Women Are The MVPs of The Customer Service Game in 2020

Yukti Verma

Author

Expert Opinion

October 5, 2020

8 mins read eye

Table of content

Customer service is more important now than it’s ever been. In a world of uncertainty, the experience you can deliver to your clients is what makes them hold on to you, now and for the future.

There are plenty of ways in which you can invest in customer experience (CX)—for example, through a feature-rich cloud phone system—but one surefire way to ensure excellent support is by having the right person lead the way for your staff.

Traditionally, men took leadership roles in larger companies. However, there has been a shift in our business ideals and practices over the years. More women are now taking the reins in large enterprises, and very successfully so.

Let’s look at a few women leaders of the customer service industry and how their achievements are shaping this industry.

Catherine Blackmore

GVP of Global Customer Success at Oracle Marketing Cloud

With over 20 years of experience in customer service, Catherine Blackmoor is a powerhouse of the industry. She fuels her innovation with real-life experiences that allow her to operate a first-class CX strategy.

Named one of the top 50 influencers in the industry, she has written a variety of blogs, ebooks, and whitepapers concerning customer service to help others shape their strategies. She has also held a number of prestigious roles at companies (like Salesforce) and often shares her vast knowledge through her role as a speaker.

Catherine is passionate about turning customers into advocates for your brand. She has time and again stressed on the fact that when customer service is done right, your clientele can become your fans and biggest supporters.

They advocate your brand and become marketers rather than just buyers. In one such speech, Catherine asks, “What are you going to do to turn them into raving fans?”—a question she encourages businesses to ponder over for optimising their operations.

Tiffani Bova

Global Customer Growth and Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce

Tiffani Bova was named one of the “Most powerful and influential women in California”, and it’s not hard to see why. Tiffani describes herself as a business anthropologist and is a well-known strategist, adviser and influencer.

She has worked with numerous high profile companies which gives her a strong understanding of the nuances of customer engagement, so it is unsurprising that she has been awarded such a title.

Tiffani’s experience is far-reaching, and she has worked with businesses of all kinds—from startups to multinational corporations. Having delivered over 500 keynote presentations to over 400,000 people in six continents, she is highly sought-after and her expertise is coveted worldwide.

Tiffani Bova’s incredible insights can be found in publications such as Forbes and HBR, and she also hosts her own podcast, What’s Next! which explores the future of business innovation and growth. If you own a business and are looking to the future and wanting to keep innovating and developing your customer service strategy, Tiffani Bova is the person to follow!

Denise Lee Yohn

Brand Leadership Expert, Thought Leader, Keynote Speaker and Author

Denise Lee Yohn is a customer experience thought leader who is the go-to expert for media outlets such as CNBC and FOX Business TV. She is also in demand as a speaker and consultant, is a highly influential writer and the author of bestselling books.

Previously the VP of Brand and Strategy at Sony with contributions to Forbes, Lee Yohn’s credentials are impressive and set her apart as another thought leader to follow for anyone interested in taking their CX to the next level.

Denise takes a more personal approach when speaking or writing her books, while still challenging the audience to make real and achievable changes in their businesses. She’s a popular speaker for several high profile events.

Christy Wyatt

Chief Executive Officer at Absolute

Christy Wyatt is the Chief Executive Officer of Absolute, a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions. Absolute provides more than 12,000 customers with security, always-connected visibility, and real-time intelligence.

Christy has held executive positions in a range of leading global brands including Apple, Blackberry, and more. Her customer experience credentials are impressive and she draws on an extensive background in security and analytics and is delivering innovative solutions to customers every day.

She is one of Inc. Magazine’s top 50 women entrepreneurs of America and Information Security’s CEO of the year. As one of the Fierce Wireless’ ‘most influential women in Wireless’, it is easy to see why many people in the industry look to Christy for inspiration and guidance.

Annette Franz

Customer Experience Consultant, Keynote Speaker, Author

Annette Franz boasts almost 30 years in the customer service industry. She is the founder and CEO of CX Journey Inc., a company dedicated to helping businesses put the “customer” in customer experience and at the heart of their operations.

Annette is also a recognised thought leader, business coach, and keynote speaker. She’s written a book titled Customer Understanding: Three Ways to Put the “Customer” in Customer Experience, which has proved to be an essential guide for businesses looking to improve their CX strategies.

Annette strongly believes that employee culture and good customer service go hand in hand. She helps businesses improve their employee culture so that the staff can deliver exemplary service to clients. She also runs workshops and consulting to give businesses the tools they need to elevate their service.

Takeaway

While these are just a few of the top women leaders in the field of customer service and customer experience, we can learn a lot from each of them. Clients should always come first and these women are blazing a trail for other businesses to follow, with innovative solutions, on how your business, whatever its size, can have top customer service.

Take the first step into elevating your customer experience with a feature-rich cloud phone system that opens up all lines of communication. Equip your staff with all the right tools and watch them shine. Call 1888-859-0450 now or drop an email at [email protected].

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

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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.

Why Your Fintech Business Needs an IVR Number Now

Acefone Editor

Author

IVR Service

October 1, 2020

6 mins read eye

Table of content

Smartphones have transformed the way we perform most of our tasks. Mobile applications and portals fast-track mundane tasks in the most innovative way––from something as basic as looking for a public restroom to availing online education. Everything is just a click away.

Fintech has played a similar role for banking; it has revolutionized the way people access various financial services.

What is Fintech?

The word fintech (fin+tech) literally means financial technology.

It refers to automation and technological innovation in the finance sector. Fintech essentially seeks to transfer control to the customers by providing alternatives to traditional financial practices.

Crowdfunding sites, cryptocurrency, stock-trading and budgeting applications, mobile banking, and payments are all examples of fintech.

Owing to fintech, areas without banking provisions can now handle their funds and apply for loans from the comfort of their homes. It has empowered users to be less dependent on the bureaucratic banking system and manage their own finances.

According to Invest India, our country is among the fastest to adopt fintech services. It goes without saying, then, that fintech companies are more relevant in India than in other places.

However, with an industry size of 2.4 billion dollars, there is no doubt that dealing with client requests and streamlining customer service operations must be quite a feat.

This is where cloud telephony comes into the picture. IVR systems make fintech solutions convenient for consumers.

You may wonder how. Let’s start with the basics.

What is an Interactive Voice Response?

IVR, or Interactive Voice Response, refers to a service that reroutes customer calls to relevant agents, on the basis of their concerns and keyboard inputs.

For example, if a consumer calls to register a complaint, they will first be greeted with a prerecorded message and then presented with a list of options— “Press 1 for product information, press 2 to talk to an agent.” Once they make a choice, the IVR redirects the call to the assigned agent.

