The healthcare industry is a critical industry where each second matters, a communication system which is fast and reliable is what it needs. Let us take a look at the changes that a hosted phone brings to the healthcare industry.

1. Reduced Cost

Hosted phone systems are affordable and offer advanced features compared to a traditional phone. These cloud-based phones use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) for communication.

They are hardware-free and do not require complex cabling. Cloud-hosted phones are highly scalable and grow with your organisation. Adding or removing phone lines is very easy as it is managed online. They are very easy to install and do not require a technician for its installation.

The owner can easily install them by following the simple instructions. Since hosted phones are hosted by a third party, they take care of its maintenance, installation, and technological upgrades without charging. The monthly fee is inclusive of the maintenance and service charges.

2. Seamless Communication

Hosted phone delivers strong and continuous communication so that hospital employees can stay connected with the patients regardless of where they are.

Cloud phones offer advanced features like call conferencing, IVR, and voicemail to email for communication. These features are extremely beneficial like an IVR can be used to provide information related to appointments and report status without human intervention.

Hosted phones ensure that communication continues irrespective of the geographic location. Doctors and nurses are always on the move, but with a cloud phone, they can take calls from anywhere. All they have to do is transfer their calls from their hosted phone to their personal devices.

3. Enhanced Security

Data security is a concern for any industry; in the healthcare industry, hospitals are responsible for keeping the patient records and hospital’s database safe and secured from unauthorised people and hackers. VoIP technology includes various security measures like 2-step authentication, data encryption, and other security measures to keep the data safe.

Patient data is personal as it includes sensitive information such as medical history and laboratory tests; hence needs to be protected from the data breach. It is always recommended to take security measures beforehand; it can be done with regular monitoring.

Also, the security of your business communication is in the hands of your service provider; thus, it is crucial to select the right provider who uses updated technology and various security algorithms.

4. Improved Productivity

Healthcare industry is a busy industry with a huge customer base; thus, technologies that can save time and make tedious tasks easier to enhance the productivity of workers.  Hosted phone is one such solution that can save time and make agent’s work easier.

The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) feature can give information about appointment availability and laboratory results without the need for human interaction.  It saves the patient’s time as they get instant solution for their query.

An IVR is integrated with Automatic Call Distribution (ACD), which is responsible for connecting patients with the most appropriate agent. The IVR is capable of performing many tasks such as call prioritisation, creating personalised messages, and collecting patient’s information.

These advanced features perform multiple functions that help in improving the productivity of the organisation.

5. Share & Manage Records

Before the cloud, doctors had to email or fax the reports which consumed time.

With the introduction of cloud technology, multiple doctors can now share files online at the same time and can view patient reports in just a click.

Teams can collaborate and share data easily over a hosted phone, increasing team productivity, and saving costs.

The healthcare industry includes a huge amount of data, and the data is used for research to spot diseases and emerging bacteria. Thus, the humungous patient records are stored and managed for research purposes.

Another advantage of cloud communication is data storage. With hosted phone systems, you get the callers database of incoming, outgoing, and missed calls. With this data, you can follow-up on the missed calls ensuring that no query is left unattended.

6. Better Patient Experience

Patient Experience becomes smooth and seamless when healthcare services provide quality assistance and care. VoIP offers a high-quality voice for smooth communication because it is essential for healthcare services during emergencies.

Custom message service that reminds and inform patients about their appointments and reports help improve patient experience. Hospitals deal with a high volume of incoming calls daily. VoIP ensures that no call is left unanswered as it could be an emergency call.

Conclusion

The purpose of healthcare service is patient care; hence, a phone system that can handle a high volume of important calls efficiently is required. Healthcare industries can achieve that by moving to cloud technology and enjoy some of the benefits like high-quality voice experience and can manage or share patient data conveniently.

Remote areas can also take advantage of VoIP based phones by getting assistance from the doctors across the world over a video call. Thus, the healthcare industry cannot ignore the importance of having a streamlined communication, whether with the patients or within the hospital.

Switching to hosted phones from the current phone system will reduce not only the long-term operational costs but will help improve the patient experience.

The post How Hosted Phone System Is Changing The Healthcare Industry appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

A free phone number is a free helpline service that a business provides to people so that they can contact them with their queries without paying for the call. The company pays for the calls instead. Customers do not hesitate to reach out to the company when they do not have to pay for the call made by them.

Not all businesses can practice many marketing tools, as small enterprises have a fixed budget for their expenditures. Free phone numbers are cost-efficient; thus, small businesses can also provide the number to their customers. Through it, they can enjoy the benefits and experience a boost in their marketing campaigns.

Benefits of Free Phone Number In Your Marketing Campaign

Let’s take a look at the benefits that you will experience in your marketing campaign after incorporating free phone service.

1. Free Phone Numbers Add Credibility

When customers trust you, they stay loyal to you and are more likely to refer your brand to their friends and family.

Take the extra step and erase the communication gap between you and your customers. Customers are more likely to trust a brand that puts extra effort into their welfare.

They appreciate the efforts you take for them and can reach out to you anytime without worrying about the long-distance charges. With a free phone service, customers can contact you conveniently.

Investing in a free phone number helps in building trust between the two parties and also enhances brand reputation.

2. Tracks Marketing Campaign Calls

With free phone numbers, you can track your calls to get important data, which helps you monitor and optimize the performance of your marketing plan. By tracking phone calls, you can get the information about the number of received calls from a particular campaign.

