Regardless of the fast growth of social media and other online tools, 79% of consumers still prefer to contact a customer service representative over the phone (Nuance, 2013). I’ve been there before and, probably, so have you. Think about it. When you have an issue with an important online transaction, would you rather fill in a form, send an email, chat online or call customer service?
I’d call. I’d call every time. Because, just like you (and your customers), I want my problem gone as soon as possible. Did you know that getting an issue resolved quickly ranks as the number one factor for a great customer experience? However, let’s not go there. Instead of going down the rabbit hole called ìCustomer Service, let’s focus for a moment on your business for a second.
Started from the bottom now we are here
You started your business as a two-man operation. It was just you and your partner. You managed to get things rolling without even having an office for the first month. All your clients called you on your mobile phone and things were going well. Of course, you were stressed and you were working from dusk till dawn, but it didn’t matter because you were in charge. You were your own boss.
Eventually more clients started knocking at your door (you’ve had your own office for a while now), and you started hiring remote workers. The problem is that is getting harder and harder to keep up and keep tabs on everyone. When it was just you and your business partner it was OK. When it was just you and a couple of clients you could manage it. Now, it’s impossible.
Skype was a good option at first. It was a free app you and your remote workers could use. Then you found out it wasnít as reliable as you hoped. After a while you switched to Webex because it was more ìprofessionalî and would even let you record conversations; the big downside: the setup process wasnít as user friendly for your clients as you initially expected. There were some complaints.
Then, Callcentric seemed like a good softphone option. But after you tried calling an employee to resolve an urgent issue with a client and couldnít get ahold of him, things began to fall apart. Your customer was upset. You were upset. And the poor guy working from Panama didnít even know he was in pickle, because his softphone didnít even ring. Does this sound familiar?
When your business starts to grow so should your tools and resources, especially your telecom tools. If you keep relying on cheap iPhone apps you might be making things difficult for your client, because your internal customer service is clumsy. If you or your employees are unavailable that affects response time, and remember that resolving issues quickly is the main factor to a great customer experience.
Should you get a business phone or stick with softphones?
While softphone is basically a program that allows you to make IP calls from PC-to-PC or through mobile apps, a hardphone is a physical phone (with a dial pad and a handset) that you plug into an Ethernet port that will enable you to communicate directly with a VOIP service or another VOIP phone. In other words, it doesn’t need a PC and or software installation.
If your small business has yet to use a hardphone you will be pleased to discover that employees tend to prefer using a real phone. You will also notice right away how these devices are more reliable and provide much better voice quality than softphones. However, they do cost more and usually demand an expensive (even complicated) installation.
Meanwhile, even softphones are low cost and very easy to self-install, they first require you to login and several mouse clicks to dial any number ñ which could be wasting valuable time in an emergency. Softphones also depend on the host media processor for echo cancellation, but it’s important to consider that they offer a lot of features and options from the get-go.
If you are still unsure about what option to choose, I’d recommend reading the tips to choosing the right phone system from TelcoDepot. On their homepage you’ll find several references and FAQs that might guide you when choosing between softphone and hardphone options. In the meantime, just keep in mind that your business may not be so small anymore. It might be time to invest in the technology that will help you solve your customer’s issues as soon as possible without depending on unreliable apps.
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Image courtesy of:
http://pixabay.com/es/iphone-smartphone-apps-apple-inc-410311/