Acting as a receptionist, an IVR system facilitates higher first contact conflict resolution. It also reduces wait times and enhances customer experience.

While all of this is impressive, you might wonder how an IVR number helps improve fintech services. Let’s look at the various applications possible:

1. Information About Loans and Other Procedures

Loans are a big fiscal responsibility and customers like doing their research in advance. To gain more information, contact centers are often their primary source of information.

Interested clients call to inquire about the various loans, interest rates, and other specifics. It is imperative that the caller is connected to the right agent to save time and ensure that comprehensive knowledge is delivered.

IVR system routes the call according to the keyboard input and connects to the best-suited representative.

2. Checking Up on Account Balances and Verifying Credentials

Going to the bank every time one wishes to check their account balance, change their debit/credit card pinks, or for any other basic tasks can be bothersome.

With an IVR, customers need only follow very few steps. Within a matter of seconds, their personal information gets verified and their request is registered simultaneously. Post identity authentication, they’re able to access or update their account information. Identity verification processes facilitated by IVR systems ensure secure and efficient handling of customer data, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.

3. Redressing Customers’ Complaints

Consumers often call contact centers to complain about unsatisfactory services. These complaints make fintech businesses aware of their shortcomings and can strive to improve their operations. IVRs make this process easier for both parties.

For example, if you paid through a mobile wallet but didn’t get a notification, you could inform the contact center and register your complaint over the IVR system or even get it resolved then and there. This is how an IVR-powered contact center can provide consumers with a better experience.

4. Sending Reminders to People

Contact centers don’t just receive calls from customers. They also send out reminders. Fintech companies that wish to reach out to consumers, especially about payment-related delays, can make use of an IVR number.

Customers that have instalments due soon or have missed a due date can be reminded via targeted calls. Companies can also pre-record these statements and schedule them to be sent to a customer near the due date, or after in case of a missed payment.

5. Making Payments

There was a time when making payments involved standing in a long queue and hours of waiting. However, now, payments can be made through IVR. You can call your bank, select the payment option from the IVR menu, provide your credentials and voila! Payments can be handled simply.

6. Deactivate Debit/Credit Card Operations

Losing a debit or credit card is not a hard thing to do. To avoid theft, it is crucial to get your card blocked immediately. All the while you wait in the queue for the live agent, your data remains vulnerable—you can simply use an IVR menu to ask for the deactivation of the service. Simple, efficient and quick.

Why Use an IVR Number?

We have seen various applications of the IVR system and how it is revolutionizing fintech businesses for the customers. However, we must also discuss the various benefits and features that make the IVR system so desirable. How does the technology serve you for all these needs?

1) CRM Integration

You can integrate IVR with CRM (Customer Relationship Management) which will allow your agents to receive information provided by your consumers before they connect. This helps the agents to be prepared for the consumer’s request and saves time, enhancing customer relations.

2) Call Rerouting

True to the original purpose of the system, an IVR number can help direct a consumer call to the preferred agent. This encourages first point query resolution, saves time and efforts for both parties. For example, agent X receives all calls for approvals and agent B receives verification requests. So, agent A can reroute the call to B for verification and take up the next caller in line.

3) Independent of Internet

In an economically divided country like India, several areas are devoid of an Internet connection or are supplied with an unstable one. An IVR number works only on telephony services and requires only a call from the customers’ end, making it more inclusive of a varied audience.

4) Bank Within the Reach

Much like the Internet issue, several areas in the country lack formal banking systems. The technology helps people in these areas as well.

5) No Need of Receptionist

An IVR number eliminates the need for a physical receptionist and does a better job than a human could. Also, there are comparatively lesser chances of mistakes being made by the machine. Furthermore, it greets your users and guides them through the processes much like any other attendant.

Conclusion

Much like fintech has carved a new path for financial services, IVR solutions have done the same for fintech businesses. The ease of operations and inclusivity of audiences makes it a much desirable system.

It can handle a plethora of issues––from activations or deactivations and payments to complaint resolution and reminders. With a technology so simple yet so capable, a fintech company is equipped to serve its customers through any circumstances.

Furthermore, an IVR number is really easy to set up and requires no bulky hardware or infrastructure. It’s the one-stop solution to all your consumer service activities. Get one and push yourself above the standards of your competitors!

Equip yourself with an IVR number using Acefone and revolutionize your fintech company.

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

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Acefone Editor

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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.

How IVR Can Help Your Business Create A Positive Brand Image?

Acefone Editor

Author

Contact Center

September 30, 2020

7 mins read eye

Table of content

Whether you own a small business or run an established firm, it is a no-brainer that you would want to showcase your professionalism through what you do. And a great way to do so is by deploying the IVR (Interactive Voice Response) technology for your business phone solutions.

You must be wondering — how will an interactive voice response or calling menu boost your brand image and professionalism? We’ll tell you how.

As it turns out, IVR systems work great for small businesses aiming to appear large and well established, and even for bigger businesses looking to manage their incoming calls better. What helps, even more, is that these systems are versatile and completely customisable, so you can ensure that they work for your business.

This article will explore some of the ways that an IVR system can help build a positive brand image and how you can use it to the advantage of your company.

#1 Customise your IVR

Your IVR system can be a match made in heaven for your telephony needs owing to the fact that it is completely customisable, and you can tailor it to your business as and when it grows. An IVR service can provide customers with press-1 campaigns, can connect them to different teams, departments or agents and more. This system also gives you the option to play messages, such as important business information or special offers.

Providing customers with the information they need when they call will surely make them feel valued. Also, when customers get the answers to all their queries, they no longer need to be kept on hold or waiting in the queue. This is an example of excellent communication and customer service and this will reflect well on your business to new and existing customers.

Finally, customisation means that you can show off your brand in new and creative ways and ensure that important messages about your services are delivered in a way that appeals to your audience. Remember, your IVR system may be the first point of contact a customer has with your company and thus, it must be impactful.

#2 IVR makes your business appear larger

In the case of upcoming or small businesses, the workforce is often limited. With IVR, it doesn’t matter if you work alone or have a few employees. Installing IVR on your hosted phone system allows you to give the impression to potential clients that you are a much larger business.

These systems are associated with large, national businesses; so a customer calling you is sure to be impressed by a smaller business employing the same systems as their larger industry peers.

If a customer is able to visualise your business as being an established organisation, they will feel more confident about working with you. Some clients may be wary of working with a smaller business, but having an IVR can solve that problem for you as the size of your business does not remain an issue anymore. This allows you greater opportunities to sell your products and services as it allays the concerns of such clients.

#3 Use IVR as an extension of your marketing campaigns

It’s not only the options and business information on your IVR which are customisable. You can also add marketing messages to your system for customers to listen to while they are on hold. This puts them in a unique position wherein they absorb your marketing messages actively, rather than passively looking at your marketing materials or adverts.

