Whether it’s sharing information, files, or making calls, cloud communication apps can handle it all in one go. These apps also let you conduct online meetings, discuss projects, and bring every team on the same page. With so much reliance on communication apps, tech companies need to mobile test their apps thoroughly before releasing them in the market. 

Today, we explore how mobile app testing plays a crucial role in ensuring highest quality standards in cloud communications solution. 

Understanding Mobile-based Communication 

In the last decade, smartphones and tablets have skyrocketed among working professionals. Gone are the days when all communication happened strictly via phone calls and desktops. Companies now expect their employees to stay connected 24×7 for urgent issues and queries. This expectation has become possible only because of the usage of smartphones. 

Smartphones ensure employees’ availability even after office hours. Apps like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Slack, that were once only a part of desktop applications, have now become available on smartphones as well. 

Expectations from Mobile App Testing for Cloud Communication

Along with ease of usage, constant connectivity and data consistency across devices, mobile users have more expectations from such apps: 

1. Quality Communication: Users expect mobile communication apps to be flawless without any latency or noises, especially in the voice calls. 
2. Cross-device consistency: The communication should always be in sync within all the devices the app is being used. None of the messages should be missed while switching devices. 
3. Uninterrupted Service: It is important for such apps to stay online all the time so that a message or a call can instantly be addressed. 
4. Security and compliance: To address the confidentiality of the communication, which is imperative for any organization, the apps must be developed with the latest security and compliance standards. 

All of these points are mandatory to be inbuilt in any mobile-based communication application to provide higher customer experience. Any missed point would result in poor performance of the product and thereby causing missed opportunities in the business. 

Recommended Read What is Verbal Communication?

Why Mobile App Testing is Crucial in Cloud Communication?

The aspects mentioned above dictate the expectations of mobile communication app users, because of which, businesses must consider scrutiny while testing cloud communication apps for mobile. Automated testing tools for mobile apps like testRigor make it feasible for comprehensive testing by covering all the aspects of it. Let’s look at areas one by one. 

1. OS and Features Testing 

There’s a wide variety of OS and configurations which your users would be using. Your app must be tested across all kinds of such devices and configurations. For example, it must be tested on Android, iOS and all their versions to be able to function well across a wide range of users.  

Features like push notifications, mic/camera usage and simultaneous usage of background apps should also be tested to avoid any functional errors. The screen resolution in web-app and mobile apps also varies, which must be tested for the app to ensure consistent UI & UX. 

2. Diverse Network 

It’s often possible that users would be using different networks to access your apps. While some would be running it on a broadband connection, others would be using standard 3G, 4G or 5G networks.  

Different networks require different configuration to host apps. Sometimes, the network is even unstable, your app should remain unaffected from it. Ensure that your app performs well in all kinds of networks and gives a consistent user experience. 

3. Performance and Scalability 

Several companies purchase bulk licenses to cloud communication apps for their teams. When a certain bunch of users access an app, it becomes prone to breakage due to heavy, real-time load.  

Hence, to avoid this pitfall, you must test your app’s performance during heavy usage at the same time by multiple users. You must ensure that it loads instantly even during the peak usage hours. Its performance also depends on efficient usage of resources and battery so that the device doesn’t drain out quickly because of using this app. 

Conclusion 

No matter which industry you belong to, cloud communication has become indispensable. Furthermore, smartphones have become so common that official communication has become an integral part of them. Which is why SaaS companies must perform mobile app testing thoroughly to ensure they don’t lose business by putting mission-critical communication at stake.  

Companies like Acefone that invest in comprehensive mobile app testing strategies will not only deliver superior performance but also earn long-term loyalty in an increasingly competitive cloud communication market. 

The post Why Mobile App Testing Matters for Cloud Communication? appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Fortunately, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology offers a promising solution. It offers numerous cloud-based solutions that help you streamline your operations and communication significantly.  

Let us explore the pros and cons that businesses can experience when adopting VoIP in 2024. It will help you understand the usage of VoIP better and decide whether your business needs VoIP solutions or not. 

Pros of VoIP for Businesses 

Enhanced Efficiency and Cost Savings 

VoIP system allows businesses to streamline their operations by integrating voice communication with other digital applications. VoIP phone system improves productivity by unifying voice calls, messaging, and data sharing, preventing users from switching between multiple applications. 

Additionally, VoIP offers cost-effective calling rates, especially for long-distance and international calls, resulting in significant savings for businesses. Statistics show that businesses that implemented VoIP solutions into their systems saw an average savings of 50% -75%. 

Flexibility

VoIP systems are highly scalable, making it easy for businesses to adjust their communication infrastructure based on their needs. Whether your organization is expanding or downsizing, VoIP allows you to easily manage lines without the hassle of physical phone installations. 

Moreover, VoIP enables employees to attend calls from multiple devices, providing the flexibility to work remotely or while on the go.  

Improved Call Quality

VoIP technology has come a long way, and in 2024, it offers high-quality voice calls that rival traditional telephony systems. VoIP guarantees clear voice calls by improving internet speeds and reliability, removing issues like bad call quality and dropped calls. 

This translates into better customer experiences, increased customer satisfaction, and improved overall communication within the organization.  

Access to In-Depth Reports  

Managers can gain valuable insights into their department’s performance through VoIP’s reporting capabilities. VoIP systems often provide comprehensive reports on call metrics, including call volumes, average call durations, wait times, and more. These reports enable managers to track progress, identify bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions to optimize operations. 

Integration with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems 

VoIP solutions can seamlessly integrate with CRM systems, giving you a holistic view of customer interactions. By integrating VoIP system with CRMs, you can access customer data, call history, and notes in real time during customer interactions. 

It also enables you to gather valuable insights about customer preferences, enabling targeted marketing campaigns and improving overall customer satisfaction.  

Multilingual Support 

VoIP systems also help global businesses with multilingual support. You can easily redirect incoming calls to agents fluent in the caller’s preferred language using the interactive voice response (IVR). Doing so puts more emphasis on effective communication and customer satisfaction. 

This way, customers can interact with agents who can understand their language and address their needs efficiently. Multilingual support becomes crucial for businesses operating in diverse regions and targeting customers from different linguistic backgrounds.  

Unified Communication and Collaboration  

VoIP systems often come with integrated communication and collaboration tools. these tools allow global businesses to unify their communication channels. They allow remote employees to communicate seamlessly through voice calls, video conferencing, instant messaging, and file sharing, using a single platform. 

Unified communication enhances teamwork, fosters collaboration, and improves productivity among globally dispersed teams. It also simplifies project management, communication, creating a cohesive work environment, irrespective of their location. 

Cons of VoIP for Businesses

Reliance on Internet Connection 

One of the main cons of VoIP is its dependence on a stable and reliable internet connection. If the internet service is unstable, it can lead to dropped calls, poor call quality, and interruptions in business communications. To mitigate this risk, you must possess a consistent internet connection and consider implementing backup solutions in case of bad internet.  

