Expert Opinion: The Key To Winning New Customers Is To Retain The Existing Ones

Himani

Author

Expert Opinion

July 30, 2021

6 mins read eye

Table of content

Customer service has undergone a paradigm shift owing to the increasingly competitive landscape. The fundamental principle of enhancing customer experience is retaining existing customers to automatically win over new ones.

A remarkable customer experience keeps your customers coming back while promoting your services to others. Businesses with excellent customer experience reported higher customer referrals and customer satisfaction are key to a successful business.

Indeed, to be able to deliver unparalleled experiences, you must equip your employees with the requisite resources and authority. Train your employees to provide quick and effective solutions to resolve customer issues.

Speaking with us today is Ingrid Lindberg, the first-ever CXO (Chief Experience Officer) in the USA. Lindberg is a certified CX professional, CX specialist and founder of Chief Customer. In continuation to our ‘Expert Opinion’ series, we discuss the finer details of a superlative customer journey with the virtuoso who has over 20 years of unbeatable experience in the industry.

1. What made you choose a career in customer experience?

I truly fell into the field of customer experience. I worked in financial services, placing trades for people when we started to bring the ability to place trades online for the public—the beginning of financial services on the web! I had ideas about making it easier. MY CIO (Chief Information Officer) encouraged me to learn how to design web pages so people could easily use them.

That indeed was the beginning.

I had ideas, and education in sociology, studying people, and curiosity. I was lucky enough to get formal training and then the opportunity, not just to design web pages but pieces of paper. Then came contact center interaction design. The next thing I knew, I was doing multichannel designs with strategies behind them. And that became the customer experience field.

2. What do you think is a criterion for a successful customer experience expert?

In my experience, there is no such thing as a CX expert. Customer experience is too big of a bucket for one person to be an expert on the whole thing!

There are expert journey mappers; experts at designing interactions; experts at building strategies; experts in research and creating the voice of customer programs and the likes. It is like any other industry—you must declare your major.

I am an expert at developing strategies and designing company transformations. I am not great at building Voice of Customer programs. I’ve led people who have done that work, but I am not a market researcher.

3. Have you ever successfully motivated a business to achieve demanding performance standards during an uncertain time? If so, how?

One of the most significant transformations that I designed and led was at Cigna during the recession. We were facing tremendous pressures and a rock-bottom stock price. The motivation for that transformation was indeed a burning platform—change or die.

And we changed that company completely—and they continue to thrive on the platform of customer-centric decision making.

4. How do you feel after becoming the first person in the USA to hold the title of CXO?

It is such a weird thing. I downplay it all the time because I cannot believe it.

I did not choose the title; my CEO and CMO did. They had read about the need for a CXO in a Harvard Business Review article and decided that the company needed one. I have been told repeatedly that I am the first to have held it, but I had no idea what it was!

I remember going to LinkedIn when I was offered the job in 2007. I searched for CXO. There were no results. So, I had to make a lot of it up as I went along. We had to create job descriptions for Voice of Customer leaders and Customer Experience Architects. Every step was an exhilarating battle because there were no best practices. So, we learned a lot.

I love to say that we built an aeroplane in the sky, successfully flew it worldwide and safely landed it.

5. You have worked in CX for around two decades now. What were the most challenging situations while advising businesses?

Customer experience should not be such a tricky thing, should it?

We consistently see pushback on whether or not it works, what the ROI is, whether it should be funded. The most challenging situation I have found myself in as I advise businesses is coming in after they have already spent a ton of money on CX and have not seen any results.

So often, a company will buy a piece of software to manage customers’ voices or map journeys and then they do not see any results. Spending money without a clear strategy and plan is pointless. It creates so much dissonance and dissolves trust between CX activities and executive teams.

I implore the leaders out there to just say no to CX efforts until you have three things in place:

CEO support
A strategy
A plan

6. What, according to you, works best to ensure a seamless customer experience?

I don’t think there is such a thing as a seamless customer experience. The thing about customer experience is that humans deliver it. Humans build websites and apps. Humans program AI. Humans create letters and emails.

And we aren’t seamless.

I have learned that you have to bring all the parties together with a shared set of goals and a clear strategy. You have to define the expectations for orchestration and the outcomes. And then you must support them to ensure they get what they need to make it all happen. You must make apologising to your customers an okay thing. We all are human. There will be mistakes. Apologise when it goes wrong, and then fix it.

7. Would you like to tell us some CX elements that are usually missing in startups and businesses?

I find, especially when working with startups, that all the focus is on the product. A fabulous product is built, and it is beautifully designed and does exactly what you want it to. But way too many start-ups have never asked a customer about whether they want it, if they would use it and if it works for them.

Start with your idea, yes, but quickly intertwine your customer into your build.

8. Lastly, how do you think technology affects customer service? How does it influence CX?

I think that technology is simply an enabler for customer service professionals. We spend way too much time in the CX industry talking about customer service.

In the industries I have spent the most time in (telco, finance, healthcare), we have learned that customer service only accounts for between 6-10% of the experience. Products, processes, and communications are often so much more important. Customer service is there for when something goes wrong with your product, processes, or communications. Focus on those first.

Wrapping up

Our conversation with Ingrid Lindberg has not only given us meaningful insights into the importance of a customer-centric culture but also helps us understand how businesses can embed the same in their day-to-day operations.

By implementing her advice, organisations will surely notice a significant rise in their customer base, organic marketing, and thereby, their performance.

If you also wish to imbibe a customer-centric approach in your business, there’s no better to start than a cloud-backed solution. Get in touch with our experts today. Make a call at 1888-859-0450 or drop an email at [email protected].

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

Reviews

0(0)

Himani

Author

Himani is a content writer at Acefone. She is an avid blogger and Youtuber as well. She loves to explore the miraculous world of technology. Connect with her on Linkedin

Food Aggregators: Refining Customer Experience with Call Center Solutions

Acefone Editor

Author

Call Center

July 29, 2021

6 mins read eye

Table of content

The food delivery business in India has taken off in the last few years. Brands like Zomato and Swiggy have started to offer quick and easy methods for customers to enjoy delicious food from the comfort of their own homes.

Zomato’s impressive listing at their recent IPO affirms that food aggregators in India have come a long way. Oversubscribed 38 times, Zomato listed at a stellar 66 per cent above the issue price, leaving the markets cheering and the investors happy. In fact, experts opine that this is also an indication that India’s start-up ecosystem is thriving as a whole.

According to a report published in April 2021, online food delivery is one of the few industries in India registering double-digit CAGR—28.94% expected in the 2020-2026 period—and will be worth $21.41 billion by 2026.

A call center staffed with seasoned customer service agents can change that for the better.

Online food delivery has two primary models—cloud kitchen and aggregator. Cloud kitchens are commercial facilities created specifically with the purpose of producing food for delivery. In the aggregator model, consumers are able to compare and order dishes from third-party restaurants, including cloud kitchens, through a single app.

Owing to the rising penetration of the Internet and the widespread use of smartphones, the food aggregator model has turned out to be quite profitable for businesses. The pandemic-induced lockdowns have only magnified the demand for online food deliveries.

Challenges for food aggregators

The online food delivery business has four essential stakeholders—aggregators, restaurants, customers and the delivery staff. Managing them can be quite a balancing act.

After a customer places an order, there is very little the aggregator can do to improve the customer experience. It’s really up to the restaurant and food delivery staff to fulfil the order satisfactorily and treat the customer courteously.

Remember, these apps are run by humans too. There’s a lot that can go wrong.

Here are some customer service challenges faced by the food delivery industry today:

Providing quick and easy access to customer services, especially phone support
Staffing issues due to unpredictable demand resulting in unhappy customers
Lack of clarity about the order fulfilment process, resulting in confusion over delivery timelines
Competitors offering better deals and lower fees
Communicating delivery delays due to issues like vehicle breakdown to customers
Maintaining up-to-date information on restaurant prices, operating hours, out of stock or seasonal items, specials, etc.