This opportunity should be utilised to enhance your brand by delivering targeted marketing messages. Not only does this inform them of services that they wouldn’t have heard of prior but it will also encourage them to make additional purchases.

While these messages are fresh in their mind, your sales representatives can shed more light on these services during their calls with customers, thereby potentially increasing your profit and brand image at the same time.

Getting the balance right between marketing messages and other information is also key, so you should spend some time thinking about what services would be useful to your clients and should deliver messages as close to their needs as you possibly can, to prevent annoying your customers.

#4 Increase first call resolution

When a distressed customer tries to get in touch, the last thing you want is for them to be waiting unnecessarily or navigating through complex layers to be speaking to the right agent. An IVR calling software improves first call resolution, by intelligently routing calls based on the customer’s phone number.

Calls can be redirected to the last agent a customer spoke to, important customers can be put at the front of the queue, customers can be routed to consultants based on their language preferences––customisation options are aplenty.

First call resolution is important for both customers and businesses, as it saves time, allows for a pleasant experience and gives customers a much better impression of your business.

It also allows your agents to serve more customers as they spend lesser time resolving queries that don’t fall under their area of expertise.

Intelligent call routing ensures lowered abandon rates, reduced wait time for customers and call-back options for periods of high call volumes.

#5 Reduce costs with IVR

IVR can help reduce labour costs as businesses don’t need a receptionist or an agent to manually transfer calls anymore. The process becomes streamlined and automated.

Moreover, some queries are simple in nature and don’t always need to be looked into by an agent. This means that the business only needs to employ specialised agents and can save costs on hiring extra agents. Furthermore, when agents spend less time resolving customer inquiries on calls, the business spends a lot less than it would on call charges.

#6 Improve customer experience

A study conducted by Purdue University found that 63% of customers surveyed said they would stop doing business with a company if they have a bad IVR experience. This only goes to show that the customer’s experience is just as important as any other service that the business may provide when it comes to customer retention.

The implementation of an IVR system vastly streamlines the process for, both, customers and agents. Rarely do customers get routed to the wrong department or agent. And for those who have to wait, the system provides for a better on-hold experience, with virtual assistants managing all call back requests, announcing queue positions and wait times, and delivering information about other services.

If that isn’t enough, IVR surveys after each call allow the business to assess customer satisfaction and help them decide on training sessions for agents accordingly.

Clients, both old and new, will appreciate your business’ investment into their experience. And happy customers who have had a great experience with you are more likely to recommend your company to a friend or to other businesses, which in turn will create a positive brand image.

#7 Lower customer waiting times

Long waiting times are often the cause of frustrated customers. This can sour the relationship between client and company, even if it is still in the initial phase.

IVR systems are designed to minimise customer waiting times by routing them to the right agent without getting passed on from one person or department to another. Your clients are busy, so the last thing they want is to wait in long call queues, and an IVR system will take care of this for you, ensuring that callers reach the right department on their first call.

Some customers may not even need to be connected to an agent, freeing up even more agents to deal with other callers –– with the addition of FAQs and important service information on the IVR, a customer’s query can be answered without even speaking to a sales representative.

To find out more about IVR and how it can help create a positive image of your brand, call our experts on 1888-859-0450 today.

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

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Expert Advice: Everything You Need to Know About Acing Customer Service

Diksha Gusain

Author

Expert Opinion

September 29, 2020

6 mins read eye

Table of content

As a business owner, you have some goals in mind when starting out. Establish a set of values and mission for your brand, perfect the quality of your product or service, and plan a strategy to promote yourself.

While it’s fairly easy to control the elements under your jurisdiction, it changes when external players enter the scene. You cannot always guarantee a place in your customers’ hearts.

Instead, all you can do is showcase your dedication and try to gain their favour with excellent customer service. To quote Seth Godin, entrepreneur and best-selling author, “It’s easier to love a brand when the brand loves you back.”

Your clients will reciprocate the dedication you offer them. A happy customer is a loyal customer, and that’s the ultimate tip to success.

This brings us to the next point.

How can you approach the task of perfecting your customer communications? How do experts define customer service? How is it changing in this fluctuating landscape? What trends should you prepare yourself for? What are the challenges and misconceptions?

Find out all this, and more, from our exclusive interview with Adam Toporek. Adam is a customer experience strategist and the founder of CTS solutions, a customer solutions consultancy.

As an internationally recognised expert, he has authored a deeply insightful book in the field of customer service and often delivers keynote speeches and hosts training sessions to inspire and empower people.

Read on to learn an expert’s take on the trials and tribulations of the client support industry, how to overcome them, and what to expect. Here’s what Adam Toporek wishes to let the world of budding businesses know:

Q1: How did you find yourself gravitating towards the field of customer service?

Adam: As a third-generation entrepreneur, I was raised to understand the importance of customer service. In later years, as I started my own businesses, I saw how central customer experience and service was to the success of any business. Now, experience and service are my primary focus as a keynote speaker, customer service trainer, and CX advisor.

Q2: What does CX mean in today’s world and how is it impacting businesses?

Adam: CX has certainly come a long way in the last decade. The idea of understanding and improving the customer’s entire journey has transformed many organisations that never took customer service seriously. While the impact of having a customer-centric culture will vary depending on the industry; overall, the idea and profession of CX have vastly changed the business landscape.

Q3: In this modern era, do you think technology plays a major role in serving customers? What are your suggestions for the same?

Adam: The impact of technology on how we interact and serve customers has been nothing short of revolutionary. Digital transformation, which has only accelerated in the current times, is impacting every industry in some way. I generally speak about digital integration instead of transformation. My number one recommendation for organisations is to always keep the emotional, human customer in mind when evaluating how to use technology in the customer journey.

Q4: Can you shed some light on how to face and overcome challenging issues in this field?

Adam: Every challenging situation has to begin with listening and attempting to understand not only the emotional state of the customer but also our own emotional reactions. Empathy is key, and for frontline teams, it is important to remember that you will not win them all. However, with the right training and mindset, you can successfully resolve the great majority of customer service issues, no matter how difficult.

Q5: As a customer experience expert, how do you implement changes in the workplace, such as schedule changes or new customer incident reporting procedures in a way that maintains your team’s productivity?

Adam: One of the most important things with new policies or procedures is to make sure your teams receive adequate training. A memo is just not enough. This includes making sure your teams understand the why behind any new procedure. In fact, before you create a process or procedure, you should get feedback from your teams about it. Let your front lines tell you if it will be effective in the real world, and if it will achieve the desired result for the customers and the company.

