Customer expectations are evolving.
Today’s clients expect more than ever from the businesses that they connect with. It’s not enough for companies to simply give their consumers basic service over the phone. Instead, your audience wants to know that you’re there for them, whenever and however they need you, on a range of different platforms.
To keep up with these new demands, organisations need to upgrade their communication stack. It’s time to build on the standard telephony strategy with new digital processes and infrastructure. The best and most effective way to bridge the gap is to embrace the flexibility and scalability of the cloud.
How the Cloud Supports Better Communications
Globally, 54% of consumers say that they have higher expectations today than they did a year ago. Clients from all backgrounds are beginning to look for companies that can deliver not just quick resolutions to problems via voice, but also instant chat, video, and more. A modern cloud communications platform can provide today’s companies with the solutions they need to transform their technology stack and take conversations to the next level.
A cloud communication strategy delivers benefits like:
- Faster speed of service: Cloud communications are built with performance in mind. They overcome the roadblocks of antiquated PBX solutions with data centres located around the world, and multiple solutions for ongoing reliability. This means your customer conversations always reach the right places at the correct times.
- Lower costs: Cloud reduces the need for many ongoing expenses around equipment updates, maintenance, and even downtime. Usually, the only local hardware you need is a device or handset.
- Global reach: With a cloud platform, you’ll have no problem allowing your business to grow across multiple geographical borders. Companies can build an international strategy via a single ecosystem.
- Personalised interactions: The cloud is incredibly flexible. Not only does it allow companies to adjust their offerings with a click of a button, but it also ensures that they can integrate with crucial tools like CRM systems, to collect customer data. The more information you have access to, the more bespoke customer experiences can become.
Driving the Future of Customer Communications
The cloud doesn’t just make your traditional methods of connecting with customers more productive. It also opens new opportunities to deliver additional sources of issue resolution for your clients. Now that companies excelling in customer experience can achieve up to 8% higher revenue than their competitors, it’s essential to provide this flexibility.
A unified cloud solution can also come with collaboration tools that enable employees to quickly access the expertise they need wherever they might be. Click To Tweet
With cloud communications, you can:
- Connect via multiple channels: Many companies now operate separate solutions for social media, chat, phone, and more. However, your customers expect a seamless experience wherever they’re connecting to your brand. A unified cloud solution keeps your connections linked on the same environment so that you can provide a more cohesive cross-channel conversation.
- Access multiple points in the customer journey: Make sure that you’re ready to support your customers wherever they are in the purchasing journey. An array of choices available for contacting the brand at any step is essential. The cloud can even give you visibility to your customer’s journey up until now, which makes it easier to offer custom experiences.
- Collaborate with team members: Give your employees the power to deliver more effective service by allowing them to work together. A unified cloud solution can also come with collaboration tools that enable employees to quickly access the expertise they need wherever they might be.
It’s time for businesses of all sizes to evolve away from siloed communication methods and embrace the possibilities of the future. With RingCentral, you can align your communication strategy to suit the fast-paced personalised interactions that customers expect today.
Originally published Jul 11, 2019, updated Jul 17, 2019
