Our newfound hybrid working environments find us demanding more from the communication technologies we use because they are more than just “nice to haves”; they have become our bread and butter. And in many cases, they have seamlessly replaced the brick-and-mortar offices, reception desks and boardrooms we once inhabited.
The customer is king – and more impatient than ever
Whether a consumer is trying to find a replacement pool pump or would like to speak to an expert about investing in forex, the common denominator is that they want concrete answers quickly.
Two of the most notable gifts (or curses) digital transformation has provided are speed and better quality service. We expect instant gratification, and any company that can’t give it to us will probably lose out to one that can.
Zendesk’s 2021 Customer Experience Trends Report noted that 80% of people surveyed said they would take their business to a competitor after more than one bad customer service experience. Another 2018 Customer Service Expectations survey revealed that 68% of respondents would pay more for products and services from companies with a strong record of good customer service.
Whether you sell pool pumps, forex, avocados or anything else, the same principle applies. Speedy, efficient service will differentiate you from the competition. And those factors are anchored by the customer communication tools you have at your disposal.
There’s more to call centres than you think
Some customers (like Gen-Xers) prefer to speak to a company representative on the phone to get their instant gratification. Many others (like millennials and most younger people) would rather not speak to anyone at all. But they still want their questions answered quickly. A VoIP, cloud-based business telephone solution can help your business provide speedy answers to Gen-Xers and millennials alike.
Integrated, cloud-hosted business phone systems are the backbone of many call centres. And in the context of our current digitally driven world, call centres have changed as much as other industries have.
It’s entirely possible that the last consultant you spoke to when you called your medical aid provider was not sitting in an open-plan office surrounded by other call centre agents as you might expect. They were probably fielding your call from the comfort of their own home. No matter what business you’re in, you can take advantage of the same technology.
Whether you run a start-up or work for a gigantic corporate entity, with VoIP call centre technology you can connect anything from three to 1 000-plus employees without having to use a cumbersome network of wires or being confined to a single location.
Because the calls are made over the Internet, you can field calls from customers anywhere via your mobile device or laptop, or you can set up automated options that can answer simple queries without any human contact needed – bonus for those millennials.
There is more to modern-day, cloud-hosted call centre technology than just voice calls. The systems can also be integrated with third-party platforms like Microsoft Teams, Freshworks’ digital ticketing solution Freshdesk, Zoho CRM and Zendesk. What that means for your business is multiple channels of telephonic and online communication and customer support tools, all linked to one system.
Bob Dylan said, “There is nothing so stable as change.” It’s not just big medical aid call centres or sales teams that can benefit from call centre technology anymore. In the age of rapid digital transformation and multichannel connections with customers, it’s for everyone. You might be pleasantly surprised to find that moving with the times is easier than you thought.
About Euphoria Telecom
Euphoria Telecom is a leading provider of an innovative, cloud-based, cost-effective business telephone service that offers unprecedented control and automated operational efficiency. The solution offers any business a truly simple approach to managing communications across an increasingly decentralised and mobile workforce. Seamless integration and automation make it simple for businesses to access insights, reports and efficacy of communications.
The company has earned a reputation as a customer-centric business, decreasing customer telephony costs by up to 50% and maintaining excellent customer service. Established in 2010, the company now proudly hosts over 4 000 business customers in South Africa and continues to grow rapidly. The company was founded by George Golding, Conrad de Wet and Rafal Janik, and is managed by John Woollam and Nic Laschinger.
Contact Euphoria on 087 094 5999 or find out more on euphoria.co.za.
- The author of this article, Nic Laschinger, is chief technology officer at Euphoria Telecom
- This promoted content was paid for by the party concerned