Business

Voice is continuing to make itself heard in business

Voice continues to make itself heard in business
Voice continues to make itself heard in business Voice continues to make itself heard in business

THERE’S a perception today that when it comes to customer support, the telephone has been side-lined by digital channels. While mobile app, social media, chat, self-service and other channels have certainly changed the customer support landscape, it’s unlikely that the telephone is going anywhere soon.

Research shows that the telephone remains consumers’ preferred means of contacting businesses. A 2016 CallCentre.co.uk survey of multichannel communications reveals that 72 per cent of people still prefer contacting businesses via the telephone, which certainly raises questions for the role and scope of digital platforms. Since telephone dialogue is often used as the final part of the sales or customer service process, voice continues to make itself heard!

Over the past two or three years, the number of companies making the switch to cloud telephony platforms has accelerated. Research conducted by Frost & Sullivan found that cloud-based telephony and communications deployments are on the rise across Europe and in the US.

More than half of the businesses surveyed by Frost & Sullivan had already moved 50 per cent or more of their communications requirements to the cloud.

However, the motivation behind a company's decision to move their communications to the cloud is not entirely financial. Moving to cloud communications is actively helping companies grow faster and gain competitive advantage in their respective markets.

It enables increased control and scalability of communications, the ability to deliver superior customer service and can deliver healthier cash flows. Cloud telephony platforms not only supports but serves to drive company growth.

The growth of cloud telephony has also given companies access to real-time metrics that were previously out of reach. In the process, telephony, which was for so long a barely-noticed and a functional part of the office furniture, is finally being recognised as a business tool that supports strategic decision-making.

Cloud telephony has unlocked previously elusive call management information and made it freely available, no longer having to wait weeks to review call activity and assess vital metrics, this can be done in real time to help inform data–driven business decisions.

Telecommunications is undergoing something of a 360 reversal in fortune thanks to technological improvements which instead of replacing ‘traditional’ platforms like voice have, in fact, reinforced their importance by providing us with the ability to harness its effectiveness, which work best for business -and oddly enough the customer - a real win win.

:: Eric Carson is director of Rainbow Communications and can be contacted at www.rainbowcomms.com. Rainbow Communications can also be followed on Twitter @Rainbow_Comms.