While good communication lies at the heart of every successful business, it doesn’t happen by accident.
So, if you’re starting from scratch, it pays to spend a bit of time and money getting it right.
Faulty communication systems will quickly lose your business both revenue and customers.
So check out our guide to setting up systems which will boost communication with customers, and collaboration between staff.
Set up a virtual phone system
There’s nothing like a virtual phone system to free you from the constraints of the traditional office set-up.
A company like Zintel can offer your choice of virtual 1300, 1800 or 13 number to slot over your existing landline. This means you can keep the number wherever you end up in Australia, and use it at any number of extra offices you might open interstate.
Totally portable, it gives your business an Australia-wide profile and the look of a large, professional company – however small you happen to be.
National 1300 or 1800 numbers give your customers flexibility too. They can call a 1300 number for the cost of a local call – from anywhere in Australia – and an 1800 number toll free countrywide.
If you want to be super-sure your customers remember you, consider adding a phone word to your 1300, 1800 or 13 number. Imagine if customers could call your cake company by dialling 13 CUP CAKE on their mobile? And imagine how many word of mouth referrals you’d get too.
Add a complete call management system
The beauty of a Zintel package lies in the comprehensive system of call management it offers. You don’t just have a phone number but a total communications solution as well.
Power-pack your phone with a customised greeting, allowing callers to select the person or department they need. Use call distribution to divert incoming calls to your specified numbers, including diverting to your mobile when you’re on the move. Make missed calls a thing of the past with call overflow – select a backup number to take any excess calls.
Call routing options can be divided into time, day and state, while voice-to-email enables voicemails to be sent to your specified email address as audio file attachments – multiple addresses included.
With so many options to catch in, route and distribute customer calls, your communication system will be built on highly efficient foundations.
Communicate effectively with staff
It’s vital to work on effective communication with your customers. Just as important, however, is your internal system involving smart collaboration between staff and colleagues. Consider:
- Online collaboration tools. Clever messaging and storage tools such as Slack, Dropbox and SharePoint can revolutionise the way your employees and departments connect with each other. Customise channels, share files, message in real-time and speak either privately or team-wide for free.
- Skype and video conferencing. Skype provides free, global video communication wherever you have an internet connection. And video conferencing is a more sophisticated option that can take in multiple locations.
- Talk to your staff. With our increasing reliance on text, email and Facebook, it’s easy to forget the oldest method of communication in the world – talking. You can often more easily solve a problem face-to-face, or talking on the phone, that might take days or weeks of to-ing and fro-ing by text.
It’s worth drawing up some company guidelines around customer and staff communication, also providing training to help your employees become better communicators.
Don’t be one of those offices mired in misunderstandings. Combine virtual technology with some clear talking and reap the benefits.