The data is used to identify the most effective marketing campaign delivering the highest phone leads. With call tracking, you get valuable information such as call duration, number of calls, call recording, number of conversions, customer’s geographic location, the peak time of calls, and the performance of the PPC landing page.

You get to know which team converts more leads and can identify the teams that require training. With call tracking, you can also find out the keywords that drive traffic to the site.

3. Increases Inbound Calls

By offering a free phone number, you are providing a platform that encourages customers to reach out to you without hesitating. Since customers do not have to pay any charge for the calls that they make to communicate with your representative, they feel free to get in touch with you.

You will notice an increase in the number of incoming calls when your customers get a convenient and free medium to contact you. When customers get an instant response, they refer your brand to their well-knowns.

People are very likely to believe word-of-mouth, especially when it is from someone they know.

4. Better Customer Service

Free phone numbers make you more approachable to the customers, and they feel free to contact you. It is important to have probable customers reach out to you and get their doubts cleared. With free phone service, you provide better customer service by letting your customers call you free of cost.

After all, who would like to pay to get their problems fixed? Having a free phone number shows that you value your customers and care for them even after the sales made. It improves your brand image and proves that you are genuine.

You also get real-time feedback in return, which can be utilised in improving the quality of your customer service. There are so many advanced features like IVR, call recording, and campaign reports that it offers so that you can provide instant and better customer service.

5. Considerable Cost Reduction

Many businesses think that a free phone number is expensive, but it is actually affordable than you think. The number of benefits that a free phone provides makes it worth the cost.

The advanced features save time, effort, and cost of the company. IVR decreases the need for having multiple call assistants to resolve small issues of customers. IVRs work as a self-help tool as they are programmed to help customers solve their problems on their own.

By minimising the number of call attendants, you can save costs on their training and the payment offered to them. You can choose the type of free phone number according to your budget. You can add the features that your business requires and select your plan accordingly.

Reliable provioders such as Acefone allows you to add features from a variety of options and customise your pricing plan according to your budget. With our pay-as-you-go model, you pay only for the services that you use. Try us now to enjoy the benefits of a variety of features without burning a hole in your pocket.

Conclusion

A business requires a successful marketing campaign that can help increase the customer base and improves your sales. With free phone numbers, you can affordably experience the success of your marketing campaign.

You can analyse the incoming calls and provide your customers a reliable customer service. It is a marketing tool that attracts probable customers as they can ask their queries without getting charged for the call.

Do you still doubt if your business should incorporate a free phone number service or not?

A toll-free or free phone number not only improves the customer satisfaction rate but also improves the ROI of your business. It connects customers with businesses and develops trust between the two.

Customers feel valued and important when companies are open to listening to them and provide a free platform for communication. It also helps businesses establish a brand image and gives them a global presence.

The post Why Free Phone Number Is A Must Have For Your Marketing Campaign Success appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Similarly, it is important for businesses to understand the benefits of adopting the latest communication solutions. Cloud communication uses the internet for voice and data communications. 

With cloud communications, you can collaborate and communicate from anywhere and on any device. Employees can work remotely on any device, which makes them happier and satisfied at work. The business communication medium should be updated as well, offering remote access and portability.

Let’s understand how cloud communication promotes mobility and enhance productivity in your business.

Research by Strategy Analytics showed 1.75 billion people, or 42% of the global workforce, will be mobile by 2020. It will be a challenge for IT professionals to meet the demands of such a high number of employees, but with the concept of enterprise mobility, it can be achieved.

Before we go any further, let’s understand the meaning of enterprise mobility.

Enterprise Mobility

It is an approach to work where employees can work while they are away from the office with cloud services. The company data can be accessed from anywhere and on a variety of mobile devices.

It connects all the employees through mobile devices. Enterprise mobility gives employees the flexibility to work that further improves job satisfaction and boosts productivity. It is becoming popular as mobile users are increasing day by day.

Cloud Communications Promote Mobility

Mobility is the ability to work from anywhere and on any device and changes the way you do business. You no longer need to be physically present at the office; you can use your own devices like smartphones, laptops, and tablets to do your work.

Communication is a crucial part of any organisation, but often many organisations neglect the need to have a cloud-hosted phone for communication. Following are the ways how cloud communications can promote mobility.

1. Real-Time Collaboration

Businesses that deal with customers or clients have to provide service 24/7; in such cases, agents or employees who are away from the office can still take or make calls.

Urgent calls need an immediate response, and by adopting a cloud based phone system, you can integrate with apps that provide real-time collaboration from anywhere and anytime.

2. Unified Communications

Unified Communications (UC) is an integration of all the communication mediums in a single dashboard. It includes communication channels such as voice calls, video conferencing, email, SMS, and instant messaging.

Your agents or employees can access it from anywhere irrespective of the location and device. UC makes it easier for the agents as they get all the information of call log details on a single dashboard.

3. Bring Your Own Device

The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy allows employees to use their personal devices for business purposes. Data is stored on the cloud and thus can be accessed from anywhere, anytime without any difficulty.

Employees are comfortable with their own devices, and it boosts productivity. The company’s data stays safe and protected by enabling guidelines for the devices and apps that are accepted. With the increasing demand for remote accessibility, BYOD was introduced to promote mobility.

Cloud Communications Enhances Productivity

Mobility and productivity are basically two concepts that are interconnected because mobility enhances productivity. Let’s understand how cloud communications and mobility together contribute to enhancing the productivity of your business.