**Q6: Your famous book Be Your Customer’s Hero offers some amazing CX insights. Would you like to share some key points with our readers?**

Adam: Let’s talk about one of the chapters in the book that has received the most positive comments because it is very counterintuitive and is the opposite of what most service reps do. The concept is letting customers punch themselves out. The idea is simple: when you have a really upset customer, let them go. Let them talk until they get it all off their chest; then, get them to talk some more!

Most reps usually jump in and interrupt, but this technique is incredible at helping defuse upset customers. Obviously, in the book, we address the fact that this takes time and a service rep’s time is limited.

Q7: What tips would you give to budding companies to improve their customer experiences?

Adam: For new organisations, I believe the most important thing is to focus on mapping and understanding the journey from the beginning. If you’re a startup, the journey will change a great deal, so always be watching and reevaluating.

Q8: Are you currently working on any new book? If yes, would you like to share a bit about it?

Adam: Well, I hope to have a new book out sometime next year. Right now, we are focused on deepening our library of virtual training courses. We’re going to be creating more short, topically-focused customer experiences and service courses at customersthatstick.com.

Q9: What are some common misconceptions about customer service that you have come across?

Adam: I think one of the biggest misconceptions about service comes from customers. Many customers think that delivering (excellent) service and experience is easy. They don’t see all of the effort that goes into it, both at the organisational and individual level. As a result, they are often not as patient as they could be. While it is the job of the company to make sure customers don’t have a reason to be upset, the world would be a better place if more customers were understanding of minor service mishaps.

Q10: Finally, what scope or future trends can you predict for the industry—that people should look out and prepare for?

Adam: In the times we live in, the most certain prediction for the future is that the future is uncertain. While it is very difficult, firms need to try to bake significant flexibility and rapid response into any current planning. They also need to understand the unprecedented emotional state of both customers and employees, and to design experiences that rely heavily on listening and empathy.

Wrapping Up

This interview was packed with useful insights that can truly help you transform your business communications and customer experience. You can learn more about Adam and his vision by visiting his website.

Empower your client service and embrace modern challenges using cloud communication solutions. Maintaining relationships with customers becomes easy when you’re equipped with the proper tools.

Acefone aims to help you help yourself with its multitude of available services. Call 1888-859-0450 or email [email protected] now to get started!

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

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Diksha Gusain

Author

Diksha is a junior content writer at Acefone. As a tech-lover, she aims to bridge the gap between tech articles and non-savvy readers. She’s equally interested in pop culture and worldly affairs. And in her free time, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or discovering new music for her chaotically diverse playlist.

Things You Need To Know About Acefone+Zoho CRM Integration

Ratnam Sinha

Author

Contact Center

September 28, 2020

4 mins read eye

Table of content

Opting for a hosted business phone system is always a good idea. Getting it from Acefone is even better!

Acefone is the leading cloud communication service provider in the UK, offering tailored solutions to meet all your business needs. From measuring agent performance to monitoring each call, we’ve got it all covered.

Similarly, Zoho CRM provides the best-in-class omnichannel communication platform that unifies all your business processes and helps you streamline your work. Detailed insights on the portal help you manage all customer interactions from a single platform.

Both Zoho CRM and Acefone provide with powerful features. As robust as they are separated when combined, they can take your operations further up a notch. This would be one of the best decisions for enhancing your business communications!

Here are a few things about the Acefone and Zoho integration that you absolutely need to know.

1. Click to call

Why not make your agents’ lives much easier? This service, as the name suggests, allows you to initiate a call with a single click straight from the Zoho CRM platform.

Once the Zoho PhoneBridge is enabled, all your Acefone contacts will be synced with the CRM. With click to call service at hand, your staff will save time otherwise spent on manual dialling and switching devices and apps. Agent productivity also witnesses a boost.

2. Caller information

Once your agents connect on a call through the Zoho CRM platform, a business card will pop up on the screen. This card will show all the relevant information about the customer, including details of the previous interaction—if they have made a purchase before, any issues previously faced, etc.

The business card helps your reps prepare for the calls better, and in turn, provide an excellent customer experience. This not only boosts agent performance but also improves your firm’s quality of service, thereby boosting your brand reputation.

3. Follow-up

After successfully integrating Acefone with Zoho CRM, agents can create a new contact for the lead during the call. This means they don’t have to wait for the call to end and then retrieve the information shared by the customer.

Additionally, agents can also add follow-up activity detail for the lead to ensure appropriate actions are being taken to help the client. Even if the agent that added the follow-up detail is not available on the date requested by the customer, other agents can easily access the stored information. This leads to maximum customer retention, and therefore, increased profits.

4. Lead management

With this seamless integration, you can view the entire call log from Acefone on your CRM platform. Maximise your conversion rate by enabling agents to pick out quality leads from the ocean of data. When your reps get deep insights into the customers, they can connect with them better. If the same lead is connected again, all the details of the previous conversation can be retrieved immediately.

5. Real-time analytics

Acefone and Zoho integration brings one of the most useful features for businesses—real-time analytics. And why is it so important? It lets you monitor each call just as it is happening. You can check on every agent that is on call and even listen to their conversations to assess the quality.

If needed, you can enter an ongoing call using whisper or barge features to aid your employees with efficient query resolution. Moreover, the dashboard is updated in real-time with useful insights. You can check the average call duration, first call resolution, the number of missed calls, the average duration of each agent on call, and other such metrics on the Acefone dashboard.

In a nutshell

After integrating Acefone with Zoho CRM, you can easily manage all your business activities and simplify your work processes. You get the benefit of two, in one single platform. This allows you to boost your business results and increase agent satisfaction as well.

With simpler ways to build connections and crucial information in hand, your staff performs better and converts more leads into loyal customers. As a result, there is a boost in your business productivity as well as agent performance. You can take your business to new heights and become the top provider in the industry.

Have you integrated your cloud phone system with a CRM yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Contact our sales team at [email protected] or call 1888-859-0450 to get started now.

If you're interested in improving your business communication solution

Give us a call on

1888-859-0450

Write an email to

[email protected]

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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.

New Age Cloud Contact Centers: 5 Must Know Trends For Businesses

Kritagya Pandey

Author

Contact Center

September 25, 2020

5 mins read eye

Table of content

Change is inevitable.

Over the years, customer demands and expectations have changed and evolved considerably. Moreover, the concept of consumer experience has taken a whole new dimension.

In this saturated industry, quality of service is often a key differentiator for the company. Automated operations and digitised customer-service have taken over. The future calls for a complete transformation in the way contact center operations.

However, your performance depends on some crucial factors like Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), first call resolution, reduced wait times and most importantly, responsiveness to buyer needs.

Keeping in mind the continuous change in call center strategy, let’s take a look at the trends we’re expecting for the upcoming months and years.

1. The rise of virtual call centers: a new wave of remote working

Imagine a contact center set-up. If you visualise rows of desk-bound reps wearing headphones and rigorously typing away all day long, you may need to come out from under your rock. One of the latest business trends on the rise is the remote call center.

