Customers are the key element for the success and growth of any business in the market. Every business wants to connect with their customers in the best possible way, not only to provide them with an unparalleled customer experience but also to expand their existing customer base.
Cloud telephony is one such technology that is helping businesses connect with their customers potentially.
Larry Ellison, Chairman at Oracle stated,
"The interesting thing about cloud telephony is that we've redefined cloud to include everything that we already do. I can't think of anything that isn't cloud computing with all of these announcements. The computer industry is the only industry that is more fashion-driven than women's fashion. Maybe I'm an idiot, but I have no idea what anyone is talking about. What is it? It's complete gibberish. It's insane. When is this idiocy going to stop?"
To build a stronger relationship with the customers, you need to connect with them and at the same time, they must also be able to connect with you without any difficulty. The easiest way to do this for a business is through the phone.
But with growing time, businesses are considering traditional phone call equipment as an unorganized mode of communication. With advancements in technology, the market trends are seen changing as businesses are accepting and adapting the reputation of cloud telephony.
Here are a few ways by which connecting with the customers through cloud telephony is becoming smooth and easy like never before:
Calls that you receive for your business are distributed well and sent to other business locations that you choose. Cloud telephony basically allows calls to be sent or distributed to whatever extension or office that you choose so that you can reduce the time taken for the calls to be answered.
With the help of tools like automatic call distributor, a large amount of inbound calls can be answered. The key purpose of call distribution through cloud telephony is to disperse the incoming calls to contact center agents and or representatives with the specific skill that is required to answer the customer’s query.
One of the major problems faced by companies using traditional phone equipment is long queues of customers over the lines. Companies are unable to cater to the immediate needs of the customer, even if it is a small problem.
With the help of cloud telephony, businesses can easily connect with their existing and potential customers and be there to resolve their concerns. The users of cloud telephony can be provided with live information about the location and availability of other workers.
With the help of this, the hold times for the customer can be reduced to a greater extent. Along with that, the chances that a call gets transferred to a person who is not at their desk at the moment gets eliminated.
Cloud telephony has helped businesses connect with their customers across the entire globe. No matter in which geographical area is your business set up in the world, you can reach out to your customers easily with the use of cloud telephony.
Many businesses have an online click to call button on their web page. This allows the customers to get help and connect with the business directly, without any additional efforts.
Various APIs in cloud telephony help in initiating an incoming call from the customer, which involves no cost to the customer.
Operating through the medium of a single phone channel can lead to a larger unmanageable queue that would eventually lead to loss of customers. In cases like these, if a customer gets a busy tone for long, they may get frustrated and disconnect the call.
However, in the case of an IVR through cloud telephony service providers, the chances of any call left unanswered are eliminated. Your incoming calls are either redirected to pre-recorded menu of options or to a voicemail.
In many cases, IVR even provides the customers with an option to request a call back at a time preferred by them. Cloud telephony thus makes sure that the chances of missed calls are completely eliminated and a superior connectivity is reached with the customer.
Scott McNealy, former CEO, Sun Microsystems said,
"We believe we're moving out of the Ice Age, the Iron Age, the Industrial Age, the Information Age, to the participation age. You get on the Net and you do stuff. You IM (instant message), you blog, you take pictures, you publish, you podcast, you transact, you distance learn, you telemedicine. You are participating on the Internet, not just viewing stuff. We build the infrastructure that goes in the data center that facilitates the participation age. We build that big friggin' Webtone switch. It has security, directory, identity, privacy, storage, compute, the whole Web services stack."
Taking a feedback from your customer is a necessary step to connect with them. It not only helps you improve your business plan but also imparts a sense that your business actually values their precious response. Once you close a deal with the customer, it is essential to keep in touch with them.
Cloud telephony services can help get customer feedbacks easily. Businesses can use smart IVR based surveys to easily get customer responses.
So, cloud telephony has much potential in store for small as well as large businesses. It helps to connect with your customers smoothly, no matter where in the world you set up your business. This has helped reduce the resolution time and ultimately boost the customer satisfaction levels.
Also, cloud telephony can be used to connect with customers by providing them real-time business updates. This helps connect to the customers in a much effective way without even engaging a large number of employees to do the task.
Thus, adapting the trends of cloud telephony in present times can be a wonderful way to connect with your customers globally in a more effective manner along with achieving a higher level of customer satisfaction.