One might ask—in the era of automation, why do we need a call center solution?

A lot of non-techies have hopped on these platforms. Therefore, these applications need to be as user-friendly as possible.

Sometimes all the customer wants is some reassurance. In case of an issue with the order, agents can connect consumers and restaurants in a three-way call to resolve the matter quickly. Live help supported by call center software can also enhance the customer experience.

If you are a rapidly growing food aggregator business, a call center solution may be the right thing for you. In a survey of 501 people, Clutch, a leading B2B research, ratings and reviews firm, found that 88% of people preferred to speak to a live customer service representative rather than navigate a phone menu.

How can call center solutions help

Customers want quick resolutions. Thus, they prefer to contact an agent if they face a complex issue. Adding a cloud-based call center solution to your operations will make for happier, more loyal customers. Here’s how:

Ease of use:

Offering a toll-free number is one of the best ways to invite customers to reach out to you. All they have to do is dial a number instead of trawling through complex menus. A one-to-one conversation makes it easy to understand menu offerings as well as any specials that may be available.

A toll-free number encourages customers to call and order, since there is no additional cost burden for them. By deploying anonymous calling, the customer’s privacy is also maintained.

A call center software also makes it easy to integrate the toll-free number with a hi-tech, intuitive Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. With an effective IVR system, the call may not even need to be attended by a live agent.

Speedy resolution:

If an irate customer calls you because of a delayed delivery or an issue with the order, an agent can resolve the issue on the spot. This can be done by offering a discount voucher for the next order, or by waiving off delivery charges.

Such gestures need to be spontaneous and speedy, which is possible on a call. Through other channels, the resolution is often too slow, a case of too little, too late.

Enhance brand image:

Adding a call center kiosk reassures customers that their issues are being addressed by call center agents who have the requisite know-how. For example, if the food is not up to the mark, the representative can get in touch with the kitchen staff to have the order replaced. This shows your customer that you, as a brand, care about their experience.

The tech advantage:

Cutting-edge call center software will put you well above your competition with tracking and monitoring capabilities. These provide important insights into the performance of food delivery operations and enable you to identify areas of improvement. Services like call recordings can also allow for better monitoring of agent performance.

Cost-effective:

Cloud-based systems allow you to save on infrastructure, operational as well as maintenance costs, as compared to on-premise solutions. These systems also make it easy to scale your operations, allowing you to easily add new lines for new locations.

Ease of integration:

With call center solutions, an entire bouquet of customer service options is available in one place. Call center kiosks allow CRM systems to be integrated, allowing agents access to useful customer data and interaction history on the same screen. This way they can serve them faster and more intuitively.

The power of bulk SMSs:

Bulk SMSs are another handy tool to achieve marketing goals. Call center solutions come equipped with the technology to trigger automated messages to customers from the database. These leave the agents free to focus on core tasks.

Call center software also allows individual campaigns to be monitored and assessed. Bulk SMSs are extremely popular with food delivery platforms since they are cost-effective and provide a great ROI.

Scalability:

Call center solutions are scalable. Cloud-based call center solutions allow you to scale your workforce up or down as required based on your insights. They also make it possible to add additional lines for a short period, based on a pay-as-you-use model.

Host of services:

Call center solutions don’t exist only to deal with customers. They can be used to onboard vendors as well as address their grievances. These include technical support and help desk, and restaurant account management—including analyzing order trends and customer feedback.

Apart from this, they can provide, text, chat, email and social media customer support; sales and new client accounts onboarding; community and content moderation; as well as delivery staff support.

Consider call center solutions today!

We live in an era of instant gratification and communication. So, it is only natural for the customer to expect instant access to customer service. As partnerships between restaurants and food delivery agents get stronger, smooth operations are the need of the hour.

Thus, in the age of automation, let us not forget the importance of the human touch. No automated chats can calm an ‘angry’ customer. A call center solution, backed by the latest technologies, can be a game-changer for food aggregators.

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

Reviews

0(0)

Acefone Editor

Author

Acefone provides a broad range of cloud communication services to businesses of all sizes, which includes Hosted Phone Systems, Free Phone Numbers, and Cloud Contact Center Solutions. Being the UK's leading provider of VoIP service provider, we always strive to provide excellent customer service and high-quality custom solutions to our customers.

Inbound or Outbound? Heard about Hybrid Models?

Yukti Verma

Author

Contact Center

6 mins read eye

Table of content

Maintaining constant communication with your customer base has always been the foundation stone of any successful business.

Over the years, the mode of communication has changed as companies adapted to the evolving world of digital communication. We have shifted from the traditional and analogue methods of cold calling to more advanced solutions like chatbots and emails. However, despite the rapid adoption of digital communication solutions, the phone remains the most commonly used tool.

A call center is one of the oldest solutions in the book, which acts as a central point to manage customer communications and utilises the phone to establish contact with potential customers or leads. So, it only makes sense for companies to strive for increased capacity of these call centers—whether incoming or outgoing.

Call centers have been an integral piece of this whole puzzle, supporting organisations in all forms of communication.

Businesses worldwide are taking various steps to improve the overall efficiency of their call centers and improve customer experience in the process. One of those steps is establishing hybrid call centers, which play an essential role in streamlining customer communication.

But what exactly is a hybrid call center? To understand that, let us first look into the existing model of call centers—the inbound and outbound call centers—and how they come together in the hybrid version.

Inbound and outbound call centers

Inbound call centers are responsible for receiving incoming calls from customers. Trained agents are deployed to field questions and customer concerns on several aspects ranging from customer grievances to information enquiries.

Outbound call centers are responsible for making outgoing calls to customers. Their responsibilities to create a certain number of outgoing calls every day, responding to some previous complaint, social marketing, or feedback collection.

In both types of call centers, the essential requirement is a trained workforce and supporting software and tools such as system connected headsets. While both groups might seem similar in their ways of working, most intrinsic factors of their work differ significantly.

Here are some functions performed by the agents deployed in incoming call center setups:

Bookings and confirmations

Many businesses rely on the phone to build customer relationships wherein customers call in ahead to book their appointments or confirm the same. This kind of inbound calling is quite prevalent across various industries, such as restaurants, theatres, and boutiques.

Customer support

Customers call in all the time to seek some information about the product or service that might either not be available or might not be evident in documented FAQs. Agents could be asked about real-time updates on specific services, such as logistics or transportation.

Emergency services

One of the most vital usages of inbound calling is to provide region-wide emergency essential services, ranging from police and firefighter services to ambulance services. 911 is a famous example of the same, which people use pretty frequently in a crisis.

Now, we discuss some of the functions which are the core responsibilities of outbound calling centers:

Grievance redressal

Customer complaints can be complicated in terms of the complexity of the problem itself and might require inputs from several stakeholders. In this case, several calls are made regularly to apprise the customer of that information (in the shortest time possible).

Sales and marketing

Customer-focused campaigns meant to advertise specific products, offers, or sales, are executed through calls made out to prospective leads or frequent buyers. Agents reach out to convert potential customers into confirmed buyers through tele-pitches.

Customer feedback

Outbound call center software engage in collecting customer feedback to gather a pulse about the quality of their services and get a better understanding of the market and competition. Agents can be trained to follow a focussed questionnaire with previous customers via calls.

As you can deduce from this discussion, the varying functions create a clear differentiation between the two types of call centers. However, if your business engages with both forms of calling regularly, a hybrid call center model could have a significant impact on your delivery and service quality. Let us discuss the way of working in a hybrid system and how it impacts your business.

Hybrid call centers

A hybrid call center combines the functionalities of an inbound and outbound calling center on a single premise. Each agent is responsible for making and receiving customer calls, as per the customers’ requirements. Hiring agents for a hybrid role results in excellent benefits for the firm. Agents can be cross-trained so that they can understand and handle both incoming and outgoing calls.

These hybrid call centers streamline customer experience by integrating the inbound and outbound channels. All the data sourced from these conversations are routed through a central hub, allowing easier access to all channels. Ready access to customer information enhances the experience for the stakeholders. Quality management can be enforced through central control.