1. Cloud Collaboration

When employees are able to collaborate easily and share files remotely, it increases employee efficiency and productivity. With cloud communications, multiple people can access or work on the same file at the same time from different locations.

With cloud collaboration, employees can connect and collaborate, enhancing team productivity.

2. Saves Time

Switching to cloud communications save time in collaboration as teams can share files and collaborate with each other from anywhere and anytime. Employees are not restricted to their desks and can work even when they are travelling or on vacations.

Cloud allows employees to have flexible working hours, and when they get the freedom to work as per their convenience, then it results in employee efficiency and business productivity.

3. Integration with Existing Systems

Cloud-hosted phone systems are integrated with software programs (such as CRM) that your business requires.

Integration makes switching between the tools seamless by eliminating the need to transfer data from one source to another manually. Multiple devices can access data and integrate cloud services at the same time via the internet from different locations.  

Conclusion

Mobility has changed the way we work, and it is the future of modern-day businesses. It promotes portability by letting you use your mobile devices, and you get the flexibility to work as per your schedule. More and more companies are encouraging mobility because of the kind of benefits it provides.

You will also experience an increase in productivity when your employees are free to work from anywhere and on any device. Get seamless communication experience by shifting to the cloud and connect with your team no matter where you go.  

Every organisation wants an increase in business productivity, and hosted phone solutions will help you achieve that. When your employees get flexible working hours and can use their personal devices, employee productivity increases.

According to a study by Stanford, allowing your agents to work from home has proven to increase productivity and helps in retaining employees as well. With cloud communications, employees can connect, collaborate, and remotely access data while they are on the move.

Also, employees take less leave when they are allowed to work remotely. With cloud collaboration, multiple people can work on the same file together, saving time and effort.

Statistics states that employees who work remotely at least once a month are 24% more likely to be happy and productive.

Want to know more about cloud communications, talk to our expert at 0800-084-3663 to get assistance in understanding our cloud solutions for your business. Get a perfect communication solution for your business with Acefone. Try now!

The post How Cloud Communication Promotes Mobility And Enhances Productivity In Your Business appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

With the evolution of the communication medium, VoIP has proved that it is a necessity for companies because of the number of advantages it offers. It creates a brand image and a considerable customer base, which ultimately will increase your sales by moving towards cloud communications.

If you think why there is a need to switch from your current phone system to cloud, then read this blog and find yourself what all innovations that VoIP is bringing in today.

1. Convenience with VoIP Technology

Traditional phones require additional hardware and complex cabling if you ever wish to add more users.  You will need a technician for its installation, making it more expensive.

Whereas, VoIP Phones are user-friendly, even if one is not familiar with the technology behind it. With its user-friendly online portal, you can simply add or remove users without the requirement of an IT specialist.

They are highly scalable and grow with your business. Seasonal businesses make the most out of scalability as they can scale up or down as per their varying business needs.

You can also make or receive calls on the go; all you need is a robust internet connection. You can do so by transferring your calls from your hosted phone to your mobile. VoIP phone system are flexible as you can access them remotely from anywhere, other benefits like portability and scalability make VoIP even more convenient.

2. Customisable Advanced Features

The analog-based phones do not include any feature besides calling, but a VoIP based phone offers many advanced features that can be customised according to your individual business needs.

Let’s take a look at some of the advanced features that suit your business.

You can maintain and customise your privacy with features like call alerts, call screening, and do-not-disturb.

VoIP-based solutions like free phone number give your business a professional look and improve customer experience when they do not have to pay for contacting you.

Music on Hold will engage your customers while they are put on hold. With Call Blocking, you can block calls by area code, and with Call Conferencing, you can connect and hold meetings with your employees across the world.

There are more features like Call Forwarding and Voicemail to Email, which allows you to work remotely from anywhere. These additional features save time and increase the productivity of your business.

3. Affordable Monthly Charges

Installing a traditional phone system can be very expensive as you need to purchase extra equipment along with cable wires for installing it. You also require hiring a technician because the installation is complicated.

After some time, due to the technology upgrade, you will need to replace the hardware with the upgraded ones. Also, hardware can wear out after serving for some time, and you have to repurchase it then. Long-distance calls are costly because analog-based phones take distance of caller and receiver as a factor. 

According to statistics, small businesses that moved to VoIP save 40% on calls and 90% on international calls.

As Voice over Internet Protocol works on digital signals, it does not consider distance as a factor for the charges behind the call. That means long-distance calls are charged very less compared to traditional phones. Small businesses have a budget for their expenditures and can save a lot by investing in cloud communications.

Cloud phone systems are so easy to install that you do not need to hire a technician for its installation. You can install the phones by following simple instructions. 

Also, VoIP phones require minimum hardware; thus, you do not have to worry about hardware getting old and outdated.

4. Pay-As-You-Go Model

With a traditional phone, you have to specify in advance about the number of phone lines that you may require. Thus, you have to purchase extra phone lines in advance because your business might grow in the future, else you have to re-install the phone lines all over, increasing the installation cost. This may also end up in paying for the phone lines that are not even being used.

VoIP follows the pay-as-you-go model, where you pay only for the services that you choose. You are charged based on the plan that you choose, and the features added as per your business’ requirement.

Seasonal businesses take the best advantage of VoIP by adding or removing channels as per the varying needs of the business.

5. No Maintenance & Technology Upgrade

In traditional phone systems, you have to take care of all the hardware and software upgrades.

