach anyone within an organization through a central contact number. Extensions and direct dial lines can be interchanged transparently, while any staff member can connect misrouted calls easily. Instead of saying, "I can't connect you," staff members can provide warm transfers to the most appropriate partners for a particular issue. Meanwhile, intelligent routing systems can hunt for specific staff members, even when they aren't working in their usual locations.
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Integrating Phone Systems with CRM Speeds Call Time
By tying caller ID information and idnteractive voice response feedback into live customer relationship management systems, modern business phone systems can remove many of the mundane elements from a typical customer service call. By the time a live service agent connects with a customer, he or she can already have access to account information and notes about the pending issue on a live screen. Instant access to notes from previous calls can help customers feel connected to an entire organization instead of beholden to a single agent. Because integration issues between phone systems and CRM platforms can be tricky, companies often turn to networks of specialized vendors, like NextRing, to help navigate the implementation process.
Business Phone Systems Document Transactions Efficiently
Callers to customer service centers often hear the phrase, "this call may be recorded for quality assurance purposes." Many call centers already use live call recording to verify sales and to train customer service agents. New VoIP telephone systems bring the same kind of functionality to everyone in a company. On-the-fly call recording can also document conference calls for absent team members. With recordings available as dial-in announcements or as standard audio files, employees can easily access call histories upon a customer's request.
Live Screening on Office Phone Systems Keeps Workers Focused
Maintaining concentration can be difficult in an office that values customer service. Vendors and other non-essential callers can tie up employees during times when customers need them the most. The live screening option on many new phone systems goes beyond caller ID to pinpoint the nature of inbound calls. Team members can use this information to bounce unproductive calls to voicemail, while staying free to help callers with legitimate concerns.
Unified Inboxes Speed Up Service
Since VoIP phone systems already convert phone calls into data, it's easy for newer office phone systems to turn voicemail into e-mail. Studies indicate that employees work more effectively when reviewing a single inbox instead of splitting their focus between e-mail and voicemail. Receiving voicemail messages as attachments allows customer service agents to easily pass recordings along to department specialists or to other key personnel.
Finding the Right Office Phone Systems
The latest business phone systems offer even more features that can enhance team productivity and boost customer loyalty. Getting the right answers to questions about business phone systems is also easier than ever, thanks to vendor networks like NextRing. By learning a few key details about a business, the experts at NextRing can connect company decision makers to local experts who understand the latest telephone systems. With most new office phone systems requiring only a little time for installation, companies can quickly achieve their goals of offering world-class customer service.
Sources:
BNet
Healthcare Financial Management Association
PC Magazine
Supply Chain Management Review
Joe Taylor Jr. is an internal business consultant for a Fortune 500 company, who writes about finance, culture, and design. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Ithaca College.
