The needs of the customer should play into just about all business decisions including your virtual business phone system. Ernst & Young’s Lily Adam recently wrote a special article for the Financial Post detailing how due to emerging consumer demographic groups, companies who make adjustments and align their operations to the needs of new consumers will have more opportunities to grow. Ernst & Young research identified four key capabilities that companies will need to develop in order to innovate for new consumer needs: Customer insight; people and culture; research and development; and operations and business model.
“Companies need to get close to their customers and understand the problem that needs to be solved,” Adam wrote. “An understanding of local customers is essential.”
Selecting Virtual Business Phone System
Considering consumer needs and demands is a good business practice, and this logic holds true when a company is selecting a phone system as well. Resource Nation’s Megan Webb-Morgan recently detailed how customers needs should factor into decisions when selecting virtual business phone system. Most businesses will consider the financial aspects involved in phone system purchases, but not all weigh customer needs as heavily. However, the phone system is often responsible for the company’s first interactions with potential customers and should represent a business well.
“And so, if that first interaction does not prove a positive experience for incoming callers, you could suffer a drastic drop in customer service quality and lose out on potential customers,” Webb-Morgan wrote.
Virtual Business Phone Features
According to the source, business phone features that consumers see as integral for all businesses, whether small or large, include professional voicemail and call routing capabilities. Business voicemail that allows callers to leave detailed messages to a specific person rather than in a company-wide mailbox is preferred.
In addition, Webb-Morgan explained that when customers call a business, they want to be conveniently routed to the correct person. Using features like a visible queue can help enhance customer interactions by providing wait times to keep callers informed. Other customizations like music on transfer can also help improve a customer’s experience.
AccessDirect’s virtual PBX system has optimal call routing functionality, which allows for easy call management through features like call transfer, forwarding and parking. Calls can be forwarded to mobile devices as well, making a business and all employees even more accessible to current and potential customers. We can also help you in selecting virtual business phone system based on your needs.