But with the introduction of VoIP phones, you do not have to either purchase or maintain any equipment. Through its online portal, you can install, add or remove phone lines easily, eliminating the need of a technician.

Yes! you do not have to worry about the maintenance of your VoIP phone system as your service provider is responsible for both its maintenance and upgrades. The time and effort that you save can be utilised on other important tasks that require attention.

6. Robust Security & Reliability

A disaster is a disturbance which can be a natural calamity or a network outage. It disturbs the business for a while; hence, a reliable and robust communication medium is required ensuring business continues even during unfavourable circumstances.

Traditional phones are located in the office itself; thus, communication data does not have a backup. Data once lost is not retrievable, and with an analog phone, your employees cannot work remotely.

But, in VoIP, data is stored on the cloud and is safe during disasters. VoIP phones ensure that communication continues even during uncertainties. During any disaster, your employees can work from home or anywhere by transferring the calls to their device and can access data from the cloud easily.

Conclusion

The above-mentioned benefits that VoIP offers will improve the ROI of your business, and the advanced features will increase the productivity of your employees. With VoIP, you get detailed reports of your agent’s performance so that you can monitor them, ensuring agents work efficiently.

Before you decide to switch to VoIP for your business, make sure that your provider offers secure and reliable VoIP services.

Know more about VoIP based phones and how they can increase productivity and improve the sales of your business; call us at 1888-859-0450.

Click here to learn more about VoIP setup and installation . 

The post 6 Reasons Why You Should Switch To VoIP appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

If you want to start a business and are afraid of its survival or if you already have a business but can’t figure out how to stand firm against your competitors, this infographic will help you.

Let’s explore in detail.

1. Be Different from Others

In order to innovate, the first thing that you should do is to focus on what additional features you can add to your products or services that others are already providing.

Ask yourself a question – Why would people choose your business over the established and well-known brands?

If you have to offer the same as others, then there will be no differentiating factor. Lack of individuality or uniqueness is one of the reasons why many businesses fail.  Your unique individuality will grab customer’s attention towards you.

2. Excellent Customer Service

HubSpot research states that 93% of customers are more likely to repurchase with companies that offer excellent customer service.

Customers are more likely to be a client of a business that delivers 24/7 excellent customer support. It is completely false if one thinks that a business requires customer service only for sales. Your customers will need support even after they will buy product or service from you.

Cloud Contact center help deliver personalised assistance to the customers before purchase and can address the after-sales issues.

3. Connect with your Customers

Every business looks for a steady customer base; thus, it is essential to connect and start communication with your probable customers, and it is equally important to stay connected with existing customers as well.

Social media is a great platform for you to stay connected with customers. Respond to comments immediately as it will show that you value their thoughts and suggestions. If a comment is negative, understand the customer issue empathetically as part of good customer service.

Also, cloud communication such as hosted phone system and toll free numbers can give you the better mobility and flexibility to better connect with your customers.

4. Identify your Audience

If you run a product-based business, targeting everyone with bad personalization will hinder your impact, making it vital to focus on the right audience.

Hence, clearly define your target audience so that you don’t waste your time and efforts on customers who don’t fall in the domain of your business.

5. Stick to What you Claim

Offering a guarantee attracts customers, but you have to be careful with it—especially in an inbound contact center setting. Do not make false promises if you are not confident about your potential already. When you fail to fulfill your commitments, customers will lose trust in you, and you also lose a loyal customer.

Sometimes when you fail to meet the claims you make, for example, if you claim a one-day delivery and aren’t able to do so, then it’s better to reach out to the customer and honestly accept your fault. There are fewer chances that the customer might continue with your services but ignoring and lying will make the condition even worse.

6. Introduce Valuable Deals

We all are familiar with the power; the word “SALE” has on us. Words like discount, limited, guaranteed, and free attracts customers. Provide your customers with valuable deals that they can’t turn down.

Create valuable deals that the customers will enjoy and simultaneously ensuring that your business still makes a profit.

7. Pricing Matters

As much as the quality of a product or service matters, so does value for money matters. It is not about offering you products or services at a lower price than your competitor’s, but what matters is: Is it worth the price?

If your services are as good as your competitors and you are offering them at a better price, then customers will not let go off this deal.

8. Be Innovative

The best way to stand out from others and get attention is by discovering or innovating new technology, products, or services. Trust your employees and give them a chance to come up with new ideas.

Assign research work to them, who knows if one might suggest a brilliant idea. To be innovative, you have to come out of your comfort zone. A spark for learning and discovering should be present in a business. Innovation does not mean discovering; it can be an idea that brings something new on the table, which adds value to the product or service.

9. Act of Social Cause

Sharing a little from your profit can help change the world. Many businesses have started donating a part of their revenue to social causes. This also makes customers want to join you in a good cause by purchasing products from your business. 

Want to go beyond just standing out and truly delight your customers?
Explore our proven customer experience strategies to build loyalty and create long-term competitive advantage.

The post Top 9 Customer Service Methods To Make Your Business Stand Out appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Customer service has evolved over the last decade by the introduction of various technologies like contact center software, IVR, and features like auto attendant, call transfer, and voicemail to email. If you are running on outdated trends and technology, then you might soon lose your potential customers.

It may lead customers to look for products or services from your competitors who are providing better customer service. No business would ever want that. Quality customer service is the one that respects and values the time of its customers.

Customers nowadays consider the quality of customer service as one of the factors to choose their services from a business. Your product or price is not the only deciding factor for the final purchase from your customers. Customers look for before and after-sales support as well.

