Before the internet stepped in and disrupted modern communication, phone calls were the predominant method to conduct business without showing up in person.
Perhaps you remember calling movie theaters and listening to a recording of movie times. Booking a vacation without a travel agent? That required a lot of time calling around for hotels, transportation, tickets, and other reservations. Investors checked the daily paper and called their brokerage when they wanted to buy or sell stock. Conducting business over phones certainly required patience.
But despite the drastic changes in communication thanks to online connectivity and mobile devices, phone calls remain a tried-and-true method for relaying information. In fact, phone capabilities have expanded exponentially and customers expect access to modernized systems. Read on to find out how to increase customer satisfaction with a phone strategy revamp.
Phone Calls are Not Going Anywhere
You might not think business phone calls with customers are much of a priority anymore given the popularity of text messaging, email, social media, and mobile apps. But today’s customer is looking for omnichannel support with the ability to choose from a variety of platforms to address their concerns.
Real-time conversations via phone are still quite popular, especially on mobile devices. According to Statista, phone calls are the preferred customer service method for 42% of survey respondents.
Updating your phone strategy is a key component for positive customer experiences. The great news is that there’s never been more excellent options for improving phone support with some meaningful adjustments highlighting customer engagement.
4 Tips to Update Your Phone Strategy
Here’s 4 of our best tips for modernizing your phone strategy. With these systems in place, you’ll be able to handle phone calls more effectively. And it’s possible to pull this off without creating extra friction for your customers, too.
1. Upgrade Your Phone System
Landlines may seem simple and familiar, but they can be clunky and outdated for today’s more impactful conversations. Instead, consider using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), the modern way to get in touch using an internet connection instead of traditional telephone wires.
Signing up for VoIP will provide a number that looks familiar with way more flexibility as long as you have access to reliable high-speed internet. Best of all, you’ll be able to access your VoIP number from different devices throughout the day, instead of being tethered to a single location. This is especially enticing when employees work remotely.
Some of the other benefits of using VoIP are avoiding additional long-distance fees, choosing a number that matches other territories, and tapping into advanced features that allow you to route your caller as needed.
2. Utilize Custom Call Greetings
A great way to show some personality when a customer calls is to create custom recorded greetings introducing your business. Not only does this add unique flair to your phone line, but this tactic also assures your customer that they’ve reached the right place every time.
Customized call greetings are ideal for these situations:
- Make a welcoming first impression
- Provide important information upfront
- Redirect callers to the correct department
- Create a way for customers to get in touch after hours
- Offer helpful tips while customers are on hold
Ultimately, your custom call greetings should make communication more efficient for both you and your customers. These thoughtful sequences can leave positive impressions that make your brand come across more professionally.
3. Consider Setting up a Phone Tree
Phone trees have been around for quite some time, though most people didn’t call it that back when systems were devised to contact long lists of community members. Each person called a few people, who then called a few others, branching out like a tree. This was a good way to get word around quickly if a gathering was canceled or some other big news needed to be relayed before online communication.
Today’s phone tree definition refers to systems that provide menu options that direct each caller to what they need by pressing a number or vocalizing a word prompt. Sometimes, these menus continue branching toward specific actions or resources.
Phone trees are beneficial because they route customers where they need to go without requiring employee interactions. Tasks include redirecting calls to specialized departments and providing automated information or services regardless of operation hours.
4. Take Advantage of Call Deflection
Call deflection is a communication strategy that provides alternatives to traditional customer service call support. The trick is to continue providing top-notch assistance without burdening your team. When properly organized, using call deflection can save your company time and money.
One example of call deflection is prompt-to-text. When a customer calls your support line, they hear a recording with instructions to text their question instead, if desired. This places their request into a queue for agents to address as soon as they’re available rather than forcing the customer to remain on call waiting.
Another digital solution is chatbots, like our Webchat service. Customers can self-serve by asking a bot their question. If the AI doesn’t have a satisfactory solution, your customer can either wait for a support representative or opt for an email response.