Hybrid call center models can be deployed in various manners through the application of multiple technologies as well. Different software is already used to extend the hybrid call center concept to other channels like emails, SMSes, and more.

Call blending is one example wherein an agent’s bandwidth can be adjusted automatically between the outbound and inbound call volumes. When inbound call volume is low, the automatic dialer can pull in and ring up a few outbound calls based on the active campaign. As soon as the inbound call volume rises, the dialer starts slowing down the rate of outbound calls.

With proper training, the hybrid model can have multiple benefits to the business.

Improved productivity

The strength and diversity of the active workforce are essential for the success of any call center. It is crucial to have sufficient numbers of trained agents capable of handling substantial call volumes. However, smaller call centers cannot afford vast batches of diversely trained agents specialising in both incoming and outgoing calls. This is where a hybrid model enables the agents to handle incoming and outgoing calls through various enabling software. This is especially important in phases of erratic call volume distribution across incoming and outgoing calls. The incoming agent can be shifted to outgoing calls when the former’s demand runs low.

Strategic dialling

Based on their calling data, most centers are aware of the various patterns prevailing in their region. For example, the volume of incoming calls might increase in the early morning stages, and this might require some outgoing call agents to share the load with the incoming call agents.
Such patterns can be configured into the automatic dialer systems to manage the calling schedule automatically. Similarly, outbound calls regarding any telemarketing campaign can be configured for phases when the incoming call volumes are generally low.

Intelligent routing

Hybrid call center solutions link all the customer data from all sources of engagement through an integrated solution, like Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools. This allows centralised instant access to all customer information for active call center agents.
Customer redressals can be executed quickly and seamlessly if the agent is already aware of the grievances and solutions through the integrated data stream. Intelligent routing systems can send the right information to the correct agent instantly.

A hybrid call center creates a consistent experience for the customers from the same team of agents in a more efficient and streamlined manner. With the correct selection of tools and proper training protocols, any business can reap the benefits of the hybrid model. The world is rapidly catching up with the help of hybrid call centers as well!

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

Reviews

0(0)

Yukti Verma

Author

Yukti is a content marketing enthusiast with a soft spot for Saas. She loves weaving complicated concepts into simple stories. When not at work, she is found reading books or watching movies.

Cloud Fits the Cost: Low Budget, Big Dreams

Acefone Editor

Author

Cloud Telephony

July 28, 2021

5 mins read eye

Table of content

The world is in disarray.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit humanity like a tsunami and has spread to all seven continents. For most of last year, a worldwide shutdown was in place to contain and minimise the health risks posed by the virus. Even today, most countries around the world are adopting a policy of localised lockdowns to combat the second or third infection waves.

The pandemic also gutted the social and economic fabric in unprecedented ways. We are looking at an economic recession that might even overshadow the Great Depression of 1920.

To stay afloat, companies and businesses must continue delivering their services.

Business owners must strategise recession-proof business practices to ensure the same. It is time that businesses and organisations adopt new technologies that can help deliver better services at lower costs.

Cloud technology is one such technology that can be utilised to manage tasks with greater efficiency and reduced costs. Cloud solutions can help businesses perform a variety of functions, enabling their digital transformation.

Cloud during the COVID-19 pandemic

The onset of the pandemic forced many companies to scamper around for a reliable cloud provider to enable remote working. As per industry reports, 26% of the IT buyers in the last year opted for managed cloud services to build a resistance layer to deal with these sudden changes.

COVID-19 induced various behaviour changes in terms of operational decisions and roadmaps. This was visible in the changing requirements from businesses:

Immediate shift to remote work and operations

The lockdown made employees stay at home to prevent the spread of the infection. This forced businesses to quickly shift to remote working solutions to maintain continuity. People had to now figure out how to work from the confines of their homes.

Increased security in digital access

The shifting of business operations to remote working solutions exposed the entire infrastructure to new threats. As weak points were exposed to both internal and external threats, a security update was needed to secure against breaches.

Workload optimisation

The rapidly shifting market conditions forced businesses to change at the same rate. That’s why flexibility in cloud solutions was another requirement sought by most business owners.

Cost optimisation

The economic slowdown brought upon by the pandemic tightened the budgets of all businesses. Thus, the cost-efficiency of operations became a major point of concern for all owners.

There has been greater use of cloud technology amongst European businesses, with 4 in 10 companies deciding to increase their use of MCS. The same growth has been observed in the businesses of major cloud technology providers, most notably being Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. As per Microsoft, there was a 775% increase in the business usage of ‘Teams’.

And this trend is expected to continue.

As we move forward, MCS providers are going to expand their portfolio to include cloud-based services like next-gen security, data platforms, and cognitive technologies. Currently, cloud solutions are utilised in a host of different capacities, some of the more popular ones being:

Remote WFH models

The Work from Home model became a standard operating procedure for all businesses during the COVID-19 era. Collaboration tools built on cloud technologies were quickly implemented to reduce the challenges posed by working from home.

Many cloud telephony tools helped businesses whether the COVID-19 storm:

Video conferencing –

Customised video conferencing tools have become very useful in the lockdown. They allow video meetings between employees, irrespective of location. The ability to conduct their work from home also helps save a lot of extra cost on maintenance.

Collaborative tools –

Collaboration tools enable seamless communication and execution of team tasks. Features such as instant messaging, white-boarding, and task management can also be accessed.

RPA (Robotic Process Automation) –

Enterprises can employ RPA to automate various business processes through API. The automation of manual business processes essentially shifts the business from paper-based to digital.

Virtual Hiring –

Lockdown disrupted the HR pipelines for onboarding and hiring as well. It was not possible to call candidates to the office for interviews owing to social distancing norms. In this scenario, virtual screening and video interviews enabled engagement with candidates and new hires.

Customer support cloud-based centers

The social distancing norms made the physical setup of call centers a logistical nightmare. All this while customer inquiries increased drastically.

An omnichannel cloud-based support center became an important solution with better and cheaper service.

With an omnichannel solution, customer support can be enabled through multiple channels. Furthermore, businesses can route inquiries to the best-suited agents, allowing them to save time and money. Chatbots and IVRs can also be integrated to provide more personalised customer support.

Allowing customers to interact with your support agents through multiple channels would unlock several benefits. Digital knowledge banks can serve as helpful FAQs to direct customers towards the basic processes on the website or application.

Cloud computing

Cloud computing refers to the ability to store, process, and analyse data on remote or cloud servers. All of the data can be accessed through an Internet-connected device, anywhere in the world. This was the perfect solution to the issue the lockdown posed on the maintenance of several physical databases.

The shift to cloud-enabled businesses to reduce CAPEX, allowing them to divert funds to more pressing departments. Additional features like tracking also enable businesses to better measure the progress of their employees. Not only does this help the team stay on track, but also helps them develop and track KPIs.

Final thoughts

The current slowdown has tightened the wallets of all businesses. However, this should not result in a drop in service quality. Every crisis presents an opportunity. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented businesses the opportunity to quickly transition to the cloud and reap its benefits.

To know more about this, get on-call with our cloud experts at 1888-859-0450 or drop an email at [email protected]

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

Reviews

0(0)

Acefone Editor

Author

Country In The Cloud: Here’s How You Run An Entire Government Using Cloud Communication

Yukti Verma

Author

Contact Center

July 27, 2021

6 mins read eye

Table of content

Cloud communications have significantly disrupted the traditional ways of transmitting, collecting and processing data.

They are now ushering in a seamless and quicker method of disseminating both public and private messages. Private sectors have already begun to adopt these services en masse.

Could your local or national government be next?

The government sector, seeing the benefits of Cloud in the private sector, is now aiming for mass cloud adoption in its domains. Governments require the flexibility and efficiency, which the cloud can provide. These services can enable their workforce and agencies in delivering top-tier public services.

The major benefit of cloud phone service is that it opens up seamless and innovative communication channels between the public and their elected officials.

