The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has affected many aspects of our lives, including our work and business. In such a scenario, it is natural for business owners and entrepreneurs to refrain from starting a new business. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

A pandemic is a new norm and companies are adapting quickly to the precarious working conditions that come with it.

Everyone faced the consequences; small businesses and marketers have been hit particularly hard.

But we do not have to lose heart. Businesses and economies that have changed rapidly have not perished. Some have even flourished. Many systems are set up overnight to help businesses operate remotely and safely during a pandemic.

So don’t let a pandemic hinder your business plans. There are tools to help you get over the storm and get up.

A cloud phone comes to the rescue

A cloud phone is an intelligent solution for your communication needs, making old world infrastructure such as wires and landlines completely redundant.

A pandemic does not mean that you should disconnect from your customers anymore. In the post-pandemic business environment, digital delivery features are emerging and the possibilities with the cloud phone are endless.

What can a cloud phone do for you?

• This can help you penetrate remote areas that could not be reached due to the pandemic
• Quickly distribute information to your customer base using cloud telephony solutions such as voice broadcasting and bulk text
• Thanks to automatic call setup, such as IVR, you can serve your customers around the clock and you are not restricted by a real-time operator or administrator.

The cloud telephony tools at your disposal

There are several cloud phone products that make your business smooth and efficient, especially when employees work remotely.

1. IVR:

IVR, or Interactive Voice Response, is a telephone system that responds to customer inputs through an automated process and redirects the call to a preferred agent, eliminating a real-time operator request for much of the process.

Intuitive IVR is the advantage of any customer-centric business and is one of the most powerful cloud phone tools at your disposal in the midst of a pandemic. Advanced features such as call barring and whispering allow drivers to whisper calls in real time and provide the ultimate in customer service by guiding customers through efficient handling. If you have an IVR number, you can receive many calls. Your calls are identified, separated, and routed to the right place every time. In addition, the system can be easily integrated with your CRM application, making the whole process smooth.

2. Toll free number:

In addition to offering a free communication channel to free customers, a toll-free number also adds prestige to your brand. With this convenient connection, customers all over the country can easily call you. An easy-to-remember number pattern will quickly increase the memorization of your brand among customers.

It’s worth noting that in addition to existing customers, a toll-free number helps create many new leads with minimal investment of time. Enhanced customer support is also available through the toll-free number. With Call Forwarding, you can easily forward customer calls to your personal number even when you are away from work. This helps you work in a location-independent way and be available to customers at all times.

3. Virtual number:

A virtual number is a number that does not have any physical phone line. With this phone number, you can get the impression that there are local numbers in your area. Let’s say your business is located outside of India and you have customers throughout the United States. You can have virtual numbers in Los Angeles, New York, and elsewhere without having to have a real leased line in those cities.

Similarly, if you have operations across India, you can get local numbers too. Virtual numbers can also be used for a variety of marketing campaigns, allowing you to even track the performance of each campaign. When you link to this virtual office, it basically allows you to be present anywhere in the world.

4. Bulk -SMS:

With this feature, you can send text messages to thousands of people in a matter of seconds and wait for several of them to call you back. This is great for sending promotional and transactional messages to your audience. Unlike skipped emails, SMS is easily accessible. The fact that you receive all the information at your fingertips increases the frequency of opening SMS compared to e-mail.

SMS sends your message instantly and significantly increases the engagement of your campaign.

If you are unsure about starting a business because you don’t know how to connect with your customers in the middle of a pandemic, or how you even plan to acquire customers, a cloud phone can help you overcome this problem. And now you know exactly how.

Conclusion

Post-Covid-19 customer trends show that adaptability and flexibility must be the new pillars of business management. It is essential for organizations to reinvent themselves and be prepared to communicate with customers in an innovative way. Frequent communication and stability are key, otherwise the company may lose customers. The current mantra is: simplify, organize and automate your business. The pandemic is not over and you can take advantage of this technology easily. And cloud phone solutions can help you do just that.

The cloud phone also stores data so your business can go back to it and learn from past communications. The calls can also be analyzed later to observe the nuances of the conversations. Similarly, recordings can be used for both training and recruiting to speed up your business and ethos.