Security and Privacy Concerns 

Like any other internet-based technology, VoIP also raises security and privacy concerns among its users. Voice data transmitted over the internet can be vulnerable to eavesdropping, hacking, and unauthorized access. To safeguard sensitive customer information, you must implement robust security measures, such as encryption protocols and firewalls. Doing so will protect your VoIP infrastructure from potential threats.  

Learning Curve and Training 

Introducing business phone system into a business requires employees to adapt to a new communication platform. Some employees may face a learning curve and require training to become proficient in using the VoIP system and its features. 

This process can take time and resources, potentially impacting productivity during the transition period. Adequate training and ongoing support are necessary to ensure a smooth transition and maximize the benefits of VoIP.  

Regulatory Compliance 

Depending on the location and industry, businesses using VoIP may need to comply with specific regulations and requirements. These can include emergency services support, data privacy regulations, and compliance with industry-specific standards. 

Failing to meet these compliance requirements can lead to legal consequences and damage to reputation. Businesses must understand and adhere to the relevant regulations to ensure compliance when using VoIP. 

Popular VoIP solutions for businesses in 2024  

Contact center solutions

A cloud-based contact center operates through the cloud, utilizing the internet and remote servers to efficiently handle customer interactions. 

It offers flexibility, enabling you to easily adjust your communication capacity based on call volumes and business needs. The flexibility provided by contact center solutions enables your agents to handle customer interactions from anywhere. This attribute fosters remote work capabilities and enhances business fluidity. 

Additionally, businesses can benefit from cost savings as cloud-based contact centers eliminate the need for expensive hardware investments and maintenance. Some of its popular features include omnichannel communication, intelligent call routing, robust analytics, and reporting capabilities. 

If you wish to learn more about cloud-based VoIP telephony services, head over to our solutions page right now.  

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) 

The IVR is a cloud-based solution that enables businesses to interact with customers using automated voice menus and keypad inputs. It enhances customer experience by providing self-service options and empowering customers to access information and perform transactions at their convenience. 

It also improves call routing efficiency by directing calls to the most appropriate agents or departments. It uses predefined criteria determined by supervisors to meet their department goals. This factor alone helps businesses reduce wait time and increase first-contact resolution rates.

IVR systems can personalize greetings and menus based on customer data, providing a more tailored experience. Some popular features include configurable voice prompts, auto attendant, and CRM integrations for personalized interactions.  

If you wish to learn more about interactive voice response solutions, head over to our solutions page right now.  

Hosted PBX (Private Branch Exchange) or HPBX 

Hosted PBX, or cloud PBX, is a cloud-based communication system that replaces traditional on-premises PBX hardware. It offers tremendous cost savings by removing the need for expensive hardware investments and maintenance. 

The Hosted PBX provides flexibility, allowing businesses to easily scale their phone systems based on their needs. Businesses can easily add or remove lines without the limitations of physical infrastructure. 

HPBX also ensures business consistency by offering built-in redundancy and disaster recovery capabilities. Some popular features of hosted PBX include call routing, call forwarding, and unified communications that integrate various channels for enhanced collaboration. 

If you wish to learn more about the Hosted PBX, head over to our solutions page right now. 

Virtual Numbers 

Virtual numbers are cloud-based numbers which can be routed to any existing phone line. VoIP gives you access to these numbers in different countries or regions, even if they don’t have a physical presence there. These numbers enable you to establish a local presence and provide localized customer support or sales services. 

Local customers there can call the virtual numbers. Those calls will be routed to the business’s main office or contact center. This not only improves accessibility for customers but also enhances the company’s image as a global player with a local touch. 

If you wish to learn more about the Toll-free number, check right now.   

The Takeaway

In 2024, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) business phone service offers significant advantages for businesses, particularly for Senior Operations Managers seeking to overcome overall challenges. By leveraging VoIP business phone service, businesses can benefit from enhanced efficiency, cost savings, flexibility, improved call quality, and access to in-depth reports.

However, it is essential to be mindful of the potential cons, such as reliance on internet connections and security risks. VoIP can help businesses by simplifying communication and supporting organizational goals through careful planning, implementation, and security measures. 

The post Pros and cons of using VoIP solutions for business in 2024 appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Hosted VoIP phone systems aka Business phone systems aka VoIP phone systems are efficient and reliable communication solutions helping modern businesses with daily operations.  

The genesis of hosted phone systems has led to significant changes in the business approach towards customer and internal communication. A report suggests that 60% of global businesses are prioritizing investments in hosted phone systems. 

If you’re planning for the same, it’s vital to know the pros and cons of hosted phone systems and how they work.

How Hosted VoIP Phone Systems Work?

A hosted VoIP phone system manages and routes incoming and outgoing calls using the internet instead of hardwired phone lines, known as VoIP technology. Every time an individual makes a call, it’s shot across the VoIP service provider’s servers.  

Here the call is processed into small data packets and transmitted to the recipient’s service provider. Once received, the data packets are converted back to voice signals and played at the recipient’s end. 

Pros of Hosted VoIP Phone System for communication 

Despite the countless advantages hosted phone systems have to offer, we are going to look at the ones that impact your business the most. 

• Flexibility & Mobility

   A hosted phone system gives your teams freedom to address calls from anywhere, if they’re connected to the internet. This flexibility gives rise to a remote work friendly culture, enhancing your teams’ productivity. Acefone being one of the renowned global VoIP phone providers, allows its users to connect internationally with your teams and clients with cost effective rates. 

• Enhanced Functionality

   Hosted VoIP phone systems offer enhanced features and functionality for quality communication and collaboration. Features like voicemail-to-email, call forwarding, call transfer and more are available at the portal and can be browsed and utilized at the click of a button. These features can be easily managed through the portal or mobile VoIP app and ensure seamless communication and enhanced business operations. 

• System Reliability

   VoIP is a reliable service for businesses as it is built on robust infrastructure ensuring uninterrupted uptime and service continuity. VoIP gives access to dedicated support teams monitoring and maintaining the system. Consequently, businesses can rely on consistent and dependable communication channels, minimizing downtime and disruptions. 

• Faster Implementation

   Hosted VoIP phone systems can be installed and implemented on your devices faster than traditional on-premises solutions. It requires minimal hardware changes and consists of a simplified setup process. With VoIP phone systems, businesses can deploy these systems quickly, and run without lengthy installation times or complex configurations. 

Cons of Using Hosted VoIP Phone Systems 

Hosted VoIP phone systems come with a few drawbacks that businesses should consider. 

• Internet Liability

   One of the most significant drawbacks of VoIP phone services is their dependency on internet connections. Since it relies heavily on internet connectivity, any issues such as network outages or slowdowns can disrupt your hosted VoIP phone system’s functioning. To avoid this, you must ensure you have a stable high-speed internet connection to maintain service consistency. 

