“We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.” – Jeff Bezos
The faster businesses realise that quality customer service is central to business success, the faster that success becomes evident. According to Forbes, 84% of companies that work to improve their customer experience report an increase in their revenue, while 96% of customers say customer service is important in their choice of loyalty to a brand. The first step to improving customer service is by enhancing the first interaction – communication over the phone. The integration of a VoIP system – Voice over Internet Protocol – into your business ensures you’re putting your best foot forward with customer relations.
What is VoIP?
VoIP systems allow you to make voice calls using a computer, smartphone, or other mobile device over an internet connection, rather than a telephone line. It comes with many business-driving features including custom caller ID, voicemail to email, call recording, and more that are incredibly beneficial for small businesses.
Read More: The Advantages of VoIP for Small Businesses
How to use VoIP for small businesses
VoIP can drastically improve your customer relations, particularly for small business operators, but to achieve these goals, here are a few tips to guide you on your way.
1. Assess your VoIP needs
There are many value-adding features that accompany a VoIP system, but you don’t need all of them. As a smaller business, you need to assess what you need your VoIP for, and what features are best suited to these needs so that you’re not paying unnecessarily.
2. Check your internet
The VoIP system relies on an internet connection, and without a reliable connection, your customer service is going to suffer! Before you implement this business communication system, you will need to assess your internet service to ensure it meets the bandwidth requirements for consistent call quality. Reliable and high-speed internet are key for today’s business survival.
3. Implement Quality of Service (QoS)
You want your customers to benefit from an uninterrupted calling experience so, in addition to checking your internet reliability, you might want to look at implementing QoS services on your network router. This will ensure that the VoIP traffic is prioritised over other data at all times.
4. Consider mobile integration
If you’re a small business, you and your employees might not work from one location all the time which is why you need to look at mobile integration options for your VoIP. This means that your employees can make and receive calls from customers using their smartphones when out of the office. Mobile integration is vital for ongoing customer connectivity and satisfaction.
Read More: VoIP vs Landline: What you need to know
5. CRM integration
For the best customer service, you can actually integrate your VoIP system with your CRM (customer relationship management) software. The benefit of this solution is that your staff can immediately access customer information and call history as soon they make contact with your business. This makes for a more professional and personalised approach.
6. Auto attendants and call forwarding
You don’t want to leave your customers hanging, so if there is nobody available to answer the call, ensure your VoIP features include auto attendants or interactive voice response (IVR) for a more professional handling. You can also ensure there is call forwarding and routing to direct the call to the appropriate employee or department efficiently.
7. Put security measures in place
When communicating over the internet, there are risks associated with cybersecurity and attacks which means you need to protect your customers’ valuable data with security measures. You will need to implement firewalls, encryption, and regular software updates which can protect your VoIP infrastructure and data.
8. Plan for scalability
You might be a small business now, but you need to consider the potential for future growth without impeding customer connections. That’s why you should consider scalability when implementing your VoIP system – can it easily scale up as your business grows or are there considerable costs involved?
9. Train your staff
If you want your customers to be completely satisfied, then your employees need to know how the system works so there are no unexpected errors. Staff will need thorough training on how to use the system at the office and beyond, as well as the relevant features like call forwarding, voicemail, and conferencing.
10. Backup and testing
Alongside your security features, you need sufficient backup solutions so that the system can keep running even if there are network or hardware malfunctions. You should then also test your call quality and performance constantly for the best customer connectivity.
11. Choose the right VoIP provider
Finally, the key to getting your customer service right with a VoIP system is ensuring you’re partnering with the best provider available. Compare and research reviews and prices to ensure you’re working with the best.
Read more: 6 Ways VoIP Saves Your Business Money
Give your business and customers the best by connecting with ECN today. They provide the latest in VoIP solutions tailored to your business size and needs!