It’s 2024, and if you are still practising the traditional methods of customer service, then It’s the right time to adopt new technologies and ways to improve the quality of your service.

In this blog, you will find the techniques that will help your business to stand out from the rest. After all, seamless customer service leads to excellent customer experience.

Here are ten strategies for you to improve your customer service in 2024.

1. Shift To Cloud

Cloud contact center has minimised the need for maintaining a technical infrastructure of office space. Agents can connect with customers from anywhere.

Cloud contact centers support remote login and agents can deal with customer queries on the move. It improves the agent’s productivity. Such facility helps them to work from home during bad weather days or during other unfavourable situations.

You can also ensure 24/7 support for your customers if your business is spread across different countries. With the help of remote login, there is always an agent available for the customers with different business hours.

2. Respond On Social Media

“You can use social media to turn strangers into friends, friends into customers, and customers into salespeople.” – Seth Godin

With the increasing popularity of social media and the power that it holds, business is also taking a step ahead in connecting with customers through it.

According to a report by ValueWalk, 95% of customers’ complaints on social media don’t reach companies. It clearly suggests that the companies are not able to respond to the customers efficiently. Any company that responds to the customers is undoubtedly ahead of others.

Consumers share their reviews or experience with the company on different social media platforms. Some of these are complaints regarding how the business’s customer service has treated them and have not solved or fixed their problems.

The company needs to address them by apologising to them and solving their problems or queries without any further delay.

3. Provide Excellent User Experience

A user-friendly experience is way more result-oriented than a complex one. Your website should be as user-friendly as it can be. Visitors won’t like it if they have to invest time and effort in finding a click-to-call button due to slow page loading.

Bad user experience may make them unwilling to visit your website again; also, there are high chances of conversions from an excellent user experience.

4. Invest In Self Service Tools

Customers expect an immediate response. Some of the frequent problems do not really require human intervention. Self -Service tools such as chatbots and IVR not only save money but also minimise human effort and time.  

These AI-based tools provide customers with faster and round the clock support. As per the CNBC report, chatbots are expected to cut business costs by $8 billion by 2022.

5. Include Real-time Assistance

Live chat is one of the most preferred channels to communicate with customers. It helps to guide and provide the customers with the required information. Agents can resolve any confusion or queries of the customers right away.

It also increases the chances of conversion of sales. Co-browsing is another option that offers live support. Through it, agents can access the customer’s screen and solve their problems in real-time. Customers can only enable the pages that they want to share with agents. Hence, it is safe and secure.

6. Observe Customer Feedback

Do not fear to provide your customers to share their feedback. In fact, feedbacks if carefully observed and implemented can help your business for the better. It helps you to know the area which requires improvement.

It develops trust in customers by making them feel that you want to resolve their problems. Take negative comments positively. Address them right away.

7. Refer & Earn

“If you want more customers, then be so good that your current customers tell others.”

– Shep Hyken

You can earn more customers through referrals. Your existing customers will earn a reward through it by referring it to their friends and family. It is a tried and tested method of getting new customers.

Loyal customers are likely to refer in return for the reward. Also, people do believe in word-of-mouth, especially getting the reference from people they trust. The customers earned from referrals are more likely to be loyal, just like your existing customers.

8. Cross-Sell Wherever Possible

Cross-Sell is the best way to increase your sales without spending costs on disinterested people. It is an act of encouraging customers to purchase related items or services along with the product of their interest.

It is better to market your products through cross-selling as it is relevant than to make calls randomly to people who are not the target customers. Make sure to do this practice in a healthy manner. Agents should have the right skills and information for it.

9. Make Use Of CRM Software

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a software that helps to manage interactions and maintain relationships between a company and its customers. It is helpful in many ways, like tracking leads and provides insights into the customer’s journey.

You can efficiently use this information to understand their needs and adopt the right measures to accelerate sales. It stores customer details in a database and is accessible from anywhere and anytime. It boosts agent productivity as it eliminates manual tasks, and the saved time can be spent on other important activities.

10. Do Not Afraid To Experiment

Try and test every trend & technology and then implement the one which works for your business. Innovate, experiment, and do not afraid to take risks.

You might make mistakes, but it will help you to learn and grow. Keep track of your competitors and see what they are doing differently from you. Plan how you can stand out from them and what more can you offer to your customers.

We hope that the above ten tips will improve your customer service in 2024. Keep your customers happy and lead your business to success.

Do you have anything to add here? Please share in the comments section below.

The post How To Improve Customer Service In 2024: 10 Easy Ways appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Hosted phone offers a lot of benefits to businesses of any size. It is cost-efficient, highly scalable, reliable, and also flexible. It is not only limited to these benefits only, but it also comes with excellent voice quality and includes additional features like call transfer, call recording, voicemail to email, and auto attendant.

However, the security of your cloud PBX depends on your service provider. Hence, it is essential to select the right service provider. The maintenance and technology upgrades are also taken care of by the provider. Service providers have a significant role to play, and if their service is not satisfactory, then it will affect your business as well.

Before you choose a hosted phone system provider for your business, make sure that you have checked this blog.

1. Research Well

Choosing a service provider is entirely in your hands. Make a list of all your business needs and do your research accordingly. Compare the service providers in terms of their respective offerings, and choose the one who meets most of your business requirements.