• Privacy Concerns

   Given that VoIP phone systems rely completely on the internet, breaching one’s servers becomes comparatively easier. Transmitting important calls over VoIP opens the possibility of interception or hacking, compromising your business information. Thankfully, Acefone provides end-to-end encryption to avoid cyber threats and keep your communication secure. 

• Service Interruptions

   While VoIP’s calling services are highly reliable, service disruptions continue to stand as a huge drawback. Interruptions such as network congestion, hardware failure, or maintenance activities can hinder your service quality and user experience. To prevent this, Acefone ensures 99.99% service uptime to its customers for seamless communication. Having access to consistent VoIP service enables businesses to avoid missed calls, productivity loss, and customer dissatisfaction. 

Should You Get a VoIP Hosted Phone System 

With businesses shifting to the cloud, it is vital for you to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of VoIP systems before choosing one. On the one hand VoIP hosted phone systems provide you with flexibility, reliable services and more, they can also be prone to cyber threats. 

You must create a comparison list of your business requirements alongside the VoIP service provider’s offers to minimize the disadvantages mentioned above. Overall, a hosted VoIP phone system can be a valuable addition to your business communication operations. 

Feel free to get in touch with our experts who can make the decision-making process easier for you and help you get the exact features and functionalities you need. 

The post Navigating the Pros & Cons of VoIP Hosted Phone Systems appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Now is the time to invest in tech that will keep you ahead of the curve in the years to come and Acefone’s Cloud Phone System is the right fit for you.  

How can we be so sure?  

Here are 5 reasons why you should choose Acefone’s cloud phone system for your business. 

Five Reasons Why Acefone’s Cloud Phone Is Right For You 

A cloud phone system can be a big investment for businesses, raising several questions. Our team is available 24/7 to address all of them for you. We are passionate about technology and have been helping businesses like you for a decade now. You can always expect top-notch expert advice regarding any concerns.  

Coming to the core of this topic, here’s how Acefone is the only solution you’ll need for your customer communication in 2024.

User-friendly Cloud Phone Systems

Not everyone is an expert in cloud based phone systems. The Acefone Portal is designed in a way that anyone can use it! Once your account has been set up, sign into the portal with a single set of credentials and you’re good to go. 

No technical jargon. We keep it simple. 

The portal is accessible through all our cloud VoIP phone systems and is completely customizable. Everything you need is a click away. This user-friendly portal gives you unrestricted access to call logs, agent activity, call recordings, costs, and much more. Since it is simply an extension of your phone system, you don’t incur any extra charges. 

That’s not all. You can also access detailed notes about customer accounts and share them with your team to smoothen customer services. We aim to empower clients to take the help of their hosted phone system operations. Therefore, the online portal is designed to allow easy control over your communications.

Customizable VoIP Features For Business

Our services come packed with features designed to make your life easier. From virtual receptionists to call conferencing, Acefone’s best cloud phone system has enhanced features to help improve work efficiency and customer experience.  

You can overcome the limitations of your traditional phone by adding as many or as little features as you need. This scalable option allows you to only pick features according to your current needs. If you work alone, a virtual receptionist is a godsend. It helps you keep track of all the calls, take messages and even forward voicemails to your inbox, so you are never out of the loop.  

Meanwhile, if you have a larger team, the call conferencing feature would be of immense help to you. Its ability to host team meetings from around the globe proves to be vital for teams with multiple stakeholders.

Competitive Cloud Phone Pricing Plans

Our pricing plans are completely transparent. Through the Acefone portal, you’ll have complete control over your expenses and can set limits and caps if need be. 

You can easily monitor call costs and upgrade your plan according to changing needs. Similarly, if you aren’t using anywhere near your allotted limit, you can shift to a plan better suited to your needs. 

Internet calls dramatically reduce costs since you don’t have to pay a connection fee. Therefore, no matter what plan you choose, you will definitely experience cost reduction.  

If you wish to know about our plans, our experts are here to assist you anytime. 

Real-Time VoIP Reports

Management made easy. Pull up real-time reports in just a few seconds through the Acefone portal. These reports give in-depth call analytics and allow easy call monitoring to refine your customer experience.  

Real-time reports are a great way to check on the smooth functioning of your operations. You can see each representative’s ongoing calls, their waiting times and time spent on each call. They give you unique insights into agent performance and assist in determining the pain points to address them through specific training.

Round-the-clock support

We want your experience with us to be as smooth-sailing as possible. Therefore, we’re at your service 24X7X365—to address your problems and alleviate your stress. Our support team consists of experts in the field who can quickly resolve your issues to enjoy uninterrupted communications. 

No query is too small. If you’re not sure how a feature works, we’ll explain it to you in a way that you don’t need to be an expert to understand. 

With our round-the-clock availability, you needn’t worry about missing important work due to outages or downtime. We’ll have you up and running instantly. All your data is stored remotely as a backup, which addresses any concerns of losing crucial data. 

The Way Forward

We hope you’re now convinced that a cloud phone system will ensure sustained growth for your business. 

The post Top 5 Reasons To Get Acefone Cloud Phone System For Your Business appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Today we explore tips and techniques to track performance and improve business operations. We also reveal how hosted phone solutions can integrate seamlessly with these methods to enhance your business operations.

The Importance of Performance Management For Businesses

Tracking performance is like navigating a ship through stormy waters with a precise compass.

It guides your business towards success by identifying strengths, weaknesses, and improvement areas—especially crucial in an outbound contact center where consistent outreach demands efficiency.

It helps you identify and work on the weak points in your departments, increasing their overall productivity. Furthermore, a performance management system provides insights and analytics to improve employee training and recruitment.

With effective tracking through KPIs, you can help your team become more synchronized, ensuring quality service delivery to customers. Key performance indicators (KPIs) help you to make informed decisions and drive your team’s efforts towards a unified goal. By monitoring KPIs, you can timely identify your team’s strengths and weaknesses. They allow you to make more data-driven decision-making, enhancing your team’s performance.

Top 5 Performance Management Techniques

Performance Management

Performance management software is a centralized hub for monitoring individual and team performance. It allows tracking your team’s progress in real-time and ensures they achieve their goals within the defined timeline. Features like goal setting, real-time tracking, and performance reviews help you align your team’s objectives with your business goals.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems

A CRM system plays a pivotal role in tracking your sales and customer service department’s performance. It gives you access to critical data obtained from agent-customer interactions in the form of reports and logs. For businesses offering inbound call center, this data is especially valuable—it helps monitor call quality, agent efficiency, and customer sentiment. By utilizing insights from customer recordings, you empower your team to improve customer satisfaction levels. That data also helps identify areas for making customer interactions more personalized.

Project Management Tools

The use of project management tools is a vital step for tracking the performance of project-based departments, including inbound and outbound call center teams. These tools track timelines, progress, resources, and team effort to ensure timely project completion.. The tools let you break down large projects into smaller milestones, making each task more specific and measurable. In other words, you will be able to easily track your team’s progress.