According to Buffer’s 2020 State of Remote Work report, 98% of employees want to continue to work remotely for the rest of their careers.

Additionally, the global outbreak of COVID-19 has greatly contributed towards the ‘work from anywhere’ model. Virtual call centers are benefiting both the companies as well as the employees.

While the former is able to maintain business continuity, the latter enjoys the flexibility of working from anywhere. Since a COVID-free future is still unforeseeable, remote working is likely to stick around for a considerable while.

2. AI is everywhere and here to stay

Artificial intelligence has already become an integral part of call center operations. According to this report by PWC, 54% of executives believe that AI has increased productivity in their businesses. The technology has streamlined processes across sectors, which is why enterprises are increasingly adopting it for better customer engagement and experience.

Chatbots can fetch insights about clients’ buying patterns, interests, shopping experiences, and preferences. Artificial intelligence in this industry will be a massive success in the coming years as people want quick automated responses to their problems. Its popularity will only soar with the technological innovations that are yet to come.

3. Reforms in speech analytics: the future of actionable big data

Real-time analytics are an essential part of the call center industry. They offer actionable insights about consumer preferences and opinions and help spot market trends and potential problems. Coupled with the advancements in speech analytics, consumer data over phone calls is now easy to analyse.

With speech analytics, businesses can deliver better customer service more efficiently. As more and more companies are deploying speech analytics in their call centers, technology is improving exponentially. This will ultimately result in higher consumer satisfaction and generate more revenue.

In fact, many vendors have already started incorporating similar technologies to analyse text messages and social media interactions. This trend is likely to flourish further in the future, owing to its compliance and quality assurance.

4. Extension of self-service: helping customers help themselves

Customer service today is vastly different from what it was a decade ago. People don’t just want to get their queries resolved, but also wish to build a relationship with the brand. Simply making support phone calls and writing emails are now considered outdated practices. A lot of users look forward to resolving their queries on their own.

Therefore, businesses have come up with strategies to empower their clientele with self-service options. An IVR equipped with an extensive knowledge base, how-to guides and videos, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) eliminates the need of agents for basic queries.

Let’s look at the numbers.

According to inflowcomm.com,

67% of customers prefer self-service options instead of interacting with a service representative.
81% believe that self-help options are a competitive advantage that keeps them satisfied with their current chosen vendor.

5. From call centers to omnichannel contact centers

Communicating with contact center software is easier than ever these days. Omnichannel communication for customer service address shifting buyer needs—even outperforming traditional legacy call centers. There has been a shift from phone calls to other communication channels, including web chat, email, and social media.

In fact, social media platforms have become the frontrunners because of their convenience in raising and resolving queries. With the abundant availability of smartphones and mobile apps these days, the focus is on extending customer services via phone apps. A multi-channel approach is likely to dominate in the future by providing consistent service across touchpoints.

Consider these statistics:

Nine out of ten customers want an omnichannel experience with seamless service between communication methods. – UC Today
A whopping 86% of customers now expect service conversations to move seamlessly between channels.

Looking forward

With constant advancements in cloud communications technology and ever-evolving client demands, call centers need to remodel their support strategies. Thus, businesses must focus on extending high-quality service.

Next-gen contact centers must emphasise on:

Providing fast, reliable and accurate information across all channels.
Increasing efforts to achieve customer satisfaction and retention.
Reduce contact center complexity and create easy and accessible forums.
Provide an overall smooth user experience.

Contact our sales team at 1888-859-0450 or drop an email at [email protected] to know more!

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Kritagya Pandey

Author

Kritagya Pandey is a creative and technical content writer, editor, and strategist. She has been writing on customer experience, customer service, artificial intelligence, cloud communication, and more. She invests her time researching the current business, market trends, and studying about social media strategies.

What if The Game of Thrones Took Place in a World of Cloud Communications?

Diksha Gusain

Author

Unified Communication

September 24, 2020

10 mins read eye

Table of content

Some things never mix. Like oil and water. Perhaps that was your reaction to reading ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘cloud communication’ in the same sentence. But maybe we shouldn’t be so hasty in dismissing the idea.

Winter is coming. The Stark motto has become unanimous with the show and evokes emotions even in casual watchers. The hit TV series (yes, this is about the show, not the book) captured hearts and became a raving success with its diabolical plotlines. Fans couldn’t help loving, yet hating the show at the same time for piling hardships on their favourite characters.

Shouting at the TV screen just doesn’t cut it though. So I decided to pen down a reimagined world where the right tools could have been a huge help to our protagonists.

You’d be surprised by the number of tragedies prevented, and rightful justice quickly served if our beloved (yet mostly controversial) characters were equipped with modern cloud communication tools.

Let’s explore how these tools could have been used as weapons for their medieval politics.

Of course, a world of internet telephony would be entirely different. However, for the sake of this thought experiment, we’ll discuss the impact of this technology in light of a few major events.

Disclaimer: Huge spoilers ahead.

1. Broadcast the twists and turns of the seven kingdoms to the public

“Sitting a throne is a thousand times harder than winning one.” — Robert Baratheon

This use of foreshadowing wasn’t clear to us at the time. But soon enough, we saw the Baratheons (and Lannisters, shh), Joffrey, Stannis, and Renly, claiming the Iron throne, while Robb Stark was declared King in the North, and Balon Greyjoy wanted to be King of the Iron Islands. Lots of names, lots of claims.

With the war of the five kings and the subsequent rise of the queens, coupled with the capital’s own deadly internal politics—the throne saw new owners very often.

Understandably, the common people wouldn’t have the time, energy, or motivation to keep track of such privileged squabbles.

Wouldn’t it be so much easier if every time a ruler died and a new one was crowned, the council could simply send a voice broadcast to the whole continent of Westeros? Similarly, broadcasts could be used to warn people of impending dangers like war announcements, and give timely updates about important events like royal weddings or funerals.

This way, several people can get instant information without any interruptions in their daily routine. This is actually extremely important if you think about it. After all, if the unaware populace failed to show respect to the newly-crowned kings, Cersei would have had them beheaded. Or blown up (RIP Sept of Baelor).

2. Our favourite goody-two-shoes, Ned Stark, could have lived

Eddard (Ned) Stark was introduced as an honourable, intelligent and mighty man. He was perhaps the only character no one seemed to hate. As the obvious protagonist of the first season, we had high hopes for him.

And we saw all those hopes fall with his severed head.

Still From GOT

Still from the Game of Thrones (HBO)

Sadly, his honour brought his downfall. Robert Baratheon made his Hand the regent, but Cersei, in her typical fashion, dismissed his claim and crowned her son. If only Ned could have recorded his conversation with Robert and shared it with the Small Council, his legitimacy would have been protected.

