Customer service makes or breaks customer loyalty. A study cited by Forbes determined that, in 2023, more than any other time in history, customer interactions with the company’s call center decided whether that customer stayed with the brand or service, according to 97 percent of consumers and 98 percent of contact center managers.
Good customer service makes all the difference for a company’s bottom line. In the same study, Forbes found that 60 percent (more than half) of customers have switched brands because of a negative contact center experience. The study results show that your small business cannot afford to go without the top-of-the-line customer service tools. Opting for outdated tools will limit your organization’s ability to offer your full potential of customer service quality, which reduces the customer experience.
Cloud PBX Overview
The PBX in cloud PBX stands for “private branch exchange,” a phone system that connects employees to a managed telephone network within the cloud. Calls managed through cloud PBX phone systems are known as “cloud calling,” they have the advantage of a more consistent call connection. They do not require physical hardware to synchronize with the business management system. Small business PBX systems are growing in popularity because setup is easy and cost-effective.
What are the Benefits of Cloud PBX Phone Systems?
Cloud-based phones unlock numerous opportunities for small businesses that connect small teams with advanced features. The best benefits of small business PBX phone systems are that they can integrate into the business’ data systems, allowing teams to transfer more significant documents and work on bigger projects because of the greater capacity to manage workflows.
Additionally, cloud-based PBX phone systems allow teams to focus more on their customers. According to Zendesk, it boosts customer retention because 70 percent of customers spend more time with brands that offer fluid customer communication.
Benefits of Small Business PBX Service
With a small business PBX phone system, your phone provider is responsible for the operation of your telephone service and equipment. The business saves on telephone management costs because the small business PBX phone system provider is required to manage everything. These cost savings have made cloud PBX phone systems popular among many small businesses that need tools to help them expand at a budget they are comfortable with today.
The benefits of small business PBX phone systems center around the following:
- Implementation costs are minimal, as small business PBX systems can be implemented with cloud technologies requiring minimal hardware.
- Systems are flexible and scalable due to their performance in the cloud, with constant adaptability to tech and market changes.
- The management aspect of maintaining the system is simplified, and small business PBX systems integrate with all other business tools with ease.
The Features of PBX Phone Systems that Improve Customer Service
Cloud-based small business PBX phone systems allow for the seamless streamlining of customer information through some of the following features and functions:
- Set up an Auto-attendant: The auto-attendant will act as the responder for your team when you are away. One of the top-rated benefits of cloud PBX phone systems is that it allows you to set up an auto-attendant to manage your customer requests during off hours or when employees are engaging with other customers. These auto-attendants can be scripted to personalize messages that let your customers feel seen and heard while they wait for a direct person-to-person engagement.
Zendesk’s study finds that 64 percent of customers (more than half) want autoresponders and chatbots to be as responsive as human customer service agents, meaning that your business needs top-quality modern auto-attendants to ensure customers are getting the kind of engagement they expect all the time. - Interactive Voice Response (IVR): IBM explains the tech behind Interactive Voice Response (IVR) as a feature that integrates computer and phone technology to automate the customer information system. This technology combines pre-recorded messages and text-to-speech technology within a system that engages callers and provides them with information without a live call agent needing to be on the receiving end.
- Call Routing: Call routing tech will send an incoming customer call to the appropriate call attendant. This tech can be set to send a call to the call agent that has been idle the longest, allowing them to pick up some of the slack for other team members. A call router can also send the call to an auto-attendant.
- Call Queuing: A system feature known as call queueing helps to streamline this process. Call queueing processes the call in the call system and determines where it needs to go, whether a call attendant, auto-attendant, or an interactive voice response system. These features will depend on the communications structure the team has chosen.
- Access and Mobility: As cloud PBX phone systems work to provide seamless call experiences, they boost the access and mobility that both customers and call attendants have in providing information vital to understanding the business’ values and product offerings.
- Integrated CRM Systems: CRM stands for customer relationship management systems and is a tool that helps you manage all the workflows you need to engage with customers. Cloud PBX features connect directly with your CRM system, allowing you to integrate the CRM systems information with the customer communications and let your customer service engagements flow without any interruptions between customer questions, requests, and tech issue troubleshooting.
It’s worth noting the importance of integration features for streamlined tool management. A study quoted by HubSpot says that 61 percent of IT managers say their team uses over 100 different software tools, which means a lot of different tools are managing customer data.
The Value of Providing Exceptional Customer Service
The value of exceptional customer service is evergreen and unmatched. When you provide exceptional customer service, you guarantee that your customers will stay with your brand for the long haul, providing value to your bottom line for many years.
Gibson Teldata Brings Small Business PBX Solutions for Everyone
Since 1980, Gibson Teldata has been providing small businesses with advanced networking features. With decades of experience, Gibson has been at the scene of developing telecommunications technology for major transitions and has developed a core understanding of what businesses need to keep moving forward with transforming tech.
When You Partner with Gibson Teldata, You Get:
- Pro structure cabling services with 40 years of experience to match our tech-savvy.
- A customer-service-driven approach to everything we do, ensuring your business needs are front of mind.
- Small business PBX solutions to ensure state-of-the-art cloud-calling that can take your business to the next level.
Contact us today to learn the full details of all of the benefits you’ll receive when you partner with us.