360° Employee Feedback

Employee feedback platforms provide a valuable means of collecting feedback from your teams and departments. It helps them understand what the management expects from them as individual contributors. By engaging them in regular anonymous surveys, you can gauge employee satisfaction and ensure they are meeting the defined threshold. It enables you to identify potential issues and take necessary actions to improve morale and productivity.

Performance Rewards & Recognition

Recognizing and rewarding well-performing employees from time to time keeps them motivated. It is one of the most common yet effective techniques to keep your team focused and your department’s performance at par. Using the KPIs mentioned above, you can identify the top performers and reward them with bonuses and appraisals. Amidst this process, make sure the appraisals are fair and two-way to keep employees engaged and performing well.

The Role of Cloud Telephony in Performance Tracking

Seamless Integration with Performance Management Software: Cloud telephony solutions can seamlessly integrate with any performance management software. Their call analytics and communication data give you a holistic view of how effective communication impacts departmental performance.

Advanced analytics for sales and customer service: Cloud telephony solutions provide call analytics for sales and customer service too. These analytics help you track team performance, identify trends, and improve overall strategies. CRMs make analyzing call duration, volume, and customer interactions easy, enabling you to find training opportunities and refine team strategies.

Smart Call Routing for Optimizing Workflows: Cloud telephony offers smart call routing capabilities, that direct incoming calls to the right department. This smart routing optimizes team workflows, reduces call wait times, and ultimately improves customer satisfaction.

Call recording features are vital for quality assurance across outbound vs inbound call center operations. By reviewing recorded calls, you can provide actionable feedback to agents and improve customer service and sales techniques.

Virtual Numbers for Enhanced Customer Engagement: Virtual numbers enable you to create targeted marketing campaigns. This enables better tracking of customer responses and helps you measure the success of marketing initiatives or departmental outreach efforts.

Integrating Cloud Telephony with CRM Systems

Automatic Call Recording: best cloud phone system offer several call recording features. When integrated with a CRM, many solutions also allow you to automatically record calls. This integration saves time for employees and ensures that customer data is up-to-date, allowing for more personalized customer interactions.

Detailed Customer Profiles: By combining CRM data with communication records, you can create detailed customer profiles. Such profiles allow your sales and customer service teams to have a deeper understanding of each customer’s preferences and needs. As a result, you conduct more targeted and effective interactions.

Improved Lead Management: CRM systems contribute greatly towards lead management. They allow you to automatically associate incoming calls with specific leads and opportunities. With their real-time analytics, CRMs make it easier to track and prioritize leads for follow-ups.

The Role of Cloud Telephony in Project Management

Efficient Communication for Project Teams: Effective communication is crucial for any project’s success. Cloud telephony promotes smooth communication between team members and their leaders, whether they are working on-site or remotely. Features like conference calls and video meetings ensure effortless collaboration, leading to enhanced project performance.

Call Analytics for Project Communications: By analyzing call data, you can assess the frequency and duration of project-related communication. This helps you identify communication drawbacks, ensure timely updates, and improve project efficiency.

Enhancing Employee Feedback

Anonymous Employee Feedback: Many cloud telephony solutions often include anonymous feedback mechanisms. They provide your employees with a safe space to express their thoughts without the fear of any consequences. It promotes open communication and helps identify improvement areas in your department’s performance.

Elevate Your Business Operations with Cloud Telephony

Effective performance management stands as the foundation of business success. You can unlock new efficiency and customer satisfaction levels by adding performance management techniques to your business. Cloud telephony’s integration with CRMs, management tools, and core operations enables you to make better decisions and optimize communication workflows.

Embrace the power of cloud telephony today and embark on a journey of unparalleled business success! With cloud telephony by your side, you can navigate your team confidently towards growth and prosperity.

The post How to make performance management easy with cloud telephony appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Healthy internal communication not only keeps employees happy and connected to your business but is also an amazing way to provide an effective flow of communication between departments.

Any communication that takes place within an organisation, online or offline, is internal communication. Thus, it can be physical staff meetings or discussions over the company Intranet. 

Internal comms is a way for staff to share information across the business in the correct way.

Good internal communications help new staff settle in and allow existing employees to remain engaged with the company. 

Particularly during the pandemic-induced social distancing age, having a good internal communication strategy has become integral to prevent employees from feeling lonely and demotivated. 

Workers across the world are able to collaborate and stay on top of company updates. If done right, your internal communications can boost employee morale too! 

This article will explore a few ways that internal communication can benefit your business and why it is crucial, no matter the scale of your business. 

Boosting employee engagement and productivity

Internal communications, by design, bring employees together. 

By keeping your team members connected, you give them the opportunity to build great working relationships and share vital business information with each other.

Employees who share good working relationships with their co-workers are likelier to feel engaged at work, making them more productive as a result. Better working relationships lead to improved collaboration too, allowing effective outputs.

Smaller businesses have a unique opportunity to use internal communications to gain insights into employee sentiments and actively make changes based on feedback.

Larger businesses can often find employees getting lost in the workforce. By implementing an internal communications strategy, all employees will feel included and engaged with all aspects of your business.

Whatever the size of your business, you can eliminate the need for long-winded meetings by having an online space where employees can quickly exchange information.

If they can easily share and access information, they are likelier to be on the same page and spend lesser time on coordination and communication.

Promotes effective sharing of information

Internal communications not only give employees the tools they need to share information, but also encourage them to collaborate more efficiently. 

A good internal communication strategy ensures that there is a simple way that team members can easily and quickly communicate with each other. 

For example, there may be a significant policy update that needs to be communicated to the management and workforce. If you have a sound internal communications strategy in place, you can quickly disseminate information to all of your staff and make sure everyone is on the same page.

Advances in modern technology have made it common for employees to use instant messaging or shared online spaces to collaborate with each other. This also means that companies—including Outbound Call Centers—have to keep up and upgrade their systems from time to time.

The beauty of internal communications is that they can be tailored to suit your business’ needs. Additionally, Intranet and collaborative tools are easily available and accessible to all organisations of all sizes.

Employees with access to the right tools for internal communications can share information in real time, connect instantly with each other, schedule meetings, and overall achieve more productivity and efficiency.

Improves employee experience and retention

While sharing vital business information, you can use your internal communications strategy to improve employee experience and increase retention.

If you include social activities and employee-centric initiatives, then you can ensure that your workers know you care about their happiness and wellbeing. This sends out a positive message of inclusion and shows that, as an employer, you are encouraging harmony between employees.

Through your internal communications, you could organise activities like:

• Social events (working lunches, quiz nights, etc.)
• Fundraising activities
• Training sessions
• Free online workout classes
• Employee discount offers
• Virtual office parties

By sharing this information across your business, you can make sure that everyone gets a chance to be a part of these events. With the right internal communication tools, you can ensure that everyone receives the message and there is high participation. 