With HD quality proof of Ned’s authority, he couldn’t have been accused of treason and executed impulsively. Can you imagine how the game would change if the head of House Stark remained alive? Perhaps we’d have a different King in the North to cheer for.

3. Secure conversations with cloud encryption mean better-kept secrets

Secrets, deceit, conspiracies. These are all on the daily agenda for our characters. Undoubtedly, the ‘game of thrones’ is majorly about who can be the sneakiest. Think of Varys and Littlefinger. Could there be any plotline that didn’t involve their meddling?

As part of the king’s council, they oversee all the politics in the realm and rather shape the events. They could, in fact, be made even more powerful with cloud tools. With high-quality call encryptions, there would be no fear of sensitive information getting leaked or overheard. What if Varys failed to save Tyrion’s life because of leaked communications? With cloud services at hand, there’s no need to worry about that.

Furthermore, number masking provides anonymity to our players. They can easily act as catalysts for major events when their messages are delivered without revealing their identity—that is when their real number is replaced with a virtual alternative.

Even the general public would’ve benefited since they would not have to travel far and wide through dangerous routes to deliver messages. Quick information transmission in a secure manner would have certainly changed lives and the course of many wars.

4. The Iron Bank would be equipped with top-notch IVR services

The Lannisters always pay their debts. Well true, they’re totally loaded. The fact that they’re so rich causes them to be hugely influential—so what they say, goes.

But imagine if we could have reduced this disparity by making the Iron Bank easily accessible to all the houses, as well as the crown. The continent wouldn’t be so dependent on Lannister gold if people could call up a toll free number to contact the bank for seamless service.

“Hello, you’ve reached the Iron Bank of Braavos, your one-stop solution for all monetary needs. Press 1 to open an account, press 2 to apply for a loan, press 3 to speak to our representative…”

An IVR service like this would make them so much more approachable. People are not only greeted pleasantly, but they can also opt for self-service and quickly resolve their issues.

As a result, the Lannisters would have had a lesser influence on the throne. Perhaps Cersei and Robert would’ve never gotten married. If she instead married a man who actually loved her, would she be less…evil?

Still From Game of Thrones

Still from the Game of Thrones (HBO)

5. Daenerys could have avoided rebellions and made her way to Westeros sooner

Let’s take a quick detour away from Westeros to the eastern continent of Essos. Dany, a.k.a., the mother of dragons, spends the majority of the series in the free cities.

While it’s arguable whether she suffered from the Targaryen madness or not, she did win hearts through her kindness and strength displayed in the earlier seasons. Her main goal was to abolish slavery, protect the people and bring them peace, albeit with three huge dragons in tow.

Game of Thrones Still

Still from the Game of Thrones (HBO)

Daenerys could have attained her goal sooner with cloud communication tools in her aid. We know she wanted to help the common people, and therefore it was important for her to communicate with them effectively.

Sending out survey campaigns with outbound call center tools would have come in handy here. If she could gauge the needs and responses of the public, she could have managed or prepared for the rebellions in a better way.

She could have also maintained a closer look at the cities of Meeren, Yunkai and Astapor by video conferencing with the respective councils regularly. Who would dare to challenge a queen who sees everything, and travels first class on dragons?

6. Bran could have become the three-eyed raven without going beyond the wall

If you don’t get nightmares thinking about the ominous happenings beyond the wall, you’re braver than I am. Now imagine Bran, a young and sheltered kid who knows about the horrors in the true north, voluntarily making a trip where he knows he’ll be hunted by icy monsters.

Terrifying, is it not? Not to forget the heartache of losing Hodor (I bawled).

But what if all that could be avoided—who needs the all-seeing raven when you have the all-seeing cloud technology? Bran could have simply held a video call with the Three-Eyed Raven and taken over his duties virtually.

That’s the beauty of the cloud. It doesn’t matter if you’re (literally) stuck in a cave. You can still enjoy high definition conversations with people across the continents.

On a personal note, maybe Bran wouldn’t have become so creepy if he hadn’t suffered so much on his journey. Our King of the Six Kingdoms could have been chirper!

7. The white walkers could have been defeated earlier

The best is often saved for the last. So here you go. Even the first scene of the series was about the white walkers, and they continued to be omnipresent as a menacing threat throughout the show.

Tyrion Lannister once said, “Why is that when one man builds a wall, the next man immediately needs to know what’s on the other side?”

This was perhaps one instance where Tyrion was not that wise. As it turns out, the world really should have tried to find out what was on the other side.

Game of Thrones

Still from the Game of Thrones (HBO)

That fallacy could have been corrected with the use of cloud communication tools. The biggest problem here was that people believed the walkers to be old folklore—a scary story to make the kids go to bed on time. The reality of the situation didn’t dawn in until they themselves knocked on the door (or The Wall).

Instead, if people could have recorded and broadcasted the white walkers from the get-go, things would be different. A simple email blast or file transfer would be enough proof to neutralise the threat on time. Don’t let them form an army in the first place!

Jon Snow knows nothing—except that white walkers exist and they’re coming. If Jon quickly sent the proof to Dany, the Battle of Winterfell could have been avoided.

Further, Samwell Tarly was studying at the Citadel and came across vital details about these deadly monsters. He could have utilised the resources there to transmit information to Jon in real-time. A simple unified communications platform could ensure that he held efficient and regular meetings with Castle Black, the front line of this war.

Conclusion

Is there really a conclusion? The possibilities of using the cloud to transform the happenings of the series are endless. Avid fans can spend hours debating the merits and downfalls.

But one thing is certain—life could’ve been easier for the people of the seven kingdoms with the use of technology and Internet-based communications. Of course, betrayals would’ve also been nastier.

Take, for instance, the final season when Jaime is sent to kill Olenna Tyrell (the smartest and most savage woman ever), and she reveals that she was the one who poisoned Joffrey. Her famous last words were: Tell Cersei. I want her to know it was me.

Imagine if she could have relayed this message to Cersei in real-time over a conference call. We could never be ready for the explosion (no puns intended) this confession would’ve caused.

We live in a world that runs on technology, and it’s impossible to imagine life without the benefits of the Internet and its associated services. That’s what makes reimagining a medieval world more fun. It even shows us how lucky we are to have such innovations in our lives—so why not make the best use of them?

Acefone offers best-in-class cloud communication services to empower business communications. Contact sales at 1888-859-0450 now and get started on your cloud journey as well!

What world would you like us to imagine next empowered with cloud communication? Drop a comment down below!