This reduces the bureaucratic friction of permits and approvals and allows remote governance. In fact, due to the pandemic-fueled remote activities, governments will see a two-fold increase in the rate of cloud adoption with a 17.7% (average) spend.

Several governments around the world have already adopted “Cloud first” policies. Herein, public sectors are instructed to work on a PPP model to utilise commercial cloud services. These not only help public sectors improve customer service but also pushes them for an overhaul of outdated IT capabilities to modern and more secure services.

Certain governments including Australia, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, have already adopted such policies.

The rate of adoption seems to vary between developed and developing countries. While the public agencies in the UK have plans to reach 60% coverage of cloud services, the same cannot be said about developing countries. However, even developing countries are now aggressively trying to move towards a more cloud-based IT system.

Cloud adoption offers the following innovative and technological benefits to public institutions:

1. Reduced delivery costs

Cloud adoption can help governments bring down total operating costs in many different ways. First, it allows the government to shift from an infrastructure-driven procurement model to a consumption model, thus providing cost benefits through economies of scale. Further, it results in direct cost savings on infrastructural costs by replacing bulky hardware of legacy systems with sleek software of cloud solutions.

2. Scale innovation

Cloud computing offers innovative tools and new technologies to government agencies at highly affordable costs. This allows large scale deployment of services to cover maximum ground possible. Cloud services also provide worldwide and instant support to government agencies, allowing them to acquire the technical tools and infrastructure for setting up IT projects at scale.

3. Efficient citizen services

As cloud services bring down the infrastructural setup needed to start operations, services for citizens can be thus deployed at scale, rapidly. Further, it reduces the barrier of accessibility between the public and the elected officials, allowing greater collaboration, resource sharing, and efficiency in delivering solutions.

4. Improved security

Government agencies can be guaranteed better security in cloud solutions as opposed to traditional data computing and storage methods. Cloud solutions emphasise ensuring the best-in-class protection against cyber attacks and hacks through the deployment of strong data encryption methods. This coupled with 24×7 surveillance and maintenance by top security experts, make cloud services extremely the best choice to secure important data.

5. Operational backbone

With multiple fail-safes in place, such as centralised data storage over multiple geo-locations and cloud-driven backup services, cloud providers offer a safety net for governments in times of national crises. These services also offer the ability to quickly start restoration efforts in the aftermath of disasters.

By cutting down the barriers to implementation, eliminating delays, and promoting collaboration, cloud services can provide huge advantages to governments across the world. This has already been demonstrated by the United States of America, who in 2008, led a concerted effort to move their entire government onto the Google email client and other cloud-based software.

Right in the first phase of cloud adoption, governments can achieve multiple milestones:

1. Government cloud

Cloud adoption can convert the traditional rigid public services into flexible e-solutions for its citizens, thus enabling the renewal of existing information infrastructure and allowing more agility in the delivery of services.

Customer support models utilised by private companies can be replicated for the host of services provided by government agencies. Imagine booking your railway ticket by talking to a chatbot?

These solutions will facilitate the shift from existing legacy systems to a central cloud solution. For the accommodation of required physical infrastructure, multiple geo locations can be considered to manage the public data and information systems in an integrated manner with sufficient backups. Currently, the majority of these clouds are used for storage purposes but this trend would change to introduce its more advanced offerings.

2. Centralised data embassy

Governments can use cloud storage capabilities to create centralised data centers as an alternative to physical data banks, which are inefficient and costly. Such data centers can be used to store vital state information and protect them against physical and cyberattacks.

Apart from providing an additional layer of security through backups, it also performs other critical functions. Data classification models, as designed by the government, can be employed via these data centers, to safeguard sensitive data with critical levels of protection as well as to tag relevant data that can be analysed to understand public feedback.

3. E-voting

Voting is amongst the most important aspects of a healthy and functioning democracy. Considering the magnitude of its impact, it is essential that each and every eligible citizen gets to cast their vote seamlessly and conveniently.

However, 100% turnout is often hampered by scenarios such as inaccessible residences or nationals staying abroad. One of the solutions currently being discussed to address this issue is remote E-voting.

E-voting is a unique solution that enables the engagement of the public in the process of governance, by making the voting activity very convenient and simple. It allows eligible voters to put in their choices through any internet-connected computer anywhere in the world. In fact, Estonia began discussing remote E-voting back in 2001 and went on to conduct its first Internet election in 2007.

4. Digital Cabinet

Cloud adoption can be implemented to create a multi-user database that collates real-time information relevant to elected officials, such as discussing agenda items and details. In-house voting, as well as motions, could be automated via simple digital checkbox mechanisms to streamline decision making, saving considerable time.

Cloud adoption can also unlock the capability of remote participation, allowing cabinet officials to work securely from anywhere through their internet-connected devices. The London Borough of Hackneys initiated the rollout of digital workspaces back in 2018, which allowed the said council’s 4000 members to be able to start working remotely during the UK lockdown in March 2020.

Like any new innovation, the successful deployment of cloud solutions in developing countries requires political consensus and financial support.

However, the cost-effectiveness and operational efficiencies of cloud computing solutions can slightly tilt the balance in their favour. Public institutions can reap the benefits of a digital society in ensuring the well-being and sustenance of their citizens.

To know more about this, get on-call with our cloud experts at 1888-859-0450 or drop an email at [email protected]

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

Reviews

0(0)

Yukti Verma

Author

Yukti is a content marketing enthusiast with a soft spot for Saas. She loves weaving complicated concepts into simple stories. When not at work, she is found reading books or watching movies.

Lord Of The Rings: Reimagining It With The Cloud

Ratnam Sinha

Author

Contact Center

July 26, 2021

8 mins read eye

Table of content

“…And nine, nine rings were gifted to the race of Men—who above all else, desire power,” said Galadriel.

Now, what if one of those nine rings came with the power of cloud communication?

Lord of the Rings is considered to be one of the greatest stories ever told. While the setting of Middle-Earth is everything that fans could have asked for, still their imagination knows no boundaries.

Thus, here we are. Reimagining the story of Frodo Baggins, and how he saved Middle-Earth from the wrath of Sauron. However, our rendition brings a little twist to this evergreen story.

So, let us dive into the world of LOTR and see what change would cloud communications have brought to this fictional world.

Isildur might not have lost the ring

At the beginning of the series, we see how King Isildur loses the ring he got from Sauron in the water. It is this unfortunate incident that helps Smeagle secure the ring in the first place.

But, what if Isildur was connected to the cloud? Could he have contacted Elrond, the half-elven warrior? Could the wielder of Vilya, the most powerful ring among the elves, have helped the King?

If only they were connected via UCaaS. This would have allowed them to interact with voice, video, or even chat messages and keep Elrond updated about the location of the ring at all times. Thus, when Isildur dies and loses the ring, the elves could have initiated a recon mission to find and destroy it.

The Great Eye could blink

The Great Eye Could Blink

The Great Eye of Sauron was the form taken by the Dark Lord in the third age. Now try to imagine the magnitude of this task on Sauron? Imagine the pressure of tracking everything in Morder. All this stress—and he couldn’t even blink!

Tracking the activity of over 10,000 soldiers is tough for anyone, no matter how powerful of a dark lord you are. However, it would have been a bit easier if Sauron decided to deploy cloud communications to his aid. He could have tracked the activity of every soldier under his command, that too in real-time.

Additionally, he could have even assigned them different levels of authority. Thus, establishing a chain of command where higher ranking Orcs could watch the foot soldiers below them. Cloud solutions might have even made catching Frodo and Sam that much easier.

Gates could have been easier to open

Gates Could Have Been Easier To Open

The gates in Middle-Earth never let anyone pass. They always came with a puzzle that not even the smartest being could solve. Even if you were welcomed inside the gates, what’s the point if you cannot pass through?

The gate to the Mines of Moria was equipped with a password too. A puzzle that was solved with the word ‘friend’ in Elvish. And speaking of gates, let us not forget the entrance to the Lonely Mountain where the Dwarves used to live. It would only open at a very specific time during a very specific season.

