8 mins read
To generate increased profits and higher customer satisfaction, an organisation’s sales and support teams need to work in sync. Thus, it seems logical to use the latest technology available to ensure both teams can work as effectively as possible and deliver unparalleled results.
SaaS or Software as a Service is a solution that can benefit both of these teams. Not only does it ensure better collaboration between sales and support agents but it also helps them work in tandem by providing them easy access to data stored on the cloud.
It doesn’t matter what industry you are operating in, SaaS can be used almost anywhere, and is always a secure place to store your valuable customer data.
This article will explain exactly what SaaS is and how it can help you sync your sales and support team for the benefit of the wider business and customer satisfaction.
What is Software as a Service?
Put simply, SaaS is an online-based service that can host your servers and databases. The information stored online can be used on any device that is connected to the Internet. You can also control which employee gets access to your data, making for a more secure work environment.
SaaS is accessed through a subscription service, which means that you don’t need to install it on specific machines—anyone can access the application so long as you give them access.
This means that with SaaS, there is no need for expensive hardware or maintenance packages. Which in turn means, you don’t need to hire IT professionals for its maintenance as the same is also done by the service provider.
Moreover, SaaS solutions are simplified for day-to-day use and don’t require in-depth technical knowledge to operate.
Not just that, SaaS is perfect for businesses with either a completely remote workforce or a mix of remote and office-based workers. The nature of the tool makes it simple for workers all over the world to collaborate through conference calls, shared spaces, instant messaging and much more.
How can SaaS sync your sales and support teams?
There are a number of ways in which your sales and support team can work together with SaaS solutions. Even if they aren’t in the same space physically, they can still collaborate effectively and nurture amazing work relationships.
The solution offers a unified online portal that gives your team access to centralised information and features. Not having to toggle between windows or screens helps employees to deliver coordinated and personalised service to the customer and add value at every stage of the purchase process.
Here are just a few of the ways in which you can use SaaS software to create a synchronised sales and support team.
Automation tools
SaaS integrates well with a plethora of automation tools which make following customer journeys simple and ensure that nothing is missed along the way.
For example, with a VoIP phone system, you can use the online portal to set reminders to follow up with customers at certain points in their buying process.
You might want to have an initial sales call, and then follow up with your support team calling the customer to see if they have any questions. Alternatively, you could schedule a support call after a customer has made a purchase to see if they need any assistance. With SaaS all of your applications can be connected, so a call can automatically be scheduled into your CRM system and will be visible to any other member of staff.
By using automation you can ensure that each and every customer gets the same level of service. Automation also ensures that opportunities are not missed by keeping all your teams on the same page since your system reminds everyone of the tasks they need to complete.
Use analytics to spot trends
The beauty of SaaS is that it allows you access to detailed analytics about your business. With a hosted phone system, everything, from call costs to waiting times, is available to you and accessible from anywhere, anytime.
SaaS also enables analytical reports on your agents’ behaviour and performance. You can receive scheduled agent performance reports on a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly basis directly in your email.
These reports help you identify trends and even bottlenecks. And the analytics can be used for better decision-making on everything—from marketing to sales and even customer experience.
So, for instance, you can use the statistics to see exactly where calls are coming from and whether your waiting times are acceptable to customers. Armed with this information, you can put more money into the routes that your calls are most likely to come from to increase conversions.
Or, you can use the information on popular call times to ensure that you have more support staff on hand to resolve queries during busy periods.
With SaaS, you can also send automated surveys out after a sales call to get details on customer satisfaction and identify any room for improvement. This information can be processed directly into your CRM and you can use the analytics to define training opportunities for staff or give them compliments on great service.
No matter what type of SaaS solution you are using, you can use the shared information and customer insights to easily build advanced dashboards with relevant information on all aspects of your team’s performance.
Use recordings for training purposes and security
With a VoIP phone system, businesses can use features like call recordings and monitoring to help coach new and existing staff. Whether staff is in the sales or support team, they will all benefit from training—and using real calls from actual customers is a great way to do this.
The call recording feature comes with a hosted phone system and can be accessed easily within the online portal. These calls can serve as examples of good and bad customer service, helping new staff learn and develop.
For example, your support team may listen to a sales call and notice an opportunity for the sales team to refer to customer support or vice versa. This collaboration will inevitably lead to increased profitability and productivity too.
Along with call recordings, you can also use automated transcribing software to ensure you have a record of all your sales interactions in writing. These transcriptions can be emailed automatically to the customer with a range of different SaaS applications so that both customers and staff can refer to them if needed.
An automated transcript software reduces the manual effort for your team and also reduces the chances of any errors. Agents can simply look back at the transcripts and ensure they take the relevant actions from each call.
Hold team meetings to discuss progress and increase productivity
Team meetings are a great way to encourage collaboration across your team members. They provide executives with a space to share ideas, update each other on the progress of specific leads and identify opportunities for collaboration.
Using a SaaS solution, you can hold conference calls or video calls with your team members across the world. There is no limit to the number of people you can invite to your team meeting so you can ensure that everyone is involved in the most important conversations.
Remote team meetings can be just as productive as in-person meetings. You can circulate an agenda before each meeting to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Staff can join in from anywhere in the world and can connect as long as they have a stable Internet connection. Additionally, they can access meeting recordings and catch up in case they’re not able to attend it.
By including everyone, you can go one step further to sync up your sales and support team.
Productivity can also be increased by using SaaS features to the best of their ability. The solution gives you the chance to automatically sync your contacts with any business tools or shared workspaces you may use, giving everyone access to the latest information.
Customer calls can be automatically scheduled, leads can be passed from support to sales to nurture, and customer information can be pulled up in any application. This means you can take a consistent approach across your sales and support team, and avoid looking unprofessional owing to duplicated calls.
Use SaaS to sync your sales and support team
This article has highlighted just a few of the ways in which SaaS technology can synchronise your sales and support team.
By connecting these teams and ensuring they can all access the information they need from your database, you can enhance their productivity and increase customer satisfaction.
The many features available to you, such as video conferencing or automation, help you deliver stellar customer service by increasing the consistency and reliability of your operations.
With SaaS, getting your teams on the same page won’t be difficult—their virtual connections can be just as effective as their physical meetings. Hosted phone systems, a part of the SaaS family, provide crystal clear internal as well as external communications.
To find out more about hosted phone systems and SaaS, call us today on 1888-859-0450 or drop us an email at [email protected] for more information.
