Businesses need cloud telephony in today's times

The rapid change in technology and the ease with which we all adapt to it is certainly one of the reasons why businesses have been thriving even in a remote setup. And while this may have been the case for some time now, the COVID-19 pandemic has only expedited the process, disrupting industries and pushing them into going digital and remote.

Still, managing a business in the middle of a pandemic—with social distancing norms in place—is no easy feat. Yet, they have persevered and much of it can be credited to cloud technology, which has emerged as the ideal solution to ensure business continuity no matter the circumstances.

Cloud telephony: A blessing in disguise

Cloud technology and cloud telephony solutions, have existed for some time now. But while companies were only inching towards adopting the cloud, the pandemic has made it a necessity. There is a direct correlation between business continuity and cloud solutions, and organisations are fast realising this fact.

Whether it is starting a remote setup, ensuring a smooth transition or simply fostering better communication (both internally and externally), cloud solutions can tackle all roadblocks. These solutions, no matter their function, are all flexible, scalable and capable of reducing inefficiencies at truly affordable prices. With such advantages, it makes sense for businesses to adopt cloud solutions, no matter their scale or industry.

The business landscape is dynamic and cloud solutions can keep up

According to Adroit Market Research’s report, the global cloud telephony market size is expected to grow to $47 billion by the end of 2028. There will also be an all-around boost for IVR and CRM solutions. The APAC region is one of the prominent markets exhibiting exponential growth with India expected to emerge as a prolific cloud telephony market.

Of course, one must look at mobile phone penetration to understand the surge in the demand for SaaS (Software as a Service) tools. With the world on their palms in the form of phones, customers expect everything to be instant. And solutions like voice broadcasting, bulk SMSes, toll free numbers, IVRs and live chats allow brands to do just that.

This increasing prominence of cloud solution tools stems from the fact that they can greatly reduce operational costs while boosting the overall productivity of an organisation. These solutions enable smoother collaboration, improve customer service and automate processes to reduce human effort.

Remote work fueled by better internal collaboration

The COVID-19 pandemic, no doubt, paved the way for a wider acceptance of the work from home culture. It has, in fact, intrinsically changed the way businesses (and employees) look at work and office spaces.

After all, cloud solutions take all processes online. All one needs is an internet connection, and sharing files, working on projects collaboratively and keeping track of processes becomes overwhelmingly easy. Additionally, with remote work and cloud telephony solutions at the helm of business operations, managers don’t need to fret over physical infrastructure, long commute times or tedious updates that can halt work.

Cloud solutions surpass all geographical restrictions, time zones, devices used, etc. They even make your organisation more inclusive, allowing you to hire the very best of talent from diverse backgrounds. Employees have quick access to data anytime, anywhere ensuring not just productivity but also giving teams the chance to work at their pace and convenience.

When companies leverage the power of cloud telephony, smooth audio calls, instant messaging and built-in communications apps become the norm. Teams can even work on the same document, in real time, without any glitches.

Enhanced customer service every single time

Where cloud telephony does wonders for internal collaboration, it also completely optimises your customer service and experience.

Successful businesses understand the importance of customer service. They also understand that it is no easy feat to offer the same quality of service to each customer, every time. One of the major roadblocks is managing inbound queries in bulk, all the while assuring that each customer gets quick and effortless query resolution.

In such a scenario, keeping track of every customer interaction isn’t feasible and successfully resolving their concerns may seem impossible. This is where cloud solutions step in as the saving grace.

Cloud telephony helps customer service agents manage call loads, track communication, monitor customer relationships, and even revisit past customer interactions to ensure better conversations. Agents can work from different locations, collaborate live and solve issues almost instantaneously without the pressure of micromanaging each task.

Cloud solutions are capable of collecting, storing and arranging data using smart CRMs and then offering intelligent and actionable customer insights. They can truly transform customer journeys, and enhance the overall business performance.

IVRs, for instance, are one of the quickest and effective cloud telephony solutions. They are capable of catering to customers round the clock, helping them get solutions quicker and even automating call management without the need for human intervention.

All businesses can benefit from cloud telephony

Cloud solutions are the need of the hour. And while they are gaining popularity during this pandemic, they will continue to be relevant post it as well.

Be it efficient communication and collaboration or ensuring strong customer relationships, cloud solutions have successfully carved their own importance in the market. And businesses are ready to adopt this new-age technology to keep with the changing times.

Author: Karan Chhabra, Director, Servetel Communications