When the Cloud Calls, Your CRM Should Answer
As technology continues to innovate more rapidly, industries across the board are having to become increasingly digital in order to keep up with customer demands and expectations. Though a full-scale transformation has already taken place in certain industries— namely, retail—many others have been cautious to take the leap.
Pressure to transform digitally to satisfy the demands of smartphone-savvy customers is not the only heat being put on businesses lately though. The demand for cloud-based technology, in particular, has also increased. As more and more businesses implement cloud-based applications and features, expectations of a quick and easy experience are becoming even greater.
While cloud-based applications are attractive to users because they ease the experience, some industries, especially healthcare and banking, have been hesitant to embrace the cloud because they’re concerned about security. While these fears are valid and should be addressed appropriately, the benefits of cloud-based technology shouldn’t be overlooked. For many industries, cloud-based communications in particular is a vital next step in improving their customer engagement.
Why? Because the secure implementation of cloud-based communications can directly impact an organization’s customer relationship management, not to mention its bottom line.
Decreased Capital Cost
For example, by implementing cloud-based communications, companies and organizations can eliminate a significant amount of the cost associated with traditional phone systems—such as installation, operation, hardware, etc.—which are still widely used today.
With a cloud-based communication system, companies can say goodbye to the large bundle of costs that it takes to keep a traditional, premise-based communication system up to date and functional. Acquisition costs are also lowered, as cloud-based solutions are quicker and easier to deploy. Additionally, the need to staff multiple contact centers in order to handle a growing number of customer calls is also diminished, removing another capital expenditure.
Simplified Delivery to Users
Using a cloud-based solution for communication needs also makes life easier for end users. When a premises-based system is installed, for example, end users often encounter multiple headaches. Several months of planning and project management can be involved with traditional systems—all of which can take time and resources. And when the installation process is complete, there is little room for error.
With a cloud-based communication solution, however, end users are relieved of these headaches, as installation can be completed within a couple of weeks. On top of that, migrating the complexity of premises-based systems to secure cloud technology enables business managers to deliver new engagement models for populations of customers. This simplification of delivery to end users frees up both time and resources as well as presents expanded opportunities, which in turn improves customer satisfaction.
Evergreen Technology
In addition to eliminating capital expenditures and simplifying delivery, implementing cloud-based communications is largely beneficial to businesses as it provides the latest technology with an evergreen life cycle. Since the cloud is updated multiple times throughout any given year, the fear that a premises-based system will soon become outdated diminishes significantly. As a result, the frequent hardware and installation updates that require extra resources and energy are nonexistent with cloud-based solutions.
Scalability
An additional benefit to cloud-based solutions in general is scalability—and with many industries facing a rapidly growing customer base, this is key. Particularly in communications, premises-based systems can often present challenges to handling such an expansion of customer calls. As a result, the cloud’s scalability functions can help industries accommodate the extra amount of work that comes with an enlarged customer base.
The cloud can also support a large number of users and a variety of types of communications with customers at the same time. This technology improves customer relationship management as it enables companies to handle a higher volume of work and ensure that customers can quickly get in touch with an agent to solve their problems.
Secure Implementation of the Cloud
Despite all of the customer experience benefits that cloud-based communications can provide, however, if the technology is not designed with security at the forefront, then one breach could have the opposite effect on a company or organization’s relationship with its customers. As a result, secure implementation is key and can directly impact an organization’s customer relationship management by ensuring customers that their private data is secure and protected—which fosters a trusting relationship.
While cloud-based communication solutions have been increasing in both demand and functionality, their use will only continue to grow. Though some industries have been slow to adopt the cloud, the benefits to an organization’s customer relationship management are clear.
The cloud is calling—now is the time to answer.
Perry Price is the president and CEO of Revation Systems. Price cofounded Revation Systems in August 2002 to develop next-generation cloud solutions for real-time communications. His background is in strategic partnerships, channel strategies, OEM agreements, and sales management for various companies with a focus on secure, integrated communications, call-centers technologies, telephony, VoIP, messaging and more. He has more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry and has worked with several Fortune 500 companies.