Our Busiest Day in The Office and Nobody was There

Our Busiest Day in The Office and Nobody was There

We wanted to share with you our experiences of working from home today, managing our call volume in the current climate we thought would be difficult, it wasn’t.  We had our busiest day of calls in over a year, spread over our team at home. You may ask, how did you cope when your businesses never operated on these terms before. Hopefully, we can shed some light.  Call volumes up 25% on last week.  This is our first time really depending onthe software.  It impressed us in three ways. 1. We can see clearly who was answering calls and who wasn’t.  We were also able to ensure that 95% of calls were answered by a person in under 25 seconds. 2. Everybody could see  who else was on the phone with the presence app. So, we knew who was free to take calls at home. 3. The soft phone apps on the mobiles and computers allowed everybody to record their calls and give the rest of us visibility. Learning New Ways of Remote Working For our management team, being able to visually see the productivity of their team and ensuring high standards of customer experience are still delivered was essential. With 2 clicks of a mouse, we were able to see, how many calls we’ve answered, how long it’s taking to answer them and any that’s going unanswered. There is much more data; however, for us personally, these three things ensured our customers still received the same high standards. Managers where then able to delegate workloads accordingly, which can sometimes be difficult, if you’re not in the office physically seeing what members...
Do I actually need a physical desk phone?

Do I actually need a physical desk phone?

It is common in modern homes these days to find that there isn’t a physical phone installed. Rather, people are opting to rely solely on their mobile phone. However, should the same be the case in businesses? Is it time do away with the desk telephone?  There are of course advantages for retaining the physical phone in the workplace but this will depend largely on the nature of the business itself. In some organisations, the entire working day may be spent at a desk without any requirement for staff to be contactable outside normal hours, so a landline phone makes sense.  Take another company, where employees spend a lot of time away from the office and are spread over several locations, and the challenge is to keep them connected.  Relying solely on a desk phone will render this impossible.  Tempting as it is to think the best answer is to switch entirely to mobile, there are much more suitable solutions that provide fully-integrated communications that improve not only operational efficiency but vastly enhance the customer experience.  Utilising advances in technology coupled with the internet can allow organisations to manage all their communications as a single unit, rather than an array of phones and other devices.  Using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system, business users can use any device under their control, be it a mobile, tablet or laptop, to make a call as if they were using their desk phone.  They can also choose to do so using a single telephone number. We are already used to sending an email from a single address but from a variety of devices – now we can do the same with a phone number.   There are significant pros for inbound calls also. Rather than clients...
Do you really need a telephone system at all?

Do you really need a telephone system at all?

How often have you heard someone in business say ‘I use my mobile for everything’ and then ask whether or not they really need a telephone system at all?  It’s certainly one of the most common points of discussion when I meet with perspective clients, particularly those operating at a micro or small business level.  And in an era of the smart phone and what appears to an infinite number of applications, it is of course a fair question.  There are a number of important considerations to be made before arriving at an answer, however.  For instance, do you and those in your business make many outbound calls, and do you often share calls with more than one person?  Further, do you have a requirement to maintain a record of the calls you make, or are made to you, and do your sales depend on a single number?  If the answer to all these questions is no, then a number management system could be considered.  Such a system, which is particularly suited to smaller businesses, enables a telephone number or set of phone numbers to be hosted in the cloud to be routed to any set of phone numbers or other IP devices.  What does this mean for businesses? First of all, it may take a shift in thinking about what the function of the telephone number is.  A telephone number could be considered a digital address for the business – similar to an email or website address.  Then how do you want calls to that number – and your business – to be managed?  Take the example of a plumber operating from their van with just a mobile phone. He or she can only take calls when they are physically present with the phone, but what happens when they miss a call, or receive voice mails or perhaps emails that go...
Bringing your own device to work — is it a smart move or a risk not worth taking?

Bringing your own device to work — is it a smart move or a risk not worth taking?