Opening the gates in Middle-Earth was tougher than living in Middle-Earth!

The solution? The cloud, of course!

It would have been easier to open the gates if they had multi-factor authentication instead of awkwardly easy puzzles.

And it would make them a lot safer too.

Imagine every high-ranking dwarf receiving an OTP whenever someone requested a password at the gate. No unwanted creature could ever dare enter. Moreover, one would not have to spend hours working out the answer to the puzzles. Just a four-digit pin, and that’s all!

Additionally, to boost up the security more, they could place different kinds of encryptions. This would make the gates truly impenetrable, like the doors of Gondor, where not even the Grond would be able to enter.

Why wait for insects to come?

Remember when Gandalf was held captive in Isengard by Saruman? He had to wait for a month to fly in so he could call upon the ‘mighty eagles’. What if the moth didn’t come? Or worse, what if it was eaten by something on the way? Would the message never reach the eagles?

It is, without a doubt, the most unreliable way to call upon something so important. So, why not deploy a solution that would guarantee your message will reach them instantly?

I present to you the helpline—IVR. Not only will it ease the process significantly, but it is also very easy to remember. With special vanity numbers, you just have to dial 0800-EAGLES, and voila! They are on their way.

With IVR, the possibilities are endless. You dial 0800-Eagles then select 1 for a single eagle, or 9 for an army. Or another number 0800-Animals. Where you dial 1 for eagles, 2 for bunnies, and 0 for Fellbeasts. You know—the Nazgul dragons. Why leave the bad guys out of the equation, right?

Stop travelling for days just to talk

Stop Travelling For Days Just To Talk

“There is a matter of great concern that needs to be discussed immediately”. Great, why not travel for three whole days just to converse for 15 minutes?

If only cloud communications were employed, residents of Middle-Earth could have many unnecessary commutes.

Want to talk to someone? Have a video conference. Everyone is available instantly from anywhere around Middle-Earth. They don’t even need the same device as you, their preferred device would work. Need to pass on some crucial information without revealing yourself? Just use an audio conference.

I don’t think Rohan had to waste 3 days gathering up an army, going to every kingdom and asking for help if they had just done a conference call.

Nor would the Wizards have to gather from different locations to discuss a matter that took 5 minutes in total. Middle Earth residents can resort to so many different communication methods and none that require walking for miles.

Moreover, it’s not like the server is going to be down and the calls won’t connect. Most cloud providers, like Acefone, offer 99.99% uptime, allowing you to make calls 24x7x365.

One does not simply set up an Orc factory

One Does Not Simply Set Up An Orc Factory

Saruman had set up a factory of Orc for creating soldiers for battle. The factory was destroyed by the Ents in a matter of minutes, but what was worse was that Saruman didn’t have any backup for his research. So much for creating the perfect warrior.

The cloud may not give you the power of creating your own Orc army, but at least you don’t have to spend your hard-earned money and time on physical set-ups. More importantly, your data will be backed up on multiple servers, so when the Ents come and try to destroy everything, you can get it all back.

Never mind the fact that turning to the Cloud is a greener option. This would turn the Ents to your side, helping you destroy your competition.

The beacon of Amon Dîn is…slow

If you are in dire need of help, you would want your message to reach your allies as quickly as possible. While the beacon of Amon Dîn is pretty cool and has a wide range, you wouldn’t say it is the fastest solution out there.

Firstly, it takes 2 men to light the fire at the post. After the fire is seen by the men at the other post, they light their own fire. And so on. In a life and death situation, a process like this can take too long and your allies might not be able to save you.

However, when we have the power of the Cloud, why bother lighting fires? You can just send all of your allies a voice broadcast and they would immediately know that you are in trouble. You can even customise your message about the kind of trouble you are in and include that in your voice recording. If your allies are not responding to your calls, then you can just send an SMS broadcast.

Before we destroy the ring…

Cloud communications would bring an interesting twist to the ‘greatest story ever told’. While these technological advancements would help the enemies too, why not give everyone equal opportunities?

If the Lord of the Rings was set in the current era, the Elves would surely be the ones to develop cloud communication first. Also, the benefits of cloud communication will not be limited to the ones I’ve mentioned. Like I said, with cloud communications, the possibilities are endless!

I wonder if Frodo would even go on an adventure to save Middle Earth.

While I have spent considerable time making the magical realm of Middle Earth match the current era, if you are looking to get a cloud-based solution for your business and boost your chances against Sauron’s forces, you can get in touch with one of our experts at 1888-859-0450 or just drop us an email at [email protected]

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

Reviews

0(0)

Ratnam Sinha

Author

Ratnam is an SEO enthusiast and content writer working as a Digital Marketer with Acefone. He is fond of traveling and new experiences. He is a huge Marvel fan and is always open to learning.

Do Something Different With Your Wedding Invites! Send Personalised Voice Messages In Bulk!

Yukti Verma

Author

Interaction Hub

July 23, 2021

8 mins read eye

Table of content

The pandemic hit us unexpectedly last year and just when we thought there was a sign of relief, it came back on us even harder.

So, while countries across the globe are leaving no stone unturned to safeguard their people, businesses are facing the wrath of the pandemic. Most companies have opted for the remote work model, with a certain percentage of their employees working from home.

Businesses have now started to get in the groove and begun to strategise ways to thrive in the new normal.

For the rest of us too, a new normal seems to be the only way forward. Weddings included––yes, we are talking about one of the most important occasions in probably everybody’s life.

Gone are the days of a long guest list, carefree shopping and a destination wedding. Not to mention, we still have some lockdown restrictions in place.

So, how do you follow all the guidelines and still prep for a beautiful, wonderful wedding?

We’ll tell you.

Cloud communication for wedding invites

Yes, you read that right!

You can use cloud communication to send your wedding invites.

Nearly 85% of businesses use cloud-backed tools to store their business data. But the capabilities of cloud communication aren’t limited to augmenting the customer base and serving clients in a corporate environment.

It can be effectively used to serve the needs of individuals too.

Cloud communication is a medium that is used to convey information via a centralised data repository. When a cloud provider saves your wedding-related information, like the complete guest list, on a centralised repository like a CRM tool, exclusively created for your special day, you can easily deliver your wedding invitations to your guest list.

Let’s see how this is done in detail.

Help send voice messages

The key to wedding invites is personalisation. Perhaps, that’s why going down personally inviting a guest is the conventional way to distribute wedding invitations.

However, now is not the time to be socialising and meeting people for any non-essential occasion is a huge question mark.

But don’t you worry, cloud communications can help you.

You will need to look for a state-of-the-art cloud communications service provider. Simply record your personalised invite and hand it over to them along with your guest list. The cloud phone system providers will populate their CRM with your contacts and schedule an outbound call broadcast campaign using your invite.
The best part about this is that you can easily modify the time you want your message to reach the recipient. This helps you ensure that your invite reaches the inbox of your loved one at the most suitable time irrespective of varying time zones.

You can send your personalised voice invitations to a bulk of your guests and rest assured that a big part of your wedding has been taken care of.

Trigger text messages

Have you categorised your guest list? Looking to send a mix of voice and text messages? Not sure how to go about it?

Cloud communication does it for you. You needn’t take the trouble of sending messages to everybody individually and inviting them. Create your message. Add a catchy subject line. Ensure that the recipient recognises and understands your text message. And you’re good to go.

Hand over the text to your cloud communication service provider. Choose your guests or categorise a separate list to whom you want to send the text invites. Create the list and trigger a text message campaign for these invitees. And voila, your work is done!

Utilise video conferencing

Relationships cannot be defined in words. The depth of a few connections is divine. And how can you simply stop by sending a personalised voice message to such special ones?

Take it one step further––act it out and show your emotions through video conferencing capabilities available on cloud communication channels. Or connect with your loved ones via a personal conference. Speak to them and let them know that you’ll miss them in person on your special day.

Want more? You can even try to live stream your wedding for these special guests. All you will have to do is inform your service provider about your requirements.