Go for a service provider that you feel is trustworthy. A service provider with a stable clientele and a good number of years of experience earns a higher credential. Read their terms and conditions before taking the contract.

Read about their cancellation policy; it is better to know it before if you do not wish to face any consequences later.

2. Quality of Service

It is quite obvious that high-quality calls are required for seamless business communication. Nothing is worse than poor call quality while your agent is speaking to the customer.

Due to the poor call quality, you lose probable customers. Cloud-based communication ensures HD voice quality. However, it all depends on the codec that the service providers use that gives a better voice quality even if the users are on a lower bandwidth.

Question your service provider about the same while consulting with them about your business requirements.

3. Customer Review

Observe customer review carefully because reviews are powerful influencers in decision making. According to a research, nearly 95% of shoppers read reviews before purchase.

However, the authenticity of an online review depends on several factors like the number of reviews, source of the reviews to get genuine feedback, and the nature of the review content.

4. Pricing

Cost is a major differentiator for many businesses as companies set a budget for different expenditure plans. However, you just cannot compromise with quality for cost.

Compare all the providers and go for one that allows you to have flexible plans and then pay accordingly. Service providers who work on the pay-as-you-go model make sure that the user just need to pay for what features and services they choose. 

5. Integrations

Service providers that have integrated your hosted phone with the right third-party applications make customer’s life easier. The integration of your hosted phone with the right business application multiplies the utility of your phone.

Providers who give integrations with applications like CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software is beneficial for businesses to connect better with the customers. 

Consider the providers that offer this function as it will help you save time in transferring your business data. The hosted phone service provider that you choose must be flexible in the kind of services they provide to address your business requirements.

6. Disaster Recovery

Ask the provider if they have a disaster recovery plan? And how do they back up all the data? Choose a provider that has a business continuity plan.

A plan like this will ensure that your business communication does not get affected during a natural disaster. In any adverse situation, the service provider has ways to speedy recovery of the data.

7. Advanced features

Identify the features that your business requires. Every business is different from the other; thus, the features should be customisable.

After you list down your must-have features, make sure that the provider is capable of offering the features you need. In this way, you can customise all the features that you need. It is usual that the needs of businesses change from time to time because of the changes in customer’s behaviour, interests, and inclinations.

8. Customer Service

Customer support is necessary to consider than you think it is. You can face technical difficulties anytime. At that time, the instant solution to the problem will be help from customer service.

Thus, it is essential to ensure that your service provider offers steady customer support. Customer support that runs 24/7 can help you overcome minor technical faults that you can resolve under their assistance.

9. Latest Technology

Does the provider offer the latest technology upgrades? Because using new technologies has an impact on your business. You must use the latest technology and should always be willing to keep yourself updated with technology.

It will help you stand out from your competitors. Pick a service provider that has all the latest technologies to support the users with the most advanced hosted phone service.

10. Easy to Use

The phone system should be easy to use, and the dashboard should be user-friendly. Having said that it should ensure that the user doesn’t need any training to use and customize the portal anytime.

Additionally, it should also be checked with the service provider if the users can remotely access the portal from anywhere. Remote access addresses various business needs.

Summary

To sum it up, ask yourself the questions below:

1. Have you done your research well?
2. Does the provider offer excellent voice quality service?
3. What do their customer think about them?
4. Are you aware of all the charges included in maintenance and adding advanced features?
5. Do they offer integrations with applications of your interest?
6. What is the solution offered during a disaster? Do they have a business continuity plan?
7. Does the service provider offer the features that you require?
8. Is there 24/7 customer service available?
9. Are they keeping pace with technology?
10. Do they offer remote access?

The above tips will help you to select the right hosted PBX phone service provider for your business. Make sure that the provider you choose meets your requirements. You would not want to question your choice in between the contract.

Even if you’re going to discontinue the plan, the service provider should have a cancellation policy in your interest.

You will not have to face the consequences if you make the right decision. Do your research well, list your must-have requirements, compare the providers, and read customer reviews. Know your service provider well before choosing one.

The post 10 Ways To Choose A Hosted Phone System Provider For Your Business appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

But what exactly a free phone number is?

It is a service offered by businesses, in which free helpline numbers are provided to the customers. So, that they can reach out to the company for any help or assistance that too at free of cost.

The company pays for all the incoming calls, and obviously, the customers are not charged. Also, it is a non-geographic number meaning that it is not location restricted. It is another term for a toll-free number.

Why Free Phone Number?

Despite other communication mediums, voice calls are the most preferred by the customers. Well, nothing is more frustrating than not getting connected with the right agent. The utilities of free phone numbers increase many folds when they are integrated with an IVR.  

IVRs also work as self-help tools for providing customer service, customers prefer interacting with humans. With a toll free number, customers do not hesitate to reach out to the customer service for assistance or any doubt while using or decision-making of a product or service.

Does your business offer a free phone number? If not, then why?

Providing a toll-free number to your customers and business prospects benefits your business in many ways. Customers don’t like to put effort to reach out to you. You should make your business more reachable by offering a free of cost channel for business communication.

It is the best way to reduce their efforts in contacting your business. Further, it will improve their experience or customer journey.

Let’s discuss the benefits of free phone numbers:

1. Improves Customer Satisfaction Rate

Free phone numbers make your business more visible and approachable to your customers. It also supports in brand building and adds to the credentials of the company.

Any company that opens a free of cost channel of communication with the customers increases the trust between the two. Customers feel valued when a business provides a platform for its customers to connect with them, effortlessly.

