5 Tips to Overcome Phone Communication Barriers

With fewer conversations taking place face-to-face, it can be difficult to overcome the barriers to communication.

Man on phone working outdoors
Communicating effectively via phone requires more skill, not less

In articles, you’ll often see the following research outcome – only 7% of the way our messages are received have to do with the words we choose. The remaining mix depends on tonality (38%) and body language (55%). As we deal with others remotely, such as via phone, how can we ensure effective communication when we can’t be seen?

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Halloo Hint: Integrated Call Recording

One of our clients, Jennifer, called with a problem. Jennifer has an outdoor living catalog which allows customers to order items via her website, or call in orders, if they’d prefer. She has several part-time employees that answer calls and take order information via the phone. Sally noticed an increase in returned shipments due to incorrect addresses over the last several months. She wanted to investigate this dilemma and wondered if Halloo’s virtual phone system could help. Continue reading

10 Actionable Ways Call Recording Can Help Your Small Business

How can call recording help your small business?

  1. Increase customer satisfaction – Recording calls will allow you to reward exceptional customer service. It also provides the opportunity to diffuse customer issues before they escalate.
  2. Provide training material – Examples of good, bad, and unusual calls can be shared during training sessions with new employees as well as during team meetings.
  3. Increase accuracy – One of the primary areas for errors is in documenting information that is conveyed via the phone. With the call recorded, team members can review shipping information and order quantities before submitting final order requests. Continue reading

3 Ways to Use Customer Relationship Management to Boost Sales

Why use a contact management system in your small business? Because building a customer relationship management system (CRM) can help you:

  • Generate more business,
  • Increase productivity, and
  • Enhance relationships with your customers.

By using a CRM, your company can increase sales an estimated 29-41%. How does this happen? By preventing lost opportunities and enhancing customer relationships. Continue reading

Halloo Hint: Creating a Phone Menu that Acts as a Help Desk

One of our clients, Tim, the owner of a property management company, had this dilemma. “My receptionists are good, but they don’t know everything. I have some recorded messages prepared for the most common problems my customers have, for example, their rental may have an issue with the fireplace, satellite TV, hot tub, etc. I set up an after hours menu for guests to access this menu driven system (i.e. “if you have problems with your hot tub, press [1]” etc.). Continue reading

The Business Advantages of a Phone System

A phone system has capabilities that go beyond normal phone services. When placing a phone call to a business that does not have a phone system, you will reach either reach the person you intended, hear the busy tone, receive no answer, or be asked to leave a message. Even if you reach an actual person at the organization, you could be greeted differently depending on who answers the phone. Without a phone system, it can be difficult to transfer callers, so you may be asked to hang up and call back using a different number. Continue reading