In recent times the trend of allowing or encouraging employees to use their devices at work has become increasingly popular for a variety of reasons, including potential increases in productivity and reduced cost to business. Companies should however assess whether the benefits of a ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) policy outweigh the risks. It has been claimed that the most considerable benefit of BYOD is an increase in productivity. This is largely owing to the fact that employees are already familiar with their own phones, tablets or laptops, meaning there is no learning curve when they start working off their device. Most people take their phone everywhere with them. If an employee is using their own phone for work this means they can essentially work from anywhere. The more flexible and mobile your employees, the better they can maintain a competitive edge. Another benefit, especially to small business, is the reduced cost that comes with a BYOD policy. Instead of having to pay for multiple devices that employees do not need or want, the business need only pay for the mobile phone plan of each employee. Conversely, the risks associated with BYOD can be significant and security is a key concern. Due to their portable nature, devices such as phones, tablets and laptops can be very easy to leave behind or have stolen. Once out of an employee’s hands, not even encrypted date or device locking passwords can keep experienced hackers out. This leaves company data vulnerable and confidential information can be compromised. Another risk is reputational damage. If an employee is found to be posting or accessing any...
Why texting and traditional ways of communicating go hand in hand

Why texting and traditional ways of communicating go hand in hand

As the range of available communication options expands, many businesses are returning to more familiar, mobile communication methods similar to SMS or ‘text’ messaging. Business text messaging is one way that companies can adapt to suit their customers’ busy schedules and preferences, and can be part of an overall telecommunications service, whether relying on traditional or internet-based phone solutions. Texting is a quick and easy way to communicate and solve a problem as agents can often respond to customer texts faster than they can to live calls. Text messages have a higher opening rate than any other mode of communication. If your customers are opening the message, at least 90% of them are reading it. Thus, text messaging can make it easier for you to reach out to customers. It may seem like any new way of doing business is restricted to large businesses with sizeable budgets, but small businesses and text messaging are a great fit. SMS is an affordable, efficient and convenient way to contact clients and can be used to improve your customer service, no matter how many or few people work for your company. There’s no complicated interface when dealing with mobile-to-mobile messaging. Just a message and a recipient. Many businesses may worry that this practice is intrusive or unprofessional, though it is rarely viewed that way. The biggest issue businesses have with using text messaging for customer service is that texts are perceived as personal. This concern may be justified when text messages are used for mass marketing. However, business text messaging for customer service is personal due to the one-on-one nature of the conversations between customers and...
How an internet phone system can actually improve reliability

How an internet phone system can actually improve reliability

Ask any businessperson what they view as the most important factor when choosing new technology or telecoms solutions and more often than not, they’ll say reliability. After all, having the latest technology at your disposal would be totally useless to any company if it does not actually function when required. Solutions that fail to provide reliability will, rather than improving your business, end up incurring additional costs through unplanned downtime, missed leads, and dissatisfied customers. When it comes to choosing a phone system, reliability becomes all the more important. That’s one reason why increasing numbers of businesses are turning to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) solutions. No longer a new service – and fast becoming the business standard – VoIP now provides a mature and stable option for commercial telecommunications.  The plethora of additional features available on a VoIP system meanwhile, such as automatic call forwarding and voicemail to email, mean it can actually be considerably more reliable than a traditional landline, should a problem with the connection occur. Of course, as VoIP relies on the internet, the stability of the system is tied to the dependability of your broadband connection.  However, given the tremendous reliability of modern internet connections, this shouldn’t be a concern and it will be boosted further by ensuring the internal communications infrastructure of your business is fully up to date. It is worth, therefore, carrying out a full audit of the physical lines and cables within your business premises to ensure they are of the requisite standard to fully realise the benefits of a new telephony system.  That said, even the most advanced solutions can require downtime to enable...
How using data can boost the bottom line

How using data can boost the bottom line

As consumers and businesses, we are producing and sharing more data than ever before, from personal details to information such as when and how we interact with each other. For businesses, collecting this data is so simple it can accumulate automatically without any concerted effort on the part of the company itself. How that information is used by the organisation is more complex however, and requires a strategic vision and plan that, if implemented effectively, can significantly improve operational efficiencies. When it comes to our business telephone systems, we can now find out precisely how our customers interact with us and how we respond to them. You’ll often have been told your conversation with a call centre or customer service line is being recorded for training purposes. Such recordings are commonplace and provide an important function for the business by revealing, for example, where some employees may require additional coaching or how customers respond when engaging with staff. Analysing the number of calls received meanwhile can help to identify any spikes in activity, either high or low, and determine whether these are recurring. This information can enable managers to amend staffing levels, ensuring adequate call handlers are available during peak times and fewer when they are not needed. The result is that clients or potential customers are less likely to experience long call waiting times and therefore enjoy a positive service experience. Call spikes may unearth deeper issues other than staff timetabling however so it is worth not just analysing the time period of the peak but considering the nature of the calls as well. For example, queries spiking...
How business can reap the rewards of awards