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Diksha Gusain

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5 Ways To Enhance Your Brand With a Freephone Number

Acefone Editor

Author

Free Phone Numbers

September 23, 2020

5 mins read eye

Table of content

A potential customer comes across your product and is intrigued. He’s interested in buying it but wants to get more information first. But what happens if he encounters a faulty or poorly designed website? Or if the information provided is unclear?

A sense of mistrust begins to build and he possibly forgoes the purchase.

This situation is essentially a cost to enquire about. And it’s one of the worst things for your business.

Customers these days are bombarded with choices, so it makes sense that they prefer to deal with companies that are easy to work with and can be readily contacted.

In case some issue arises, callers don’t want to wait around on the phone while you resolve it. Similarly, money is tight for many, and seeing a premium contact number may encourage them to pick other brands.

This article will explore how you can enhance your brand with a toll free number, and how to use a simple phone number as a great sales tool.

1. Make it easy for customers to contact you

Complexity has no place in the world of customer experience. The easier, the better. If you’re trying to increase your inbound call traffic, you need to make it as simple as possible. A freephone number helps do just that—it breaks down barriers for potential clients and encourages calling you up for query resolution.

If a customer can contact you easily without bearing major costs, they have nothing to lose really. This allows you to promote your business to warm leads who have actively called you and allows your staff to be in contact with a wider audience.

Freephone numbers don’t just benefit new clients, they’re useful to the existing customers too. If a long-time client has a query or complaint, they will not want to spend money just to speak to your customer support team.

A freephone number allows your business to keep the communication lines open and leaves consumers less likely to leave a negative review or have a bad impression of your service.

2. Increase trust in your brand

A freephone number showcases you as a trustworthy brand. Many large corporations have 0800 numbers that signal to the customers that the company is well-established and has the facilities to deal with their enquiry. With a cloud phone system, any business can enhance their brand in this way.

Even small businesses with only a few employees can deploy this number to gain customer trust. Clients can get the impression of a dedicated team on stand-by even if it’s actually just one rep.

Not just for small businesses, but freephone numbers help bigger firms compete with large corporations as well.

With an image of trustworthiness and ease of contact, you’re able to create transparency in your communications. Customers truly value this aspect when making business connections.

Free Phone Numbers Help Build Positive Brand Image from Naina Rajput

3. Boost your customer service

Show your customers that you are willing to go the extra mile for them. A freephone number can be considered an investment; it assures your clientele that they can contact you without any barriers. Happy customers lead to a prosperous business.

By opening up these lines of communication for your customers, they’ll likely stay in frequent contact with your agents and build more meaningful connections. Additionally, your staff gets more experience with these conversations and can improve their skills this way.

By investing a relatively small amount of money into your customer service, you are sure to get great ROI with increased calls and more satisfied clients.

4. Expand your horizons

Freephone numbers aren’t limited to a specific region, so your business can operate across the UK with just one central number. Even if a customer is located on the other side of the country, they’ll have no problem contacting you. The number itself signals your geographic scope and that you operate nationally.

Even if you don’t operate nationwide, it is great for your brand to showcase such an image and thereby build more credibility.

You could lose lucrative business opportunities simply because clients may not want to call a local number of a different geographic location (due to the charges, or just the belief that you don’t operate near them).

Opening up your business in this way will bring in new markets and create great marketing opportunities across the UK.

5. Make your business stand out from the competition

Last, but not the least—0800 numbers give you an edge over your competitors. If you’re competing with smaller businesses, customers likely choose you over them because of your higher functionality.

Surveys by Henley Research found that 65% of customers were more likely to call a business when the number was free. If your competition isn’t doing this, you should adopt this service and get a head start!

This number acts as a great selling point for your business. It shows your dedication towards building a nationwide brand that can compete with corporations as well.

People realise that your priority is to provide the best possible way to establish connections and ease the customer’s journey. Therefore, you can build your image to be professional, yet friendly.

Conclusion

Overall, an 0808 number can truly set your business apart from the crowd and ensure that your customer support team has every opportunity to serve clients better and keep them happy.

You’re sure to get a lot back from such a small investment. If you’d like to find out more about adding a freephone number to your hosted phone system, call Acefone today on 1888-859-0450

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Reasons Why Businesses Need Softphone

Yukti Verma

Author

Contact Center

September 22, 2020

4 mins read eye

Table of content

We’ve come a long way from Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone. Over the years, a multitude of innovations has become critical to a firm’s operations. One such product is the softphone.

This telephony system doesn’t even need a wired desk connection or a business phone device. It operates entirely on the cloud which means that any internet-enabled device can become your new desk phone with the touch of a button.

In this article, we will explore why you need a softphone and what it could mean for the future of your business.

1. Flexibility to relocate

A cloud-based phone system enables you to work from any location depending on your requirements, without worrying about missing a call or lead. As long as you are connected to the internet, you can make and receive calls as if through your desk phone.

In this internet age, you’re likely to find a wifi connection in most places, so your functioning need not be interrupted just because of geographic constraints. If you are in the middle of meetings, you don’t need to return to the office anymore. You can connect with clients anywhere—a local coffee shop or even a picnic in the park—making that place your office for the day.

Softphone enables you to answer customer calls with the same clear quality you would expect from a traditional phone line. Moreover, there’s no need for multiple devices since the technology can be incorporated into any compatible device.

2. Hire remote workers anywhere in the world

Softphones can open up your talent pool worldwide, giving you the chance to recruit the best staff regardless of their location. With just a few clicks, you can connect them to your phone system and they will be able to work as if physically present on-premise. Remote workers can also be hired on an ad-hoc basis; you can add and remove phone lines easily through Acefone’s online portal.

When customer calls get connected, remote agents can be sure of reliable quality for efficient communication. Staff working from home can also use their own devices, as long as they have an internet-enabled laptop, phone, or tablet.

Employing softphones gives you a great opportunity to introduce new talent to your business cloud phone service. This extra manpower also helps you get through heavier workloads. For example, if your firm is busier in certain seasons or at certain times of the day, you can hire remote agents to work part-time. They share the volume of calls and ensure that customers are not kept waiting unnecessarily.

3. Monitor everything through detailed analytics

As a manager or business owner, you should monitor and keep track of your staff’s performance to ensure everything is running as smoothly as possible. A softphone allows you to access detailed analytics on any device, wherever you are. With just a few clicks, you can find out waiting times, call times for individual agents, time in between calls, costs, and so much more.

These analytics can help schedule work hours and tasks, and also give insights on the cost-effectiveness of your call plan. Additionally, call recordings are stored safely in an online portal, so all interactions are easily accessible—to be used for training or to help resolve complaints.

4. All customer information at your fingertips

With a softphone, you can access call logs, customer contact information and anything else you need while on-call. Agents need not open and operate multiple systems.

This will not only save agents’ time but will also provide a great personalised experience for your customers. Clients will be impressed by your employees’ knowledge of their issues, and this dedicated service will encourage them to remain loyal.