And yes, the personal connection is strengthened. Also, you can schedule these conferences and virtual streaming to align with various time zones.

Explore file-sharing capabilities

Cloud communication boasts centralised data storage. And so, it is easy to share information, access data, and send files effortlessly.

Now, what if you want to send soft copies of your wedding invitations to a few guests?

You can have your service provider save it in a common location and share it with guests. They will be able to access these files at a convenient time.

Not just the invite, details about your wedding venue, time, dress code, and itinerary can also be shared via this common platform. This will help your guests who want to make it to your wedding in person or others who want to feel involved even from a distance.

IVR RSVP

Receiving your guests’ RSVP response is important, to say the least. Knowing how many guests you will have to attend makes all the difference in the pandemic era. There’s social distancing, sanitisation, and a lot more things to think about.

Sure, you can receive RSVPs via SMSes or calls, but we can suggest a better way.

Ask your service provider to add an IVR system to your number. So, when you send out invites via call broadcasting, your guests will be provided with an extension that they can RSVP via keypad or voice inputs. For instance, they can press 1 for affirmative, press 2 to decline, and press 3 if they’re unsure.

You can even choose a special toll free number or vanity number for this purpose. The digits of this number can be selected to represent something personal to you, like your couple name or your wedding date. Say, if your wedding date is August 10, 2021, your free phone number can be 0800-107-2021.

Not only is this convenient and saves a lot of time, but let’s agree, this is way cooler. What’s more? The IVR menu can be multi-level so that guests can leave precise answers. So they can press 1 if they are attending and then get routed to the next menu, wherein they get an option to select whether they will be coming alone, or if they will be bringing someone with them.

The possibilities are endless here.

Benefits of using cloud communication

So, what exactly are the benefits of using cloud communication for your wedding?

Cost-effectiveness

Let’s face it––weddings are an expensive affair. And with so much to consider, thanks to COVID-19, your spending is only going to go up.

But fret not. Cloud communication solutions are here to save you.

The tools cut down on expenditures by automating redundant processes and helping you save money on them. For example, inviting guests involves travelling, meeting people, eating out and socialising. But a smart cloud-backed solution eliminates all these steps, thus saving you money and time.

Moreover, printing out hundreds of invites for your guests won’t come cheap. Not to forget, the amount of paper that goes to waste. With cloud communications, all of this is out of the equation. You save money and take an environment-friendly approach.

Scalability

What if your fiancée ends up adding another 50 guests to your list? Ideally, you will need to rush to print extra copies of invitations and then run around again to distribute them.

The cloud server is your friend. Simply add or remove the number of guests and trigger call or SMS broadcasts to invite them. Last-minute panic––what is that?

Moreover, you can scale up and down your plan to enjoy more features, or remove those that you don’t need. For example, if you decide to simply text message your guests and later on end up video conferencing them, you only need to pay-as-you-use. So, you pay extra just for the additional services, instead of paying a flat monthly fee for tools that are of no use to you.

Security

Nobody wants all the intricacies of your wedding getting out in public. Cloud ensures that all the private details remain private.

Security options like role-based access, two-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption and firewalls protect all your personal details. So, if you have your invites, menu, and the likes stored on the cloud and wish to restrict access only to yourself and your partner, you can easily do so.

Flexibility

Do you want one guest to receive the invite at 0800hrs in the morning and the other during the early evening?

The cloud makes it possible for you to trigger your messages at various times of the day or days of the week. You can even schedule your messages as per time zones. So, if you wish to send the invites to friends who’re travelling and are in a different time zone, you can select an hour that’s appropriate for them and leave the rest to the system.

Automated, intelligent processes ensure that your invite is sent out on time––without any errors or the need for reminders. Better than having a planner, isn’t it?

In a nutshell

Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and nothing should stop you from having the best time ever. Cloud communication technology has been built to cut out needless hassles from processes and provide a smooth journey, no matter the situation the solutions are used in.

So, choose from a plethora of options to make the most of your wedding day even in the middle of the pandemic.

Looking to connect with a cloud provider? Well, look no further! Acefone is available 24×7 to assist you with everything cloud. Connect with one of our experts at 1888-859-0450 or drop us an email at [email protected].

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

Reviews

0(0)

Yukti Verma

Author

Yukti is a content marketing enthusiast with a soft spot for Saas. She loves weaving complicated concepts into simple stories. When not at work, she is found reading books or watching movies.

Cloud Communication: Secret To Becoming A Large Organisation

Karan Beniwal

Author

Contact Center

July 21, 2021

7 mins read eye

Table of content

All businesses start out small but dream of making it in the big leagues.

It is only with the right decisions, tools, and timing (and a bit of luck), that people see their business scale to new heights. This is true for any business in any industry.

If one makes the right investments, they are sure to see their business expand. With the digital revolution happening around us, the right investments are in the technologies that businesses use on a daily basis.

Many would assume that it is hard to give general advice to small businesses since they are extremely segmented and varied across industries. But when we dive deep into the growth plan of businesses, we find that they go through similar problems in their expansion phases. Almost all these problems arise from poor management of expansion strategies.

As the old saying goes, “You gotta spend money to make money”.

But what are the best investments a small business can make in order to grow?

The answer—cloud communications. It is the first step in the better management of all your business communications, be it with customers, clients, or even with teams internally.
Read on to learn how cloud communication can provide your company with the necessary tools to start its journey to the top.

What are cloud communications?

Cloud communications offer businesses the ability to shift their standard telephone network (PTSN) onto the Internet to provide voice and data communication services. In simpler terms, cloud communications help your business take the most essential parts of your business onto the Cloud.

Ever since the world was hit with the COVID-19 pandemic, it has unveiled our reliance on technology for almost everything.

As offices transitioned into make-shift home desks, organisations started to explore innovative ways to use technology and improve efficiency and productivity.

That’s what cloud communication did!

When businesses take their communications on the cloud, they get a range of features:

1. Makes remote working easier

As all communication is done over the Internet, businesses have the leeway to hire a robust remote workforce from different parts of the world. This enables smooth work from home setups while helping businesses secure the best talents.

2. Secures data and communications

Every business demands a secure network of communications. This demand has only amplified with a remote setup. Thus, to secure the most vital communications, you must invest in providers that guarantee top-level security within their data centers.

3. Access and share information from anywhere, to anywhere

Having information on the cloud offers your business the freedom to access it from anywhere in the world, on any device. This greatly enables collaboration between departments and locations.

4. Allows expansive integration

Every business runs its own version of a software. This can be as simple as Microsoft Word or as complex as proprietary software. The benefit of cloud communications is that it seamlessly integrates with any software your business is currently invested in.

5. Easy on the pocket

Legacy phone systems charge not only for the calls you make but also for the hefty hardware. With cloud communications, you can do away with all hardware and allow your employees to use their desktop as a softphone.

Tracking your journey to the top, with cloud communications:

1. Starting up:

In the infancy of any business, founders are always conscious of expenses. It is true that the initial costs are fixed and necessary for any startup. But when starting, many businesses become penny-wise but pound-foolish. This means that they sign up for services that may seem cheaper initially, and over time the bills start racking up.

For small startups, cloud communications can:

A. Build a virtual workforce:

Startups lack one crucial element of business success—employees. Teams are generally of a few people. While this is the norm, clients always prefer a well-established company that can take on big orders.

In this area, cloud communications offer businesses the ability to create a virtual workforce through tools and services like automated Interactive Voice Response systems (IVR’s), call forwarding and call routing. While your business may be small, to a client these features impose the image of a structured company.

B. Hire remotely:

To counter the problem of hiring the right talent, cloud communications offer the ability for startups to hire remote employees. With the seamless nature of communications over the Internet, added to the ease of access to information, businesses should not have issues starting with a remote workforce.

C. Offers plans based on size:

The biggest benefit of cloud communications is its ability to bring total operational costs down. This is most useful for startups who do not wish to spend huge amounts of money for services their business is not ready to use. Thanks to the personalisation possibilities with cloud communications, your business can only choose and pay for services your business needs.

