Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) phone systems allow users to make and receive calls through the internet. The technology is particularly popular among corporate users because of its low cost and extensive features, which include the seamless capacity to integrate with other communication tools. But VoIP doesn't benefit just the companies that use it — in fact, it also improves the quality of service that customers get from businesses in the following ways.
Prevents unanswered calls
When customers call your business, it's best practice to always answer the phone. Unanswered calls can frustrate customers and make them think twice about doing further business with your company.
A VoIP phone system accepts all calls and, depending on how it's configured, can answer simple inquiries using artificial intelligence or route the call to a customer care agent. This allows your business to effectively address callers’ pain points, improve your chances of converting leads, and create loyal customers.
Saves callers’ time
Today’s customers are highly mobile and favor quick resolution to their concerns. When they call a business, they don’t want to wait for minutes as they’re transferred from one department to another. The longer they’re made to wait, the more frustrated and irate they’re likely to become.
VoIP's automated attendant feature helps you respect your customers’ time by transferring calls directly to the appropriate person or department. If they’re calling about a billing concern, for example, they no longer have to talk to a receptionist or customer care representative, only to be transferred to the billing department. The automated attendant can route them immediately to billing.
Supports toll-free numbers
Toll-free numbers have been around since the time of landline telephones, and VoIP phone systems support them too. These numbers are crucial because they allow callers to stay on the line for as long as needed at no extra cost. In this way, toll-free numbers make your business more accessible to your customers.
Converts voice to text
Voice-to-text technology has come a long way over the years and is now able to accurately transcribe phone conversations despite factors like ambient noise and differences in speakers’ accents. VoIP phone systems can use this technology to create text versions of call recordings.
These text files do not use as much storage space as audio recordings, enabling businesses to store them efficiently for recordkeeping. Should customers call about issues that warrant a review of past conversations, your staff can easily retrieve these text recordings to answer questions or resolve conflicts.
Provides important insights
VoIP phone systems can gather analytics and information about the behavior of both your agents and customers on the phone. These include the following:
- Number of calls answered during the day
- Length of time it took for agents to answer the phone
- Duration of each call
- Number of calls transferred or dropped
These data can provide insights into your customers’ preferences and motivations, and what you can do to provide them with a positive experience over the phone.
Makes direct contact possible
Providing certain high-value vendors and leads with direct contact with someone in your company is one way to nurture relationships with them. Such an arrangement allows your team to extend information and personalized assistance when needed, facilitating conversion and more meaningful connections.
Such direct contacts are possible with VoIP. Your staff can make and take VoIP calls using a softphone, which is a virtual telephone installed on devices like smartphones. A softphone uses a VoIP number, which is separate from the smartphone’s mobile number. You can give vendors and potential customers this VoIP number, through which they can reach your employee’s mobile device. Similarly, your staff can use their device to contact the lead or vendor using this VoIP number.
VoIP is a powerful technology that businesses can leverage to improve the service they provide to their customers. If you want to get started with VoIP, our experts at [company_short] will be glad to assist you. Contact us today to learn more about our services.
