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Simple to set up. Easy to use. Powerful integrations.
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Simple to set up. Easy to use. Powerful integrations.
Get startedDifficult or counterintuitive workflows don’t serve anyone well. However, the right software integrations can streamline business processes. Software integrations, also known as VoIP integrations when connected to your phone system, will simplify and streamline your workflows so all processes move along as they should. How? Software integrations, combined with call center software, give the proper scope to your operations, making it easier for you to centralize information and data.
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Software Integrations and Workflow Solutions
Regardless the business or industry you’re in, if you don’t have an established workflow, your employees will typically develop their own. A workflow is a series of tasks used to complete a larger goal. They’re created any time systems or people exchange information.
Workflows often develop in silos, when smaller goals aren’t tied into the larger ones. When workflows are awkward or inefficient, software integrations can be the answer to streamlining operations. Software integrations are a valuable part of a VoIP infrastructure, and they’re designed to help your business optimize your business processes, so everything flows more smoothly. Many of your workplace activities are highly predictable, and software solutions work best in that environment. Software integrations make it possible to turn a call center into a contact center with multiple communication channels — a critical component of customer-oriented business.
Efficient workflows automate business processes so workers can collaborate and share information. Software integrations simplify workflows so you can match work tasks with the workers that are best suited to handling them. For example, a CRM-phone system integration will retain a caller’s history all the way from initial contact with the sales team, all the way through customer onboarding. At any point, even months down the line, customer support representatives will have full knowledge of a particular customer’s journey, giving context to conversations and helping personalize every interaction.
This approach to integrated software is taking off in all industries. About 66% of businesses are now using call centers with cloud-based phone systems and software integrations to improve the customer experience.
The Benefits of Software Integrations for Workflow Management
As you become better acquainted with any process, you’ll eventually find ways to simplify and improve it. Streamlining workflows is efficient and profitable for companies, and it alleviates stress for both your employees and customers. Software integrations not only eliminate workflow inefficiencies, they also provide benefits you may not have considered.
Fewer errors – Automated workflows will prevent problems associated with human error from occurring in the first place. When issues do arise, automated workflows will make it easier to pinpoint and address them.
Improved collaboration – Software integrations allow your employees to communicate and collaborate with each other even if you use a remote workforce or distributed teams. Regular communication between employees will help them solve problems faster and improve the culture within your organization.
Increase productivity – Automated workflows alleviate many of the manual steps that you’d have to take otherwise. Software integrations save your call agents from having to send out individual emails and update data in multiple systems. Your customers’ requests move through the process from one department to the next and everyone can stay in the loop every step of the way.
Eliminates redundant tasks – Repetitive tasks cost you time and money. With the help of software integrations, you gain valuable time that you could be spending speaking directly with customers to handle their orders.
Handle multiple tasks at one time – Integrations let you perform multiple tasks at once. For example, you can onboard a group of new employees at the same time, send out a survey after a call, check the status of a shipment or refund, and switch between communication channels to get the data you need. Software integrations bring your business tools right to your fingertips.
Increases transparency and trust – Your call agents will all have clearly defined tasks and goals, and that means accountability is equally as clear. With everything out in the open, there’s no second-guessing, and administrators have control over protecting sensitive information.
Software Integrations and the Customer Experience
As your business matures, you’ll need to add new tools to meet your growing needs. What you want to avoid is a hodgepodge of tools that don’t work together. Having disconnected systems makes it difficult to tailor your products and services to your customers’ needs. This will inevitably impact the bottom line. However, the reverse is true as well—excellent customer service will improve customer satisfaction, which will have a positive residual impact on net revenue.
When you have access to all the right tools, you get scalability in addition to efficiency. Here’s a brief look at how software integrations can improve your workflows and result in the best possible customer experience.
Scalability – Software integrations provide you with the added benefit of being able to quickly and easily scale your call center up or down as your business needs change. From the perspective of the customer experience, it gives you control over having the right number of call agents to manage your orders and inquiries.
Improves customer satisfaction – By giving multiple departments access to the same data in real-time, it’s easier, faster, and more accurate to respond to customer inquiries. Having visibility to customer transactions in real-time means that employees get a more consistent customer experience which improves their satisfaction and builds a trusting relationship.
Streamlined processes keep customers informed – Customers want fast and accurate resolutions to their inquiries. When systems are integrated, your customers can get answers immediately and be kept informed if anything changes.
Expand your operations with ease – Software integrations make it easy for you to set up remote teams so you can expand your operation geographically and get call agents up to speed quickly. Administrators and managers will have instant visibility to track calls and assess performance from any location, flattening the learning curve during new agent onboarding.
With all systems aligned, your call agents have the tools to respond to any question that comes their way.
The Biggest Reasons to Integrate Call Center Workflows
Software integrations for workflows are a game-changer for call centers. Your call agents will accomplish more in less time, and they’ll enjoy their jobs more when things go smoothly.
There are lots of good reasons to integrate call center workflows, and here are a few of the major ones:
Consistency of information across systems – Every time a call agent enters an address, phone number, or other data into a system, there is another chance of error. A simple misspelling can cause you hours of hunting down information. Call center software integrations keep all systems current and up to date.
Reduce after call work – The job isn’t done after a call ends. Call agents need to complete forms, send emails, enter status codes, or update databases. Integrations can handle most of this work automatically. You should also build in ample time for call agents to complete it. The time saved gives call agents time to speak with even more customers.
Automated email, notification, survey capabilities – Software integrations allow you to set up automated workflows for emails that you can use for a variety of purposes. Set up email workflows to send internal notes to call agents for good performance. You should also use workflows to send status updates to customers for orders. You can also automate surveys to gauge satisfaction after customer calls.
Increase sales – Set up automated workflows to guide salespeople from one part of the sales funnel to the next.
Save costs – Incur less cost in equipment and maintaining it. With the right software integrations, you have only one system to monitor and update.
Enhance the customer experience – Respond faster and better to your customers. Customer experience is a main indicator of modern business success and the primary driver of repeat customers.
Software Solutions That Can Simplify Workflows
Aircall’s cloud-based phone system provides the foundation for an integrated software solution platform. With advanced features like call routing, call whispering, call conferencing, IVR, and so much more, you’ll have a basis for adding the extra integrations to support other processes.
These are some examples of software integrations for workflow management from Aircall’s App Marketplace that you might use to improve your workflow processes in your support or sales call center.
Support
Simplified workflows give your support agents all the information they need at once. Furthermore, automated workflows guide tickets seamlessly from one process to the next.
Sales
Sales Automation – FreshSales, Outreach
AI & Transcription – Refract, ExecVision
Data & Reporting – Zapier, OneUp Sales
Sales automation software integrations can tell your salespeople who to call, when to call, and what to say to move leads quickly and smoothly through your sales funnel. Your company will benefit from increased sales, as well as an increase in upsells and cross-sells.
With all your processes in the perfect order, you’re positioning yourself to give the best support and sales customer experience to your prospects and customers.
Published on October 7, 2020.