How business can reap the rewards of awards

Earlier this year, byphone, the revolutionary Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) platform developed by Clarity subsidiary Voxbit, achieved success at a major UK telecoms awards ceremony.  The product, which has received plaudits from customers and industry alike, was highly commended in the Best Hosted Platform Supplier category at the Comms Business Awards in London.  It’s fair to say, we see great value in industry awards, and for a variety of reasons.  Firstly, they serve as a tremendous endorsement that you and your business are on the right track. However, awards present a huge number of other benefits including to raise the profile of your brand and maximise visibility to potential customers.  Even being shortlisted can place your company in the spotlight for all the right reasons, garnering significant attention over a sustained period of time.  The third-party endorsement can also significantly increase the credibility of your business, positioning it as a leader in the sector.  Particularly for companies still in a growth phase, a prestigious award can also aid efforts to attract new investment or funding.  By recognising the hard work of employees, they also build staff morale and improve future motivation by acknowledging the place of workers in helping to achieve the business success.  Additionally, industry awards are likely to raise the interest of ambitious and talented individuals outside the company, providing a boost to recruitment plans.  The recent success for byphone was a great achievement, but there is more to come with the product shortlisted for a further three awards at the upcoming Comms National Awards: Best Hosted Platform, Best SME Telephony System, and Best Supplier Innovation Award.  Clarity itself meanwhile has been nominated in another two categories...
Can your business afford not to record calls?

Can your business afford not to record calls?

Businesses are always in search of cost-effective ways to better understand the needs of their customers. They review analytics and compare results in order to identify the level of overall customer satisfaction, and to identify any gaps in business performance.    Whilst satisfaction ratings and sales figures are the most common and obvious way to monitor the success of a business, it is also important to observe customer-facing employees in action. This is where call recording systems can come into play.    Recording customer calls enables businesses to monitor any interaction between its employees and its customers. This allows for the easy identification of certain areas of the business which may need to be improved, or any persistent problems that customers are experiencing with a particular product or service.   Call recording enables businesses to provide employees with feedback as to how they are dealing with customers whilst providing managers with an opportunity to help teams improve phone etiquette and communication skills. By monitoring calls, managers can provide effective selling tips to its employees and advise how to improve the care and support offered to customers.    Monitoring the information gathered from call recordings can help a business to steer its marketing efforts in the right direction and adjust its strategy accordingly.    It can also help a business to comply with any legal, industry, and service-level compliance guidelines, and can be especially beneficial when resolving a dispute with an unhappy customer. With proof of the exchange, a business may be able to save both time and money.     It is common for both customers and businesses to be wary of using call recording software due to the confidential and sensitive information often shared.    If a business makes it clear to its customers what the purpose of the recording is, whether to monitor potential problems or as a tool for training and employee improvement,...
Five reasons your business should consider camera-based security in 2019

Five reasons your business should consider camera-based security in 2019

Business owners have a plethora of responsibilities, including – and perhaps among the most important – over the security of company property, both physical and otherwise. That’s because maintaining strict control over security matters helps to ensure business continuity by reducing, for example, the risk of interruption due to crime. Here are five reasons why video surveillance should be considered a key investment. Preventing crime – The sight of a CCTV camera, and the risk that actions may be captured on video, is clearly a deterrent to any individual or group considering carrying out illegal activities such as vandalism, theft or break-ins. Should a crime occur, the presence of the surveillance system will pay further dividends with the video captured of the event usable as evidence, helping to place the time and precise location of the offence and identify any suspects. Activity monitoring – In addition to capturing footage of any illegal activity, security cameras can also keep a track of other activity, carried out by employees and visitors, offering complete awareness of what is going on under the roof of the firm. This has the added benefit of supporting the maintenance of good record keeping, helping to ensure comings and goings are handled efficiently and operations are running smoothly. Dispute resolution – Disputes can occur in any business, between customers and staff or between employees. Regardless of the nature of the dispute, business managers need to figure out exactly what happened, and expeditiously. In some cases, a surveillance camera may provide clear video proof about the entire incident, leading to a fair resolution of the matter. Remote access – Real time remote...