Millennials in particular are known to move between jobs. By having a strong internal communications strategy in place, you ensure to keep employees motivated and engaged, making valuable employees stick around for the long haul.  

Employees who feel connected to and included in the company culture are more likely to stay for longer, meaning you keep the best employees who are the most engaged with your ethos.

Allows control over messages

Should there be an important but sensitive update about your business, the last thing you want is employees to find out from external sources. Whatever happens in your business—good or bad—employees should be intimidated directly.

You can also include media training in your internal communications strategy to prepare your employees for any negative press. Doing so ensures that they know exactly what to say if approached for a quote and aren’t caught off guard at any point.

This principle works for both large and small businesses.

In a crisis, companies should be open and honest with employees and use the internal communications strategy to make sure that employees are giving out a consistent message to clients and customers. 

Employees can then use the internal communications process to raise any questions or concerns they may have. They can provide support to each other should they need to contact clients to discuss any updates. These updates can also add to their feelings of engagement and trust within the business.

With strong internal communications, you not only run an efficient office but also stay ahead in crisis management and planning. 

Create a safe place to share feedback

Your employees are your best asset, no matter what size your business is. They work at the front lines and deal with customers every day. 

Therefore, their feedback on your business processes holds a lot of value. 

As part of your internal communications process, you could include surveys to hear your staff’s thoughts on the issues that matter most to them. Whether they work in an Outbound Call Center or another department, you can find out exactly what they like and dislike, and any improvements they would make to everyday operations.

Moreover, when you ask employees for feedback, you are showing them you value their opinions. However, you must remember to act on this feedback whenever possible to show you really are interested in their insights and implementing change.

You could also use collaboration tools such as video or conference calls to have meetings where staff can discuss and share ideas in an informal way. 

This gives them the chance to voice their opinions in a more comfortable environment. Whether yours is a small or large business, your teams can sit down together to discuss matters in a free and open manner, thus leading to a healthy exchange of views and suggestions.

Conclusion

No matter what size your business is, implementing an internal communication strategy is a brilliant way to increase employee engagement, productivity and ensure that your business is running as efficiently as possible.

With a strong communication plan in place, employees can provide insights into your business that management may never see. These insights are vital to the success of your business and could create better experiences for both employees and customers alike! 

You can use a number of different systems and software to implement your internal communications strategy, one of which is a hosted phone system. 

Hosted phone systems have all the tools you need to collaborate with employees across your business—shared spaces, instant messaging, video calling and so much more. All of this is easily accessible on your Internet-enabled phones and desktops.

Whatever you choose for your internal communications, many businesses have already implemented strategies to help increase employee engagement and keep their most talented staff around for longer!

To find out more about internal communications, contact our team today at 1888-859-0450 and see how a hosted phone system can help you keep your business connected.

The post Why Businesses Should Focus on Internal Communication? appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Many freelancers work alongside full-time jobs to supplement their income. But there’s no reason that even those freelancing as a side hustle can’t go pro.

Whether you’re freelancing as a full-time business or for an extra source of income, you can gain more clients and increase your professionalism with the help of a virtual phone system. 

Many freelance agencies lose out on customers and lucrative opportunities when they come across as unorganised or unprofessional. With a virtual phone system, you can ensure that your freelance business, however big or small, stands out for the right reasons.

This article will explore how freelancers and freelance agencies can go pro with the help of a virtual phone system.

Keep track of all calls and messages

As a freelancer, you are often working on the move or you could be working full time and thus, you may end up missing a client’s call. 

Moreover, if you use your mobile phone for your client calls, you may even lose track of business calls in your personal call log. 

This is one of the worst things that can happen to a freelancer. 

If a potential client is calling you, it is crucial that you have a fruitful conversation with them, informing them in detail of your services—even if that means spending a little extra on the call. 

If you don’t answer, the client may move on to another freelance agency, possibly leaving for good.

With a virtual phone system, you can have a process in place to ensure that even if you do miss a call, you don’t miss a lead. 

A cloud-backed phone system offers users the ability to have their voicemail messages forwarded to their email addresses. This way, you always have easy access to your missed calls and messages, no matter where you are. You’re then free to return the calls at your earliest convenience.

Another option is to have a virtual assistant answering and taking your messages. This goes one step further in creating a more professional appearance for your freelancing business. 

Virtual assistants can take and direct calls when you aren’t available, ensuring that all calls are answered and dealt with professionally even when you are not there. The tool is great for freelancers who work solo and don’t have a support staff.

If you do have co-workers in your business, you can set up call forwarding to redirect calls to whoever is free. Or calls can be routed to various groups to ensure they’re answered. 

All of these amazing features can be accessed from any Internet-enabled device so you don’t need to invest in additional hardware or software. They will help you track enquiries effectively, ensuring uninterrupted client communication and generating more leads for you.

Provide callers with a professional IVR menu

Once you’ve figured out which way is best for your freelance business to receive and deal with calls, you can consider offering a professional menu to your callers. Call menus give callers the opportunity to tell you exactly what they need before they’re even connected to a human agent. 

With a virtual phone system, you can give callers the option to choose the department they want to be connected to. 

Even if you work alone, having a call menu will mean that that you will have some context of the caller’s enquiry, giving you a chance to prepare for an effective conversation.

Not just that, you can even add an FAQ section to make sure easy queries are resolved without any human intervention, giving you the chance to impress prospects from the first contact.

You can even add an IVR in the call menu and play promotional messages while callers are waiting on hold. Moreover, you can even add custom music or message on hold to keep leads entertained or to inform them of more useful products. 

Whatever you choose, you can show how professional your freelancing business is by having a professional answering system.

Collaborate easily with clients and colleagues

As a freelancer, you may sometimes find the need to collaborate with clients and colleagues. Collaboration is key to ensuring projects are completed on time and all the relevant information is shared with the stakeholders.

With a virtual phone system, you can collaborate in a number of ways. The first is through call transfer and flipping. The former allows you to redirect calls to different colleagues who are best placed to respond without having to end the interaction. 

Call flipping allows you to move between devices without terminating the call. 

A call, for example, may start at your desk but the client needs more detailed information. You can flip the call to your laptop and bring in other colleagues to help if needed or can transfer it to a relevant person without interrupting the flow of conversation.

These two elements keep up the flow of communication while you collaborate with others. 

Additionally, you can use instant messaging within your hosted phone system to work together with others or stay up-to-date with collaborators. The instant messaging feature is an easy and quick route to communicate with people. 

Your cloud phone system also has a shared space where you can store important files and information on clients. This space can also link up seamlessly with your CRM. You can make the data accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world—so there are no limits on the location of your client base or your work partners.

Further to this, you can schedule and host conference calls from within your hosted phone system. 

All of these features give you the opportunity to work collaboratively and professionally with internal colleagues and external clients, and the chance to deliver outstanding service in your freelance business.

Break down barriers with a free phone number

Finally, virtual phone systems give you the opportunity to change your phone number to suit your business needs. Freelancers may use personal mobile numbers for their business, and while this is okay, to look really professional you need to consider using a business number.