2. Small-Medium Business:

As you continue growing your business and your workforce, the next step is to keep the working environment up to date with your expanding company. The first step is to upgrade your cloud phone service to fit your organisation requirements.

Thankfully, cloud communications offer services that can cater to your growing business demands:

A. Scalability

Cloud communications services can expand as your business needs do. For example, as you open new locations, you would need new lines to your existing business number. With cloud communications, opening new lines at new locations is as simple as checking a box. This allows you to expand without the hassle of reinstalling entire cloud business phone system at the new location.

B. Get enterprise-level system at affordable prices:

It is a myth that SMB’s cannot work on the software systems used by larger organisations. The benefit of cloud communications is that some providers offer specialised services that fit well within your budgets. This offers you the ability to utilise the benefits of the systems used by MNC’s at affordable pricing.

C. Low capital expenditures:

Finances are always a point of contention for businesses. But since communications are an essential service, businesses try to search for the best plans from legacy telephone partners. Cloud communications offer businesses the ability to keep CAPEX to a minimum by doing away with hardware and offering suitable priced plans as per the organisation’s needs.

3. On the top:

Once your business is at the top, you can start to look for services that help you build on your profits while helping you maintain an image of a big establishment.

With these cloud communications services, you can establish and grow your brand image:

A. Establish a global and a local presence

Cloud communications offer you the ability to opt for local as well as international phone numbers. With this, you can have your business cater to highly localised or with global clients, as per your requirements.

B. Improve Security

One of the most sacred aspects of a large business is its ability to keep information secure. With the right cloud phone system providers, you get the ability to safely store and access data from anywhere in the world.

C. Explore other services

Cloud communications offer a business highly specialised and personalised services as per their organisation’s needs. As your business expands, you can try and invest in other services like toll free or vanity numbers, offering your business the ability to stand out from the clutter. Additionally, with a more robust communication system, you can run simultaneous business calls, therefore, never missing a new caller seeking a business opportunity.

Final thoughts

The expansive services offered by cloud communications offer your businesses the ability to scale new heights from the ground up. With a more improved communication network, your business can reach new employees and new clients.

If you are interested in seeking cloud communication for your business expansion, reach out to Acefone and explore the variety of services we offer. Our experts are always ready to answer all of your questions. Connect with one at 1888-859-0450 or you can also drop an email at [email protected].

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

Reviews

0(0)

Karan Beniwal

Author

Karan is a communications graduate with a passion for film and writing and is on an indefinite journey to search for and capture stories from around the world. He is currently exploring the world of content marketing to bring to life the products and services we use every day. Connect with him on Linkedin

Hosted Phone Systems: A Game-Changer for University Campuses

Himani

Author

Contact Center

July 20, 2021

6 mins read eye

Table of content

Educational institutions are constantly struggling to deliver quality communication to students via their expensive traditional phone systems. Private institutions are also feeling the squeeze in the current financial climate. Budgets are being scrutinised while rising data and telecommunications workloads are continuously stretching the limits of what legacy systems were meant to provide.

A phone system is not only a means of communication but also plays a vital role in securing an institution’s data and managing various operations. Introducing a cloud-hosted phone system can be a game-changer for your university campus.

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire education system has become virtual. Professors and staff are delivering lessons and information online, with students trying to make the most of these. Operational costs have skyrocketed. A traditional phone system cannot be a permanent solution for a remote world.

So, what now?

A cloud-based phone system can be your saviour in this crisis.

Hosted phone systems support remote working. You can experience the best possible features while staying regulation-compliant at much lower costs. What’s more––you’re easily able to monitor performance and resolve any issues faced by your students, faculty, and staff effortlessly regardless of their location.

However, many administrators hesitate to make this shift because they fear the new phone system will not be able to cope up with the university’s administrative workloads. It’s a common myth among people that installing and setting up a cloud-based phone system is a time-consuming and painful process with a high upfront expenditure.

But the fact is––shifting to a cloud-based phone system is time-saving and cost-effective at the same time.

Many cloud service providers offer hosted phone systems at competitive prices using which you can deliver superior customer experiences and handle all your business operations effortlessly. In fact, the advantages of cloud-based phone systems for universities significantly exceed the pain of upgrading.

In this article, we will talk about how hosted phone systems can be a game-changer for educational campuses.

So, let’s dive into some benefits of hosted phone systems that you’ll love for your educational institution.

8 ways the education industry can benefit from hosted phone systems

Communication plays a significant role throughout the admissions process. Institutes need an efficient phone system that can solve their day-to-day communication needs.

A hosted phone system will be the best option for not only overcoming any communication barriers but also managing administrative operations effortlessly. Here’s how they can help.

1. Scalable solutions

Scalability is an important concern for universities. As student enrolment fluctuates, a traditional set-up will drive the overall expenditures of a platform owing to its limited scalability.

A cloud-powered phone system allows administrators to easily reconfigure virtual classrooms and faculty offices as per changing needs and easily decrease their workload. With cloud solutions, they don’t need to invest in a scale they won’t use. On the other hand, there’s no need to pay extra when it comes to scaling up––they only have to pay for what they use.

The learning and development departments of educational institutions require higher bandwidth to operate seamlessly.

2. Mobility

On a university campus, hundreds of operations take place day in and day out. All the faculty, employee and student operations are connected at every step, no matter where all the stakeholders are.

Regular operations such as adjustment classes, rescheduled practicals, and on-site projects collapse against the potential of conventional phone systems. The majority of traditional phone systems fail to offer the mobility feature, due to which it becomes very hard to operate off-campus.

The hosted phone system fulfils this lack of functionality of conventional phone systems. It allows everyone to connect to the centralised system from anywhere and at any time. They can even access information and data on the go, communicating seamlessly as they do.

As the world is moving towards wireless technology, wireless mobility has become one of the essential requirements of educational campuses.

3. Seamless security

Big educational institutions are not just meant to provide education; they are also meant to deliver healthcare services, research facilities, and counselling sessions to their students, faculties, and employees.

In order to carefully handle such a massive amount of university records, the university needs to maintain high-end security controls. A cloud-backed phone system offers various measures to manage campus communications in a secure manner. These measures include two-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption, firewalls, and role-based access to data.

4. Disaster management

Disasters never come with prior notice. The majority of traditional phone systems fail whenever a disaster strikes.

A hosted phone system is disaster-proof. Your provider will ensure that your data is backed up securely on several servers across the world. They also provide instant recovery of your data, facilitating business continuity and eliminating loss of revenue or reputational damage. This offers high-level stability and peace of mind to administrators even in case of an emergency.

Once you move from your traditional phone system to a hosted phone system, no matter even if the system encounters any disaster or emergency, communications will continue seamlessly.

5. Improved productivity and connectivity

At the time of admissions, connectivity is the most important thing for universities. In order to connect with new students and to smoothen their admission procedures, universities need productivity apps that help them handle bulk operations.

Hosted phone systems offer reliable and efficient connectivity tools that save both time and money. They can also improve the productivity of the admission staff with features such as call conferencing, call monitoring, and more.

These phone systems also offer communications over multiple channels, allowing procedures such as data and media sharing, counselling using video conferencing, and many more functionalities.

6. Easy to set-up

It’s a common myth among people that migrating from a traditional phone system to a cloud phone system is a complicated task. But the truth is that cloud solutions are quite easy to install.

These phone systems do not require bulky hardware and heavy set-ups. Everything happens over the Internet. Even at the time of installation, the university can work in a hybrid environment. When the migration process starts, the institute must keep some of its users on the existing phone system until the installation of the new cloud-based phone system is completed.

The maintenance, too, is the cloud provider’s responsibility. Institutions don’t have to worry about timely upgrades, compliance with the regulations, security checks, and regular maintenance activities.

7. Strong communication even at the time of emergency

Traditional phone systems are static in nature. So, when you call 911, the phone system will announce its location address. In case of an emergency, when 911 is dialled on the traditional phone systems, a correct PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) connection is needed to reach the correct location address.

