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6 Features Every Small Business Should Look For In A Call Centre Software
When you are a small business you cannot afford to make many mistakes with money.
11:08 18 March 2020
Investing in something that doesn’t give you the best value can be a huge mistake to make and may cost you significantly if it is a recurring cost investment.
The need for a properly functioning small business phone service cannot be overemphasized. It isn’t just the new fad in town, it is actually one of the most powerful solutions to customer service and sales issues. It is a small business necessity if you want to compete for a share at the table.
However, with the flood of Customer Centre Software out there claiming to offer premium value, how do you pick the one that works for you and that can serve you well as you scale your business? Here are some features you definitely need to look out for before saying I do… to one of the softwares that is.
- Integration Capabilities
No matter how wonderful and efficient your software is, it is not design to function as a standalone. It will be a whole lot of hassle for you if you need to input company data before it can function optimally.
You need to make sure that in picking a software, you pick one that can integrate with your CRM, marketing tools, your helpdesk and even your social networking tools. This way once integration is effected, you can have a smooth transition and free flow communication between customers and employees or agents. This is often the very first thing to look out for because it touches on how easy it is to get started with the software.
- Reasonable Call Volume Distribution
What is reasonable for one business may differ from another; however every small business should look towards an increased customer base. Trends show that more customers are taking advice from Customer service agents on the way to their final decision. These trends have seen an explosion in calls from customers.
This is why it is necessary to invest in a software whose CVD is reasonably large enough to accommodate your expected call volume, not your present call volume, but your expected call volume. This way you do not have to start all over again or ask for an upgrade when things are getting good.
You need to also make sure that the Automatic call distribution of the software is fair to the number of agents you have or intend to have. An uneven distribution might load too many calls on one agent or too few calls. Call management and the ability to make sure all customers are attended to promptly and efficiently is key to Customer service.
- Make Sure It Is Easy To Deploy And Use.
Most Call Centre Softwares can be live within few hours of deployment and some can even make it in less than an hour, so getting a software that is easy to deploy shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.
However, the usability of these softwares varies widely from one to another. Some softwares are unnecessarily technical and not user friendly, while some are intuitive and user friendly. However even these terms are subjective to the people using it.
This is why it is not enough to invest in a software based on a review or a recommendation alone. It is often best to run a demo and see for yourself. This way you can pick one that is user friendly in the specific context of your business type.
Make sure you also pick a solution that feels natural, fulfils the exact needs of your business and works well for how you typically communicate with your customers. If your business is based largely on outbound calls for instance, the software you need will differ totally from what you would need if you receive more volumes of inbound calls.
Trying to get any good software and then try to manipulate it to do what it wasn’t designed for is one sure way to frustration for you and your agents.
- Get Something Your Reps Like
This is an extension of the last point, but still every bit as valid. What you think is easy to use and user friendly may also vary from what your reps or agents think, so you need to make sure you gauge the usability of the app based also on the perspective of your agents and reps.
The right software can improve your employee productivity discernibly and if they feel uncomfortable with it, it can reduce it as well. Most softwares offer Demo versions which you can run at the office to ascertain which one suits you and your team, perfectly. One way to know this too is by asking for reviews from users during the demo. The view from the other side of the phone is also very valuable in making the right decision.
Remember, the aim is ultimately to satisfy customers, increase sales and build your brand. So whatever does that should work just fine even if it is not a ‘high profile’ software by some other people’s standards. Your business has specific needs, your software should meet it.
- Multi-Channel Contact Services
Customer’s needs and preferences are evolving daily and with it, Customer Service strategies as well. With the explosion of social media and mobile devices, trends like Multi-channel Contact Centre has become necessary.
Customers want to be able to contact your business easily and with their preferred means of communication which may mean SMS, Live chat, text, Social Media or Email. You need to make sure that the software system you invest in is capable of handling communication across all these platforms seamlessly so your agents don’t have to keep logging in and out of different platforms just to communicate.
This saves time and communicates to your customers that they are a priority.
- Get Only Properly Secured Systems
It is often difficult to know what softwares come with top-notch encryption and security measures. Especially since you can find glowing reviews for almost every software out there.
Security is absolutely invaluable if you are going to invest in Call centre software, because but you and your customer have to be able to rest easy without the fears of security leaks and identity thefts especially as customers may share vital information over the phone.
Since it is so hard to tell how properly encrypted a software is unless you are an expert, its safest to go only for softwares from companies that are compliant with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This way the regulatory body does the work of ensuring compliance with best available security and privacy practices for you.
These may seem like pretty basic steps at first, but if they are followed carefully you should have a fully functioning small business phone service in no time. You are happy, your agents are happy and your customers are satisfied. What else could you ask for?