The choice is yours when it comes to phone numbers attached to your virtual phone system. 

You could have a local number to increase trust, a custom number to help clients remember your details or a free phone number to break down any barriers.

A toll free number is not only more professional compared to a personal number, but it is also free to call for the customer. By removing the cost implications of calling you, you are breaking down the barriers between your business and your potential clients. 

These numbers offer freelance agencies increased opportunities to speak to and convert leads into profitable clients. And giving them the impression that your business is larger and well established may be the deciding factor between you and a competitor.

Many multinational businesses use free phone numbers, and so a freelancer doing the same is sure to impress prospects. 

Take your freelance business to the next level

Cloud phone systems give freelancers and agencies of all sizes the opportunity to go pro. 

Whether you are a sole proprietor working from your personal mobile phone or have several employees in an office space, you can harness the benefits of virtual phone systems and take your business to the next level. 

A virtual phone system provides a cost-effective and simple solution that helps you turn your device into a business communications suite. When considering future scaling or heavy outbound sales, the low auto dialer cost associated with cloud solutions makes them a viable investment for any freelancer ready to go pro. You can simply and effectively collaborate with clients and colleagues around the world.

To find out more about virtual phone systems, call us on 1888-859-0450 or drop an email at today for a free consultation.

The post 4 Ways Freelance Agencies can Go PRO with a Virtual Phone System appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

For the uninitiated, millennial refers to anyone who was born between 1980 and 2000, effectively putting them in the age bracket of 21-41 currently. As of 2021, there are ~831 million millennials worldwide, representing about 25% of the world population!

Millennials are often associated with technology and gadgets and rightly so, owing to their unique position in the long and still unravelling history of this world. Born and raised alongside the ‘World Wide Web’, millennials have experienced the growth of the first search engine and used the first smartphones ever made. 

Constantly connected to digital communities through social media, millennials boast of a unique set of experiences that have moulded their life.

Digital proficiency is distinctly exhibited by millennials and has allowed them to absorb the velocity of changes brought in by cloud technology. 

Cloud technology is one of the latest technological offerings which provides on-demand services like storage, computing, and analysis, through internet-connected devices. It accomplishes these tasks by distributing multiple applications across remotely located servers that can be accessed, as required.

In today’s world, the use of cloud technology has become a ubiquitous habit in personal as well as professional circles. You are essentially relying on cloud technology when you are accessing your Instagram feed on your smartphone or joining in your team meeting through Zoom or any other teleconferencing tool. It has effectively penetrated into the lifestyle of millennials as well and yet, there remains much to be explored. 

The smartphone age

The need to have the latest and updated version of gadgets is another trait closely associated with millennials. 

This is visible in the healthy yearly rate at which newer models of smartphones are storming into the market. These seismic shifts in smartphone consumption could not have been possible without the arrival of cloud technology which powered the ability to host newer services like computing, intelligence or communication, on remote online servers.

As of 2019, it was estimated that 92-95% of millennials in the UK possessed a smartphone. This trend is expected to sustain, if not rise, post the pandemic, where almost everyone relied on their smartphones and laptop devices for virtually everything. Millennials are at the center of the telecommunications revolution—their lifestyles are dependent on mobile technology—whether for social media presence or workspace duties.

Millennials in the workspace

Millennials are at the ideal age to hold important positions in workspaces globally, thus making them the largest human workforce for the foreseeable future. The direct result of this over-representation is the pressure on businesses to adopt technology and innovation in the workplace since millennials prefer to work in businesses that embrace new technologies.

Due to their growth alongside modern technology, millennials strongly believe in a workplace that doesn’t restrict their freedom and allows flexibility—whether in terms of working hours or location. 

Remote working received an impetus in terms of adoption due to the pandemic as well. To accommodate these needs, companies are adopting cloud technologies that enable teleconferencing and online collaboration thus facilitating remote or hybrid work models.

The adoption of cloud solutions has been critical towards unlocking the complete potential of remote work, especially in the post-pandemic era. 

Beyond teleconferencing and collaboration tools, cloud technology also enables an individual to access office-based resources (like data repositories or computing servers) through hosted data banks from anywhere and anytime using internet-connected devices and the correct user credentials. 

Most millennials have sufficient experience with their devices and cloud resources to be aware of the security risks posed by cybercriminals. Therefore, they don’t fall prey to the usual schemes, like the ‘Nigerian Prince’ scam which fooled several people in the past. 

Another advantage of hosted phone system that appeals to millennials is their sustainability owing to their low carbon footprint. Millennials are eco-warriors—they believe in embracing technologies that have been designed while keeping the environment in mind. The same goes for companies. This is where cloud computing turns out to be the ace in the pocket due to its low energy consumption design and reduced carbon emissions.

The personal lives of millennials

The concept of space and freedom has taken a new meaning in the millennial generation wherein the right to privacy and personal space is an essential aspect of their lives. Millennials require their own physical space and now, they are also looking for personal spaces on the digital front. 

Computing storage has become a major factor while building one’s PC or laptop system since normal hard drives or extended RAMs are no longer sufficient. 

These requirements are directly linked to the personal ambitions and lifestyle choices of millennials, who are as fervent about their personal projects as they are required to be in their professional workspaces. 

One of the reasons for demanding flexible workspaces is to be able to devote the rest of their time for self-development activities or simply, side hobbies. Therefore, personalised access to computing resources becomes an automatic necessity.

Here, cloud storage and computing is the saviour once again! Millennials are choosing cloud storage options (like AWS, or Azure Cloud) over hardware options through direct comparison with the alternative method of buying several hard disks. 

If viewed through this lens, cloud storage and computing offer several benefits over the exhaustive practice of safeguarding fragile hard drives. We discuss some of these benefits that make them attractive to millennials:

• Cost-effective models: One of the USPs of cloud technology is the fact that it is built and delivered on a distributed server model, bringing down the infrastructural costs significantly. This decrease in cost is directly passed onto the users (millennials, in this case) which is further complemented by cost flexible subscriptions models in terms of the payout period (yearly or monthly) as well as specific features required by the user.
• Remote accessibility: Cloud technology allows on-demand access to available resources from anywhere through any internet-connected device. You are not even required to carry your laptop with you everywhere! This allows millennials to work remotely from the location of their choice and is even better suited to people who work on the road, such as freelancers or bloggers.
• Automatic backup: All of us have had old hard disks on them which stopped working one day out of the blue, leading to an irreversible loss of stored data. Cloud storage takes care of that by incorporating the feature of auto-save/sync which automatically backs up user data in the same format, without any manual instruction.
  

All it requires is user approval on the backup frequency and the cloud takes care of everything else!

You can also opt for DRaaS. Data Recovery as a Service will help you to restore any lost data from your cloud-back up servers. So, if any disaster or natural calamity were to strike, your data will always be secured on the cloud.

