Success can mean too much of a good thing, and many companies that grow quickly find themselves with more business than they know what to do with. This can become especially obvious in communication, as companies frequently have trouble managing multiple phone lines.
This can lead to delays for companies, as people are forced to play phone tag and important messages can get lost in the shuffle. Whether the cause is a lack of manpower needed to keep up with the constant communications or a phone system that just isn’t intuitive or detailed enough for the job, it can slow a company’s progress to a crawl.
More companies are finding it critical to focus on open phone lines to ensure no one is left waiting, whether it’s a client with an important update or a customer who needs help with a product or order. Here are some of the ways phone calls may be slowing down your business and how you can prevent them.
Long Waits
We’ve all been there—you’re trying to get through to that important person at the office, but their phone keeps going to a busy signal. You finally get through, but they have to transfer you to a different division – and then your phone gets disconnected, and the next thing you know you’re back in the extended wait with that annoying music.
It may not be the company’s fault, but it’s hard not to come away from that experience with negative feelings about the company. No one likes waiting hours on the phone, and it was largely unavoidable with the old analog systems.
Fortunately, many modern companies are changing up their phone systems to minimize the impact of these long waits. Some are simple, practical changes that become possible when you have more information about the system, like automatically connecting to the longest-waiting caller next.
Automation can also make it easier to manage phone queues with techniques like having automated menus to help narrow down people’s issues while they’re waiting and direct them to the right person. It may also be helpful to give people specific information for their case so they can call the right person back later instead of getting back in the waiting queue.
One of the best ways to avoid a long line is with a shared line feature for your business. These systems eliminate a traditional phone line and replace it with an internet-powered system that uses the same data for your email and messaging systems to power a voice and video-capable call system. Shared line features are cheaper for large businesses and easy to hook up, but it helps your customer service system by making it easier to filter and keep track of calls and giving you the ability to switch channels and redirect a call with the press of a button.
Lack of Data on Caller
Despite the increase in online orders and other systems, the telephone remains the most reliable way of contacting customers and clients. The biggest reason for this is that it’s far more personal and allows you to take the conversation in any direction you need at a moment’s notice. But the real-time process of telephone calls has strengths and weaknesses—with the biggest weakness being that you and the customer can both waste lots of valuable time due to missing information. Without the proper system, you’ll likely run into this information wall frequently.
This is why many companies are starting to integrate their call centers with customer relationship management software. Your team must be armed with all the information they’ll need to help their customers without delay, and most companies keep a database on their customers after every order. For instance, if a customer is calling for a refund, it’s essential to know if they have a history of satisfaction with the product or frequently return things for a refund.
While it’s possible to get the information from other divisions, this might cause delays in the call and require putting the customer on hold. With enhanced data software, it’s easy to train the customer service representative to look up the data within minutes. This keeps the call flowing smoothly and keeps the wait times down for other customers. Ensure the features you need for your company, such as customer profiles and order history, are easy to access in the software suite you choose.
Make Necessary Upgrades
Many companies lose valuable time and money due to these common issues, which can be avoided with proper preparation and up-to-date software. Upgrade your company today, and you’ll be amazed by how smoothly things go.