Storing customer data on a softphone also saves money. Agents can spend their valuable time serving customers and targeting new leads. They can also leave detailed notes on an account detailing client preferences or previous conversations so that other employees can maintain continuity.

5. Host conference calls anywhere

It no longer matters where your staff is physically located. You can add members to the system with one click, and hold group calls with colleagues and clients directly.

Conference calls encourage collaboration, which is of the utmost importance when your staff is based all over the world. You can keep everyone connected and encourage them to share their experiences without the need for costly corporate retreats.

Agents can connect through multiple extensions and collaborate to build a strong team. This will certainly have a positive impact on their customer service. When employees feel included and happy, they are more likely to produce quality work. Therefore, it is important to keep everyone connected and motivated—and conference calls are a simple way to do this.

Softphones make operations more flexible and allow you to do what you do best, rather than worrying about missing important calls. With a wealth of features designed to make work easier, virtual phone solutions can be the key to a productive workplace and a profitable venture.

To find out more about softphones and why your business needs one, call our expert team on 1888-859-0450 or visit Acefone today.

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Yukti Verma

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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.

Missed Call Solutions: Everything You Need to Know

Acefone Editor

Author

Contact Center

September 21, 2020

6 mins read eye

Table of content

To vote for your favorite contestant, please give a missed call on xx-xx-xxxxxx.

Sounds familiar, right?

Please give me a missed call when you reach home.

Give me a missed call to remind me about groceries.

I’m going to bed, wake me up with a missed call.

In other words, for every reminder, missed calls are the solution.

Similarly, the need to cope with higher call rates has led to the popularity of missed calls. The idea is as simple as it is with reminders—such calls may not result in a conversation, but they serve as an ‘alert’ and, sometimes, more. As Indian consumers, we are always looking for ways to save money on our calls. A missed call provides just that. It is a convenient and affordable medium to convey pre-agreed and mutually understood messages.

What started out as simply a feasible way of communication has now become a vital business opportunity for prominent sectors—FMCG, banks, and even politics! Missed call solutions are being adopted by brands to effectively interact with their customers.

According to a study , 75% of customers feel that it takes too long to reach an agent on a live call. With such statistics, it is always safe to implement a missed call service.

Without further ado, let’s get to the nitty-gritties of this solution.

This guide will walk you through the concept of missed call solutions and how they benefit businesses and customers alike. It’ll also explore its exclusive uses in enhancing customer experience.

What is Missed Call Solution?

It’s quite obvious—you initiate a call but disconnect it before a connection is made. Missed call service is a cloud telephony solution that disconnects customers’ calls automatically after a response has been registered. This can be configured for a marketing campaign on a fancy number, or as a regular means of contacting your customers on a business number as well.

Consequently, it saves your clients costs and aids clear communication. This whole process reduces wasted time and manual intervention of agents. Additionally, missed call service is a brilliant mechanism to generate new leads for all types of businesses. A robust online dashboard supports this solution by providing insights on caller details—number, location, service provider, etc. These leads can prove to be a source of great revenue in the future.

A FEW USE CASES:

Verification

The financial sector has been using missed call services to its fullest potential for quite a while now. Tasks like confirming your clients’ bank balance, a specific transaction, or simply changing your email address can be easily pulled off using a missed call solution. A linked number allows quick and accurate security checks.

Tracking

Fine examples of missed call solutions are associated with the e-commerce sector where tracking remains vital. Status of delivery, mode of payment, delivery time confirmation, and other details can be accessed via missed call services.

Further Communication

It’s important to maintain constant contact with customers in order to retain them—otherwise it’s all out of sight, out of mind. Thankfully, missed call solutions allow you to do just that. For example, you can send out common messages like “give us a missed call to request a call-back”, “give us a missed call to receive an OTP”, etc.

Engagement and Votes

Non-intrusive engagement is the best way to grab customer attention without being too obvious about it. Media, reality shows, and the entertainment industry have all made good use of it.

Register a Response

It is important to ensure that you do not spam customers with your calls or messages. If you’re skeptical about the type of updates your customers prefer, you can give them an option to opt in or out of your campaigns using missed call services.

Rulebook to Create Interactive Missed Call Campaigns

(1) Choose a Number

The first decision for an effective missed call campaign would be to choose the type of number. Would a toll-free number better reflect your brand mission? Or should you go for a vanity number?

You can publish the chosen number in print media or flash it on your website and social media. After registering responses from your customers, you can trigger the next action.

(2) Setting Up the Campaign Agenda

This is a vital step. The objectives of missed call solutions can be varied: lead generation, number verification, delivery tracking, and so on. These goals decide the script of the IVR to be recorded. The more interactive your IVR is, the higher are your chances of success.

For example, if you’re seeking support from your audience during a natural disaster, you have to set up the IVR in a manner that resonates with the audience emotionally and persuades them to take action.

(3) Analyse Results

Using a comprehensive dashboard along with a robust missed call solution enables you to analyse your campaign progress. Moreover, you can effectively use A/B testing to zero down on competent approaches. Automatic reporting lets you check the insights real-time so that you can change bits of your campaign on the go.

Master these simple steps, one at a time, and your campaign success is guaranteed.

If you’re still unsure, let’s take a deeper look at the advantages of having a missed call number in place.

Reach out to audiences: Users respond better to a non-intrusive form of engagement, such as a missed call, because it’s a voluntary medium to connect instead of a forced one.

One-step registration/verification: It saves you the time and effort to take customers through various rounds of lengthy forms and questionnaires because you replace all the toil with a simple missed call.

Flexibility: The ability of missed call solutions to amalgamate with any software gives them the edge over other communication mediums. The service can integrate easily with CRMs and websites, adding to its overall ease and functionality.

Tracking: An added advantage is the intuitive dashboard that offers detailed analytics and real-time monitoring features to keep an eye on your performance at all times.

Cost-effective: Being powered by the latest cloud technology, missed calls are the most cost-effective among other cloud services serving the same purpose.

Cost effective solution

Customer feedback: To complete the feedback loop, companies usually deploy tools and solutions that aid a 360-degrees feedback process. Missed call services are an effective way to drive that process smoother and faster.

Conclusion:

It’s appealing to discover unique applications of missed call solutions across various industries. The affordability and simplicity of this technology can do wonders for organisations of all shapes and sizes. It is a smart way to persuade customers towards taking action and engaging more with your brand.

Efficient missed call service providers save you the time, effort, and money that is otherwise required to pull off a successful campaign. Intelligent deployment of this solution aids quality lead generation and efficient tracking.

After all, higher the engagement, more the revenue!

Acefone offers the best in-class missed call service for all your communication needs. Look no further! Call now to get in touch with our agents.

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