Looking to the future

As we have observed, the cloud has penetrated several important aspects of almost every millennial’s life today—whether it might be in their professional environment or their personal home space. Many consumer-facing businesses are now trying to implement strategies that are in line with the needs of the millennial population. 

Why? Simply because they form the largest consumer group in the world, along with Gen Z (their successors in the generational hierarchy). 

We take a look at some of these industries wherein the incoming digital transformation would create millennial-friendly products and services. 

• Online shopping: Digital transformation in the traditional brick-and-mortar retail stores is critical to ensure that businesses survive through this change.

Millennials are very attached to their smartphones and prefer to complete all their tasks through their devices. Integrating the physical store through digital communication channels would enable omnichannel support to the customers, which can be implemented through the cloud.

With the help of a cloud phone system providers, your entire communication can be shifted to a VoIP-based model. A hosted phone system will greatly enhance your online communication capabilities and it also helps to improve your team collaboration. Moreover, you can also use it for your offline marketing campaigns.

With loads of integrations available for hosted cloud phones, you can track all your customer data and keep track of your employees’ performance at the same time.

Through this integration, retailers can also provide real-time updates on delivery statuses of ordered groceries as well as provide a live catalogue of the items available in each physical store, through the user’s smartphone-based app. Cloud can be extended further to act as a guide to a customer in one of these stores; handing out directions to the customer looking for a particular item in the store, like Google Maps.

• Financial institutions: Millennials often complain about the rigorous and frictional onboarding process employed by most banks worldwide, leading to high digital abandonment rates.

They prefer carefully designed customer journeys that minimise their number of clicks and thus, maximise the ease of using the particular service. Banks can learn and design products that are faster and easier to use.

With the power of the cloud, businesses in different industries, such as finance, can deploy a CCaaS solution. Contact Center as a Service helps streamline customer interactions and provides omnichannel media for customer support. The experience of the customers can be enhanced significantly with the features that it offers.
Instead of asking your customers to go through tedious physical forms, the cloud can be used by banks to deliver automated customer journeys that constitute digital onboarding for purposes ranging from opening a savings account to cancelling a credit line.
The use of net-banking applications is one such example that has enabled users to accomplish a lot of manual tasks while sitting at home through their mobiles.

Conclusion

This generation knows no stopping and with the inclusion of Gen Z, the digital revolution is bound to continue. Judging from the pace of technological advancement and adoption, these changes are just the tip of the iceberg—cloud technology has much more ground to cover before it unleashes its complete potential.  

The post Why Millenials are Rapidly Adopting Cloud Technology appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

It is not just large businesses that are threatened by such attacks. Unfortunately, whether an organisation is big or small, the vulnerability exists. And it is important to be cognizant of disruptions that such attacks can bring about. 

This is certainly an important topic for both—your enterprise cloud phone system as well as your overall business.   

Read on as you build your strategy against DDoS attacks.

What is a DDoS attack and what are its symptoms?

DDoS stands for Distributed Denial of Service. In simpler terms, DDoS refers to a digital attack that renders a service unavailable for users. 

In cyberattacks, this happens when a system on the Internet begins to send a targeted overload of requests or malware to a web server.

When such malware or malicious requests come in from multiple systems connected on the Internet, we call it Distributed Denial of Service or DDoS. 

The modus operandi of attackers is simple—swarm a web server with an extraordinarily large number of requests for a page or a barrage of queries to a database. 

In both cases, attackers choke either the bandwidth or resources of the web server like CPU or the available RAM.  

Invariably, there are initial symptoms such as a possible break in the network or just a server going down. Only an analysis of the traffic gives real insights into the severity of the attack. 

Now, the drop in services can happen due to the unavailability of either or some of the following:

1. Servers 
2. Attached devices
3. Applications
4. Networks
5. Certain types of transactions in applications 

When a web server comes under such an attack, the disturbance may range from a denial of service for a short period of time to something as severe as the whole system crashing. 

Types of DDoS attacks

While such attacks can come camouflaged in a multitude of ways, they all have the same underlying objective—to choke the resources to a point where access becomes extremely slow or completely unavailable. 

These attacks can broadly be classified into three key types:

• Volume attacks

Measured in bits per second, or BPS, such attacks happen through huge volumes of malicious traffic targeting a web server or a particular website 

• Attacks on network layer

Network layer attacks are measured in packets per second or PPS. They involve an extraordinarily large number of packets sent to the targeted infrastructure. The points of such attacks are the network management tools and/or the network infrastructure itself

• Attacks on application layer

Measured in requests per second, or RPS, these attacks are created with malicious intent and send a flood of requests targeting a specific application

Key tips for mitigating DDoS attacks

DDoS attacks have been around for almost two decades now and have evolved over time. They are now sharper, more incisive and, as we have seen, come in different forms. 

Let us review some tips that will help you minimise the impact of such attacks. These are relevant for all aspects of your business, starting with your cloud system.

• Plan ahead

From the different types of attacks listed above, we know that primary vulnerabilities show up in the network infrastructure, connected devices, and applications.

This step is all about accepting the fact that an attack is inevitable, sooner or later. And thus, planning a suitable response in advance.  

In other words, the first step, and possibly the most important one, is to create a plan that an organisation can put into action almost immediately to fight the attack. 

Such plans are usually referred to as emergency responses. One should identify points of vulnerability in all three components, seek expert advice and document the plan during the initial set-up itself. 

Following need to be part of the plan for appropriate mitigation:

1. A disaster recovery plan (DRP) including fail-over networks in case the DDoS attack actually takes over the entire system
2. Infrastructure diversity—both in the type of components used in infrastructure and their geographical deployment
3. Using a combination of private and public cloud systems
4. For enterprises, it makes sense to integrate their network and application teams for a cohesive plan, with suitable escalation mechanisms that kick in when the attack actually occurs  

An effective way that is used by enterprises is to have a larger number of wide-area network (WAN) entry points. They also enlist cloud scrubbing service providers in order to re-route such attacks to scrubbers.

We will talk about such service providers further in the article. 

• Refinements and adjustments

Attackers with obvious malicious intent are getting smarter and more innovative. They are now able to modify attacks based on the responses of companies. 

In real-time, they are able to attack from a different IP, a different port, or even a different protocol. It is thus important to continuously adjust and refine the response to such attacks.

• Agreements with mitigation and protection service providers

There is a lot that companies can do themselves to establish an operational response plan. However, to augment their efforts, it is advisable to take help from service providers in this domain. 

On one hand, a business gets the benefit of advice from domain experts; their services are also more affordable than putting it all together. Leading platforms that specialise in filtering malicious traffic, such as the cloud-based DDoS mitigation platform, can absorb volumetric surges before they ever reach your network. The other benefit is that these service providers also collaborate within themselves and are, thus, ahead on the knowledge curve.

Even if you’re signing up for external service providers, you can still monitor everything in-house to ensure alertness in case of abnormal traffic. 