Free phone numbers can also have multiple extensions attached to the same number. It helps in handling the call volume and routing the calls to the available agents without any delay.

Multiple extensions ensure that there is always an open line for the callers. It also reduces the call waiting time and increases the customer satisfaction level.

2. Increases Revenue

Customers are more likely to call when they do not have to pay for the call. With a free phone number, you are more approachable, and hence potential customers would not think much before calling you. So, agents get more opportunities to speak with the customers, and that eventually helps in sales acceleration.

It also shows that you are ready to help them anytime. Call volume will increase, and thus, there is always a chance of sales. More the number of calls from potential customers, the higher the sales.

With improved sales, your ROI will increase. Inbound calls are more likely to turn into sales as the potential customer is already interested in your business.

3. Easy To Remember

From the customers’ perspective, the number they wish to dial should be easy to remember and, that is what a free phone number provides you. A regular phone number is difficult to memorize.

A free phone number is thus divided into three parts, making it easy to remember. It is much easier to learn, especially when it is a vanity number.

For example – a free phone number looks like this: 0800-101-8010
On the other hand, a vanity number looks like this: 0800- Hosted Phone

A vanity number is much easier to remember than a numeric free phone number. Vanity number gives your brand recognition and tells more about the brand than just a free phone number.

You can use any term or any word as your business contact number. It helps you establish a brand image that people won’t forget any soon.

4. Portability

If you have any plan to relocate your business, you can do so without worrying about your free phone number being changed. Your customers won’t even get to know that you have changed the location of your business.

Your location does not matter at all as you can forward calls to your mobile or any other device. In this way, you won’t lose your existing customers as you have the same number throughout the world.

Free phone numbers are easy to port. Thus, you can use the number with any device by registering the device with your service provider. You can even use the same number also if you switch to some other service provider.

5. Brand Recognition

Customers get impressed with a company that offers them a free phone number for contact. It shows that the company is available and is willing to solve their issues.

A company like this is effortlessly approachable, and customers without having a second thought would like to connect with them. Having a free phone number help business establish a brand image. This way, you can stand out from your competitors also.

6. Professionalism

Having a dedicated business number is more professional than to use your personal phone. Customers prefer a business contact number as it gives a positive and professional touch to the company. Also, with a free phone number, you do not have to share your personal number with your customers.

Using a dedicated number for your business not only shows professionalism but also gives you privacy. You also get detailed reports of the calls received on your free phone number.

Check out this blog: How to Get A Free Phone Number

Summing It Up

With a free phone number, customers do not have to think twice before contacting your business. It helps in increasing the number of inbound calls. Every incoming call is a chance for your agent to convert it into a lead. More the number of incoming calls, higher is the sales. It also enhances your company’s brand image.

A free phone number does help in improving customer experience. It is beneficial for businesses of any size. Customers can reach out to you anytime and from anywhere.

If you are not using a business phone number yet, then switch to it immediately because you might be missing valuable opportunities to connect with your customers and business prospects.

The post 6 Reasons Why Your Business Needs A Free Phone Number appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Choosing the right business phone can be a confusing task when there is a variety of business phones with various features available. We are going to discuss here two options hosted and on-premise phone systems.

Traditionally both were based on hard-wired PBX, but with the advancement in technology, they are now based on the internet, commonly known as IP PBX.

To avoid confusion, we are only focusing on the latest technology, which is the IP PBX. Both come with some pros and cons. In this blog, we will discuss their differences based on various factors. You can decide yourself which one suits your business needs.

What is a hosted phone system?

A hosted phone system or a hosted PBX is a cloud-based solution that uses the internet for communication. It is hosted by the service provider, somewhere else other than your office. It does not require space for hardware setup, it only needs an internet connection, computer, and headset.

The service provider remains responsible for its maintenance and software upgrades. They charge a monthly fee, which includes minutes and features chosen by you. The more features you add, the more you pay. It follows the pay-as-you-go model in which you pay only for the services that you use.

What is an on-premise phone?

As the name suggests, it is located at the office’s premises. You need a dedicated room for placing the required hardware. The hardware includes a physical box, which is used to switch the phone lines; all the handsets are connected to this box. You have all the control, and you are responsible for its maintenance and upgrades.

Hosted Vs. On-Premise

1. Cost

Hosted Phone

The initial setup cost is lower than on-premise as it does not require any additional equipment.

It includes maintenance and upgrades cost in its monthly fees. Therefore, you can predict or estimate your monthly charges.  The monthly fee is charged on the number of phone lines and features added.

On-Premise

It is like a one-time investment of hardware and services; thus, the initial cost of set up is very high.

However, you need to replace hardware once it begins to wear out or when there is an upgrade in technology. It also requires the hiring of IT specialists for its maintenance, which adds up to the initial cost of setup.

2. Scalability

Hosted Phone

The addition and removal of the phone system in an Outbound Call Center are much simpler than traditional on-premise setups. It is so easy that you can add or remove users by following the instructions.

It is best suitable for a fluctuating or a seasonal business because it is very easy to scale up or down when required. The hosted phone follows the pay-as-you-go model, which ensures that you are paying only for the services that you are using.

On-Premise

Scalability in an on-premise phone solution is difficult to achieve as it:

Includes additional hardware and complex cabling. It also requires you to hire a technician for the addition or removal of lines. This solution is best suitable for a business with a fixed number of users. Considering the growth of your business, you may need to purchase extra hardware in advance. Otherwise, you need to purchase an entirely new service again.