On the other hand, cloud telephony set-ups work with a unified communication system. Users can connect with each other using any channel.

In case of emergency, using a mobile with 911 compatibility, a professor can dial 911 from their laptop from anywhere on the campus. It will announce the professor’s location to PSAP. In this way, instant help can be sent to anyone on the campus caught in an unfortunate incident.

Conclusion

A shift to the cloud phone system can be a game-changer for universities. It is an irresistible combination of value and service for every penny-pinching administrator.

A hosted phone system smoothens everyday operations and communications at these institutions. It is also an efficient tool to handle the daily records of hundreds of students out there on or even off-premises.

If you are also planning your educational institution’s communications to shift to a cloud-hosted phone system, contact Acefone today at [email protected] or call us at 1888-859-0450.

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

Reviews

0(0)

Himani

Author

Himani is a content writer at Acefone. She is an avid blogger and Youtuber as well. She loves to explore the miraculous world of technology. Connect with her on Linkedin

Starting a Business Venture in 2021? Here Are the Top 8 Tips You Must Know Before the Launch of Your Dream Business

Yukti Verma

Author

Contact Center

July 19, 2021

7 mins read eye

Table of content

The year 2020 had its own share of ups and downs.

With stringent restrictions on free movement, zero socialising, and major upheaval in the economy, it was a year full of challenges that none of us would want to go back to.

However, with the vaccination going in full swing, 2021 is a better and brighter year to start a new business venture.

With limited employment and no alternatives for livelihood, businesses have been burdened with the responsibility to pull themselves up and keep going.

Therefore, you must implement constructive strategies to make your venture a hit. These strategies will not just arm your business with adequate resources but also protect you from economic damage in the future. To put it simply, you’ll be prepared for the worst!

So, now that you have decided to equip yourself with the processes and technologies for the future, let’s see how you can implement them.

It’s simple—Cloud-based communication systems are the way to go!

And given the times, centralised accessibility and remote ecosystems will continue to rule the business world.

What should you be looking for in cloud capabilities? Let’s check them out right away!

What are cloud-based communication systems?

Traditional communication systems require phone lines and specific infrastructure to stay connected. Every call has costs that have to be incurred. On the other hand, cloud-based communication systems are provided by a cloud service provider.

These calls simply require a strong internet connection and voila! You don’t even need specific devices to complete your setup. Use any device like your mobile phone or desktop and get started.

The added bonus? It’s scalable and affordable too!

The benefits of adapting to a cloud-based communication system are countless. Here are the ones that you may need to start your dream venture in 2021.

1. Implement a Unified Communication system

Estimations suggest that the unified communication market is expected to grow from USD 15.8 billion in 2019 to USD 24.8 billion in 2024.

The availability of information is cardinal for the successful operation of a cloud-based telephony center. Working in kiosks can hinder the free flow of information, thereby negatively impacting the efficiency and productivity of processes.

For instance, a customer calls your contact center. He is a returning customer with a query about the usage of the product he has bought from you. In a legacy-based system, your agent may not be aware of this. They may try to pitch a sale with the customer only to know that the customer has already made a purchase.

On the contrary, in the case of a unified communication system, your agent can easily retrieve data about the customer history, their purchase details, and preferences. They can proactively try upselling in this scenario.

That’s how important a unified communication system is. It weaves together the various facets of your telephony system and offers a holistic view of all the processes.

This may include combining the CRM, different channels of communication like email, chat, text messaging, and video conferencing. Your agents can also use AI-powered analytics to predict outcomes and solutions for customers.

Therefore, unified communications are an unavoidable part of your new venture.

2. Adapt Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence can make a groundbreaking difference in the cloud-telephony scenario. It helps predict customer needs and facilitate contextual conversations. Implementation of chatbots saves manpower and time. They provide the required assistance to customers without human intervention.

Additionally, natural processing language, speech-to-text, and sentiment analysis are a few other capabilities that assist cloud-based telephony systems to function seamlessly. They help to:

Understand the customer better
Transcript customer messages
Gauge the mood of the customer

Moreover, AI provides recommendations and suggestions to the customer based on this comprehension.

Artificial Intelligence, though still in its nascent stages will help you take your big leap this year.

3. Improve team collaboration

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a not-so-familiar model of operating that includes remote work. This work ecosystem may fail tremendously if there is a lack of management tools.

When we say management tools, it includes everything that can be utilised to improve team collaboration. For example, video conferencing tools, chat tools, instant messaging apps, and virtual conferencing tools.

A cloud-telephony system builds an entire remote setup with these project management tools. They support stakeholders to reach out to their team in case of an emergency. Also, it allows your employees to ping their superiors when they need quick help.

When you include these project management tools in your cloud telephony system, you:

Enhance communication between your employees
Eliminate the chances of your remote workers feeling left out
Breed healthy communication channels

There are more such benefits that help businesses build a collaborative environment for the workforce.

4. Incorporate high-end call screening

Call screening is an important part of a cloud telephony system. In the traditional call screening, all you can see is the name and number of the caller. However, in cloud-based call screening, the capabilities are multifold.

You can view the name and numbers of your callers. They are asked to record their name while connecting the call which helps in avoiding unnecessary calls during work hours.

In addition to it, you can also transfer calls, send them to voicemail, block them completely, or answer them.

Call screening tools come with spam shields. They check numbers on a database and ensure that they aren’t spammed before connecting it.

5. Include click-to-call

The secret behind a successful business? Seamless communication.

You should strive to ease every mode of communication and ensure that your customers are easily able to reach out to you.

The click-to-call capability can be your knight in the shining armour for this purpose. In the current competitive scenario, customers may not have the patience to note down your business number from websites or brochures to contact you.

The click-to-call feature helps here. The Call to Action (CTA) button on your website or other collateral can be redirected to your cloud telephone to interact and build a connection with your representative.

This option reduces the number of loops to reach out to you, thereby facilitating faster and seamless customer connections.

6. Track call analytics

Deriving intuitive insights are essential for the success of a business. Cloud telephony systems help obtain important analytics on-call performances across your organisation. These metrics help you measure, consolidate, analyse, and report call data.

In fact, you can identify bottlenecks and rectify them well before they impact the bottom line of your business.

For example, if you have triggered a marketing campaign for a particular industry vertical, you can quantify the responses you receive through these analytics. You can perform a comparative analysis of different industry verticals and check which ones perform the best and others that need attention.

This repository of analytical data will help you to optimise your business.

7. Maintain call recordings

Cloud telephony system comes with this in-built capability of recording calls. It records all customer calls made across an organisation.

Call recording is an important feature for monitoring and evaluating the quality of calls. It may not be possible for supervisors to listen to calls in real-time. However, recorded calls can help identify areas of improvement—both in agent skills and organisational processes.

For example, if an agent is spending more than the required time to resolve a customer issue, the supervisor can work towards finding the root cause and implement a workaround.

Additionally, call recordings can help new joiners to get trained. These recordings are important to provide them with real-time work experience without actually doing it.

8. Support BYOD

Remote working culture has become the norm. Your employees may prefer taking calls from their mobile phones, desktops, or devices provided by your organisation.

Security and accessibility play an important role in this case. When you choose a cloud telephony system, you have the option to synchronise all these mediums of communication. You can attend calls from either of these devices and also transfer calls from one device to another based on your comfort and availability of devices, securely.

This way, your agents can attend calls even when they are out-of-office or travelling.

Wrap up

Maintaining data on the cloud has become a norm rather than an exception. With a hybrid working environment to continue even in the future, it has become important to consider the capabilities of the cloud to facilitate work and uninterrupted processes.

If you are new to this arena, the points discussed above will give you a peek into the various capabilities you should consider in a cloud communication environment.

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

Reviews

0(0)

Yukti Verma

Author

Yukti is a content marketing enthusiast with a soft spot for Saas. She loves weaving complicated concepts into simple stories. When not at work, she is found reading books or watching movies.