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Is a VoIP Contact Center Better for Your Business?

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VoIP Contact Center

 

Forward-thinking businesses continuously seek avenues to enhance their customer communications, which extends to upgrading contact center capabilities with innovative tools and technologies.

Illustrating this, a recent global survey conducted by Metrigy revealed that more than 80% of companies have initiated, scheduled, or are in the process of executing a transformation in customer experience. These initiatives encompass the adoption of both new and established technologies aimed at elevating agent performance and overall customer experience, thereby generating tangible business benefits.

Are you aware that Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) holds the potential to facilitate these objectives? In this piece, we’ll delve into how implementing a VoIP contact center solution can effectively serve your business needs.

Key Points:

  1. VoIP-powered contact centers operate as virtual systems, enabling the management of customer communications via the internet.

  2. Utilizing a VoIP contact center empowers you to supervise both inbound customer support and outbound sales or outreach teams effectively.

  3. VoIP contact centers offer a suite of features designed to enhance customer experiences, bolster security measures, ensure heightened reliability, and facilitate unlimited scalability.

Understanding the Inner Workings of a VoIP Contact Center

When your business demands handling a high volume of outbound and inbound calls, a VoIP contact center is the solution. But is it the same as a traditional call center?

Not quite. Traditional call centers, rooted in physical infrastructure and in-house teams, struggle to meet modern customer experience standards. They’re limited by their reliance on a single location.

In contrast, VoIP contact centers leverage web-based operations, enabling agents and supervisors to work remotely using contact center as a service (CCaaS) software. This flexibility extends to an unlimited number of agents. With digital services, you can effortlessly set up and manage virtual lines to meet your company’s evolving needs.

How VoIP Works

The Shift to VoIP Contact Centers: Reasons for Organizational Adoption and Why You Should Consider Making the Change

A VoIP contact center consistently outshines its traditional call center counterpart. Explore further benefits today!

Elevated Customer Experience: 

VoIP technology facilitates seamless integration of phone software with various media channels for omnichannel customer service. Your team gains the ability to engage customers through their preferred channels and smoothly transition between mediums as per customer preference.

For example, a customer initiating a support request via web chat with an automated bot on your website can have their query escalated to a human agent through web chat, email, or instant messaging if the issue surpasses the AI’s capabilities. In cases demanding deeper assistance, a phone or video call might be necessary. Rather than the customer dealing with disparate teams across channels and repeatedly explaining the problem, assistance unfolds as a cohesive conversation spanning channels and agents.

This feature empowers agents to resolve issues swiftly and effectively, enhancing satisfaction for both customers and employees.

Enhanced Security and Increased Reliability:

Opting for the right VoIP contact center immediately fortifies your operation’s security and reliability. By transitioning away from reliance solely on on-premise equipment, you mitigate the risks of outages and technical glitches that can paralyze a traditional call center indefinitely, leaving you at the mercy of repair timelines.

With a VoIP contact center, your hardware is housed in secure off-site data centers equipped with robust security measures and backup solutions. Even if one data center experiences an issue, your service seamlessly switches to another, ensuring uninterrupted operation. This level of redundancy translates to less than a minute of potential downtime each month.

Moreover, a cloud-based setup means your vendor maintains constant vigilance over your security. Trained personnel secure physical locations, while digital experts employ sophisticated software to safeguard your data around the clock. With this continuous protection, you can enjoy worry-free security, 24/7.

Infinite Scalability and Versatility:

As your business expands, your contact center must evolve accordingly. With a VoIP-based system, you have the flexibility to add lines, modify permissions, and activate new features as required.

Moreover, the subscription model eliminates the need to purchase a new software version to access the latest features. Cloud-based services provide instant access to cutting-edge tools, empowering you to meet evolving customer demands efficiently.

Capabilities Enhancing the Optimal VoIP Contact Center Journey:

A VoIP contact center offers a plethora of exceptional features designed to elevate productivity and enrich customer experience.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and Automated Call Distribution (ACD):

Efficiently establish an automated phone menu using IVR to swiftly guide callers to the relevant person or department. Subsequently, ACD intelligently distributes calls to suitable agents through intelligent routing. Customize rules to direct calls based on agent availability, skillset, and business hours.

Simple Call Recording, Monitoring, and Transfers:

Effortlessly capture and archive customer interactions for training and quality assurance purposes within your system. Supervisors can conveniently listen to agents’ calls from any location, providing coaching discreetly through the whisper function, which remains unheard by customers.

Transferring calls is now simplified; agents no longer need to navigate complex sequences of digits and extensions. Utilizing the app, agents can easily identify available team members, streamlining the process of transferring and conferencing calls.

Integration With Your CRM:

When integrated with a top-tier VoIP contact center, your customer relationship management software operates seamlessly, accelerating data collection and retrieval. This synergy facilitates faster support resolutions and enhances efficiency in closing sales calls.