3. Mobility

Hosted Phone

With hosted phones, employees can be mobile. They can take calls from anywhere irrespective of their geographic location. All you need to do is transfer your calls from a hosted phone to your device. Mobility boosts the productivity of your employees by allowing them to work remotely.

On-Premise

Since on-Premise phones are located in the office, it does not offer remote access.

Although you can customise it to support remote access, for that, you require advanced equipment that charges more.

4. Security

Hosted Phone

Security is offered by your service provider. Hence, it is crucial to choose the right provider. Look for the provider that uses advanced security methods like encryption and two-step authentication to provide the best security possible.

On-Premise

You are responsible for the security of your data and phone system. It may offer better security as it is under your control. Thus, you can monitor and take desired security measures.

5. Reliability

Hosted Phone

Since data is stored in the cloud, it is safe during any natural disaster as it has a backup. Data

can be accessed anytime and from anywhere.

On-Premise

Data, if stored only in the office and with no backup, gets easily affected during any disaster. In such a case, any loss of data can’t be retrieved again.

6. Automatic Upgrade

Hosted Phone

Hosted phones are automatically updated by your service provider. You do not have to worry about its upgrade. The charges are already included in your monthly plan.

On-Premise

On-premise phone solution requires hardware upgrades from time to time. With improved technology, your hardware needs to be replaced, as it might not be useful then.

Conclusion

Hosted as well as on-premise phone systems are feature-rich. Features included are call transfer, call hold, voicemail to email, auto attendant, conference calls, and many more. The only main difference between the two is that in a hosted phone, you get rid of the hardware maintenance and upgrades.

It is fully managed by your service provider. You can save your time and invest in other high priority tasks. While in an on-premise solution, you will have to maintain plenty of hardware and physical lines.

The post Hosted vs. On-premise Phone System: What To Choose? appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

This infographic lists ten ways to turn your call center team into a productive one.

Let’s explore in detail.

1. Define Concrete Goals

As a leader, you should keep your team aware of clear goals or targets that they have to achieve. Hold team meetings and ask for updates, but do not stretch it for too long.

According to a study, meetings usually waste more time if they don’t happen with particular agendas. Conduct daily meetings with the team to discuss progress. Also, do not set unachievable goals.

Set plausible goals and define them to your team very clearly. Agents will get a clear idea of their individual roles. The stronger and clear your objective is, the more expected results you get.

2. Work From Home

Allowing agents to work from home is indeed a good idea. Research has proved that working from home improves productivity. Working from home provides the agents with a certain level of flexibility that helps improve the overall productivity. Not only that, but it also improves employee retention rates as well. 

3. Gameathon

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

Playing games together encourages interaction in the team. Conduct team bonding games that will help your team to connect as a team. Games are a great way to reduce stress.

Social events or gatherings like team dinner, celebrating achievements, and festivals help to maintain the work environment positive and healthy. It also improves the bonding among employees.

4. Keep Pace With Technology

Are you providing all the right tools and technologies required in your call center? If not, then you should. Outdated and old technology is cumbersome to productivity. Investing in the right technology such as cloud based contact center solutions will save the time and efforts of your team. The saved time can be used for other important tasks, thus improving ROI.

5. Review And Ask For Feedback

Give regular feedback to your team. It should be fair with wisely chosen words. Negative feedback should not sound harsh or rude. It should rather be constructive criticism.

Regular feedback will motivate your team to put efforts so that they meet your expectations. Also, do ask for feedback from your team, as well. You never know when some ideas could benefit your business.

6. Distribute Work Efficiently

Equal work distribution in a team ensures that all agents in the team get equal work. It makes sure that every agent is working, which ultimately improves the productivity of the team. This way, each agent contributes to the team.

Also, while assigning a task, consider the agent’s skill, strengths, and weaknesses so that they get the work that matches their skill set as a result of which the overall productivity increases.

According to GALLUP, employees who use their strengths outperform those who don’t.

7. Reward Them

Giving a reward is a way of appreciating your team’s hard work. Whether you manage an inbound or outbound call center, providing incentives to your agents based on their performance can drive better results

8. Lead By Example

A good leader leads by example.  If you want others to follow the rule, then you, as a leader, should follow them first. This attitude of yours will make your team respect you even more than before. Leaders who practice what they preach win the trust of their team.

“Leadership is not just about people; it is about engaging them and being invested in their future.” – Sarah Stealey Reed (Sr. Call Center Manager at Deloitte)

9. Acknowledge Your Team’s Work

Give your team members credit for their work. Acknowledge their little effort; this will make them feel motivated. You can also incentivise to show them that you appreciate their work. Praise your team or agents; it costs nothing.

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” -Mother Teresa

10. Focus on Agent’s Development

A team is a group of individuals who work together to achieve a common goal. In a call center, agents are those individuals; thus, it is essential to hire the best candidates. Conduct training for them so that they can understand your company and its services better.

Collaborate with various programs to focus on their personal development as well. Google has a policy called 20%- time policy, according to which it allows employees to spend 20% of their time on their personal growth. It builds trust between the two and improves the working environment.

Conclusion

Call center productivity can be only improved when team members are purposefully engaged and dedicated to their work. You cannot directly expect productivity from them. It takes little effort from the team leader to see better results. With the above given tips, you can improve productivity in your team.

The post 10 Ways To Improve Team Productivity At Your Call Centre [Infographic] appeared first on Blog | Acefone.