subject: Empower Your Business Communications With A Virtual Phone [print this page] Communicating with clients, customers and even other people associated with a business is very important for ensuring satisfaction and, ultimately, the success of the business. A virtual phone is a great tool for keeping any business on track when it comes to effective communication that is easy-to-use and affordable.
The Right Department, Every Time
Though anyone can answer a telephone, place the caller on hold and go physically locate the callers intended party, this certainly does not do much for the efficiency of a business. In fact, it may cause callers to become disgruntled, especially if they are forced to wait on hold for a significant amount of time. With a virtual phone, callers can select the department that best suits their needs from a list of options in the automated operators menu, leaving little room for error and eliminating the need for them to wait on hold while their intended party is located. In fact, if that party is unavailable, the caller is sent directly to their personal voicemail inbox for a more efficient callback experience.
Friendly Greetings
A virtual phone comes with an optional automatic operator feature that greets each caller with a pleasantry before providing a list of options from which to choose. Pre-recorded information may come in very useful here, as many consumers simply call to get more information about the business itself, the products and services being offered or even the prices associated with them. If this information is available automatically, there is often no need for employees to physically take the time to answer these questions and the consumers themselves end the call feeling satisfied. If the caller must be placed on hold, the automatic system apologizes for the delay and provides additional options or information.
Always Available
Another important part of running a successful business is providing information or services to customers 24 hours a day, whether or not employees are physically in the office. Features such as call forwarding and voicemail options are key players; they allow employees to accept their calls and check their messages from virtually anywhere. This way, if a serious customer issue arises or if a client is facing an emergency situation, they are not forced to wait for an employee to return to their office. A business that is always available to their clients and customers is one that is more likely to succeed in the long run.
Efficient Escalations
Customer complaints are sometimes tricky to handle, especially when that customer is owed a refund or some other form of compensation. Most businesses use some sort of chain-of-command to handle call escalations; this occurs when the customer asks to speak to a member of management in order to resolve their issue. While every employee should do all that they can to provide customer satisfaction, escalations are inevitable and should be handled as efficiently as possible. With a virtual phone, transfers to management are made simpler and the customer is not forced to wait on hold for long periods of time, thereby eliminating any further frustration.
It is evident that improved business communication with the help of a virtual phone can ultimately result in a successful business. This is due in part to the ability to transfer callers without a long wait time, the ability to be available to customers 24 hours a day, and handling customer complaints quickly and on the first call.
