Telephones – what do you use yours for?

Let’s start with a word of reassurance. This article is not going to be about phone hacking or the latest apps for smart phones. Although the search engines are so front-end loaded with these two subjects that the casual searcher could be forgiven for thinking that hacking and apps are all that phones are good for, we disagree.

We believe that the telephone is potentially one of the most powerful tools available to any business. Unfortunately, just as letter writing has been replaced by texts and e-mails, so the telephone has been sidelined, replaced by chat rooms, forums and marketing gimmicks. So, how do you use telephones in your business?

Customer orders
Lured by the apparent cost savings we are tending to move away from taking customer orders via the telephone and towards automated web ordering. Whilst this is an attractive option, it can lead to a reduction in sales, particularly in cross selling. For example, go on the internet to buy a plank of wood and that is just what you buy. Order via the telephone and by talking to someone who can give advice on screws, varnish, paint, and sanding methods you buy these extra items. Using a virtual switchboard makes sure the order is transferred to the right person without vast cost.

Advice line
By adding an advice line to your automated switchboard you can again keep costs down whilst turning customer queries into sales. Make this a premium rate number and you can offset the costs of the advice with telephone revenue.

Conference calls
Many businesses use conference calls as an inexpensive way of arranging employee meetings. But how about a conference call to update clients on the latest products or to gauge reaction to potential innovations? Used properly, conference calls prove to be a very powerful marketing tool.

Supplier relationships
Having a good relationship with a supplier is invaluable. The better the relationship, the more likely they are to offer attractive discounts or to put you to the top of the tree in times of shortage. So how about a special supplier line, or a quick telephone call every now and again to say thanks. You can even programme your switchboard to route calls from the supplier direct to their contact within your business.

Disaster recovery
Communication is key to managing disaster recovery. So a plan which includes telephone divert, call recording, information lines and instant messaging will always be on the right track.

These are just a few ways in which using telephones can help to boost your business as well as your reputation as a company which cares. So when you next review your business plans, don’t forget the telephone; it may have been around a while but it is still there working hard for you.