• Onsite devices are never enough

However powerful or secure onsite devices like firewalls, load balancers or even systems for prevention of intrusion may be, the fact is that they may not be able to block off all types of attacks. 

While these tools are extremely crucial in setting up defensive measures, there are certain inherent vulnerabilities that attackers can target despite these protections. 

The key here is to handle such attacks before they land on your on-site devices. Services offered by third party providers come in handy while diverting the attacks away from the main site. 

• On-site actions for application layer

For the application layer, network mitigations may not be successful as targeted attacks on certain applications can still go through on-site protection devices. 

For these applications, you will need tools for web protection in your data center. 

Such tools enable you to conduct deep inspections at packet levels to view the application layer. These are possibly the best mitigation tips for attacks on individual applications.

Another approach is to deploy application redundancy through multiple cloud systems. This way, in the event of an attack on the application, you can always switch to another cloud network.

• Collaborate

It will be helpful to share information and mitigation plans with companies in the same industry or domain. 

Collaboration on a topic like this, with mutual sharing of knowledge and information, will be immensely helpful to all participants. Your telecom service providers are the other party that you can collaborate with as you plan and refine your responses to DDoS attacks.

• Remain vigilant, especially for secondary attacks

Another trend that is becoming more common is a more targeted or sustained attack following an initial DDoS attack. In other words, the first attack may just be a distraction to something bigger. 

DDoS attacks may just be deployed to create a panic situation, while a backdoor application gets targeted to extract more valuable data.

Conclusion

Attackers do not just target large enterprises. They can target all types of businesses, whether large or small. 

Your cloud phone system, or even upstream providers like telecom, are equally vulnerable. In certain instances, attackers have also taken an indirect route to target a particular company’s information.  

We have reviewed the different types of attacks and how they may be multi-pronged, increasing the scale of their impact. 

Planning for mitigation is simpler than it may seem. There are domain experts that can offer invaluable advice to keep you and your data secure.

The bottom line is to plan, review, refine, and evolve. And this needs to keep pace with the evolution of sophisticated attackers. 

The post DDoS Attacks: What are They and How to Secure your Systems Against One appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Yes. With cloud communications, businesses of any size can create that Prime Day hype, without the price tag associated with it. By using the features of your cloud communication system, and giving customers recommendations on exactly what they want and need, you can create plenty of excitement around your brand.

This article lists a few of the features you can use to launch your very own prime day right from your hosted phone system. 

Spread the word with SMS blasts

Through your hosted phone system, you can send mass messages to your customers. SMS messages cut through the noise of emails, and go straight to your customers’ devices. Most people always have a phone in their hand, so it’s a great way to get your message seen.

SMS messages can include links too, so you can send customers directly to your website with ease. You can also follow up with reminders so customers don’t miss out on your deals.

With these short, sharp messages you can ensure that your customers are kept informed and that you aren’t bombarding them with messaging. 

Your message remains clear, and your call to action is saved right there on their phones so they can come back and access your deals when your discount day launches. 

SMS messages can be sent with ease through your hosted phone system, so you don’t need to invest in further software to send these messages. 

You can send SMS blasts from anywhere, anytime and from any compatible device connected to your phone system—so it’s really easy to reach your customers whenever you need to.

Keep customers updated via your IVR system

IVR systems, or Interactive Voice Response systems, can be built into your cloud communication solutions. IVRs can be used to broadcast messages to callers in real time, or play a series of pre-recorded messages.

By broadcasting your message to a queue of callers, you can promote your Prime Day style offers to many people at once. This way you are saving valuable time in calling each customer individually, and you are targeting interested customers only—you know this because they are calling you! 

Similarly, you can use pre-recorded messages to ensure that your message is heard throughout the day. This means that you will reach different audiences with your message rather than just one specific group of callers.

IVR systems are a fantastic way of keeping in touch with customers and promoting your products and services while they wait. 

You could also add an option on the self-service menu for customers who would like to find out more about your special offers, these customers can then listen to pre-recorded messages about your prime day or be put through to an adviser who can tell them more!

Use auto diallers to contact as many customers as possible

Auto dialers are a great way to contact the maximum number of customers possible at any given time frame. There are a few different types of auto dialler, but each can be used for the same goal.

Auto dialers will dial a given list of phone numbers automatically, and as soon as a number connects the call is put through to one of your customer service representatives. The customer service representative can then discuss with the customer about your prime day offer and register their interest for a follow-up call or SMS message when the offer is live.

When you have a large database of customers, auto diallers can take away the need for customer service staff to continually be wasting time searching for and dialling numbers manually. This time can be much better spent speaking to customers and engaging them so that they are much more likely to purchase from you during your offer event.

By actively calling customers in this way, the customer feels that they are getting a really personalised service too. Customers who receive a personalised service are much more likely to make a purchase, as they feel valued. 

You’ve also shown them you want to keep their business by offering a discount too!

Offer personalised suggestions

Your cloud communication system offers you the chance to completely personalise your customer experience. By using the online portal, you can save detailed notes on each customer account and view records pulled from your CRM.

With these notes and customer records, you can create a personalised experience for your customers. Your hosted phone system can store all of your customer records in one place,  these records can then be used to recommend products to your customer based on their previous purchases.

These records can be accessed from anywhere in the world on any device with an internet connection. Once an agent has contacted a customer, they can then use the information to start making recommendations or towards your prime day offers. 

Information is shared seamlessly between your CRM system and your hosted phone system so there is no need to input information twice. This also means that you can use customers’ previous purchases or anything else saved in your CRM system when you’re contacting each customer and you can really make your interaction more personalised.

Save the personalised interaction such as this are much more likely to make a purchase especially when there are offers available to them.

Deal with the influx of enquiries with remote workers

If when starting your prime day you have an influx of enquiries then you can deal with this with remote workers.  Remote workers can be added to your hosted phone system with ease and you can add and remove lines as and when you need them.

Remote workers can work from anywhere in the world that has an internet connection and can connect easily to your hosted phone system. These workers can make and receive calls as if they were in the office with you and are a valuable asset in busy times.

Remote workers can help the existing staff deal with a high volume of calls. There is nothing worse than having an offer day and not having the customer service staff to deal with the influx of enquiries you are sure to get. 

To ensure customer satisfaction you should make sure that you have enough staff to take calls and keep waiting times as low as possible. Remote workers can also be trained easily with access to call recordings within their devices from your hosted phone system.

Launch your prime day with the help of cloud communications

This article has shown exactly how cloud communication tools can help you launch your business’ very own prime day. Cloud solutions are built to make it easy for you to communicate with customers in a clear and effective way, and so they are perfect for launching Prime Day offers and ensuring customer satisfaction at all times.

To find out more about cloud communications and launching your offers with these fantastic features, call us today on 1888-859-0450 or drop an email at contact@acefone.com!.

The post How your Business can Launch their ‘Prime Day’ with Cloud Communications appeared first on Blog | Acefone.