Sophisticated Dashboards and Reporting Systems:

AI-powered analytics ensure you stay informed about your team’s performance at all times. For instance, you can uncover customer sentiments during calls and delve into crucial metrics like call duration, hold times, and first-contact resolution rates. Intuitive dashboards assist managers in dissecting this data to identify optimal training strategies. Clearly, your VoIP contact center diligently supports you, enabling you to deliver exceptional customer experiences and strengthen your brand.

VoIP Contact Center Dashboard

Discover why thousands of businesses choose Towner’s VoIP Contact Center:

Now that you recognize the importance of a VoIP contact center, setting yours up is a breeze. With Towner’s assistance, the process is effortless. Simply connect with one of our team members to select your plan and features.

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Unlocking Efficiency: 10 Must-Have Features for Seamless Conference Calls

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Conference Calls

In today’s digital landscape, conference calling has become an essential tool for businesses navigating the modern work environment. Whether teams are predominantly office-based or dispersed across various locations, conference calling bridges the gap, enabling seamless connections with clients, stakeholders, and field members.

The surge in the video conferencing market is indicative of its growing significance, with projections suggesting exponential growth in the coming years.

With a plethora of conference calling solutions available, selecting the right provider can be overwhelming. Uncover the key features and services essential for streamlining your communications infrastructure and pinpointing a top-tier provider.

Key Points: 

  1. In today’s business landscape, conference calling is paramount for fostering efficient collaboration and maintaining seamless client communication.

  2. For small and mid-sized businesses, leveraging cloud-based conference calling software presents a cost-effective solution packed with a comprehensive array of features.

  3. While free conferencing software may seem appealing, it often lacks the robust security measures and advanced features necessary to meet the demands of remote conferencing in a business environment.

Top 10 Features of Professional Conference Calling Software

Seamless Cloud Integration:

Harness the power of cloud-based communications for cutting-edge conference calling features. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) transcends the limitations of traditional landlines, offering a wealth of functionalities. Enjoy swift and cost-effective access to high-powered features, all facilitated through digital services.

High-Quality Calls with Minimal Latency:

At Intermedia, we recognize that not all clouds are created equal. Merely offering a cloud-based solution isn’t sufficient. Ensure your provider boasts a robust network guaranteeing 99.999% uptime, with the capability to swiftly troubleshoot and resolve any potential issues.

Robust Encryption and Enhanced Security:

Rest assured that your sensitive discussions remain confidential with advanced encryption measures. Leading conference calling solutions employ world-class SOC 2-audited security, fortified with three layers of protection. This ensures that crucial decisions need not be postponed until everyone can convene in person; instead, you can rely on secure conference calls.

For instance, fortified privacy protocols facilitate discreet conversations concerning legal affairs and human resources issues. Moreover, industries requiring stringent regulatory compliance for digital exchanges can trust in top-tier conferencing software to meet these exacting standards.

Furthermore, strict access controls guarantee that only authorized participants gain entry to meetings. Your administrative portal empowers you to swiftly remove disruptive participants or attendees, ensuring seamless proceedings.

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Crystal-Clear Video Quality:

Your communication solution should transcend mere audio conferencing. Video capability enables comprehensive demonstrations and authentic face-to-face interactions.

However, nobody desires grainy or stuttering visuals. Ensure that your cloud-based video conferencing software delivers full HD quality, guaranteeing an immersive and seamless experience.

Expanded Participant Capacity:

Align entire company divisions effortlessly with expansive meetings accommodating up to 200 participants. Additionally, harness the power of webinars to establish thought leadership within your industry, whether for internal training or engaging clients and prospects. Superior conference calling software facilitates hosting larger-scale events with the capability to accommodate up to 1,000 attendees.

Intuitive Dashboard and Interface:

Having access to exceptional features is only valuable if you can easily manage them. Gone are the days of requiring technical assistance for conference call adjustments. Whether you need to add, modify, or remove users, features, or security settings, it’s all conveniently manageable through an intuitive interface.

Exceptional Customer Support:

While your dashboard may be intuitive, you may still require assistance to maximize the potential of your conferencing software. Additionally, guidance with troubleshooting is essential. Look to a provider offering round-the-clock, award-winning support to ensure you receive the assistance you need, precisely when you need it.

Insightful Analytics and Reporting:

Interested in understanding how your team utilizes conferencing calls and accessing valuable statistics and insights about their meetings? AI-assisted analytics and reporting provide a comprehensive view of how team members utilize the software, offering invaluable insights for optimization and improvement.

Enhanced Collaboration Tools, Screen Sharing, Interactions, and Whiteboards:

Visual aids breathe life into abstract concepts and enhance viewer engagement. Seek screen-sharing capabilities that enable collaborative editing and drawing, elevating remote collaboration to new heights. Facilitate seamless document and resource sharing through group-wide or private chats, ensuring uninterrupted meeting flow.

Conf

Seamless Integration with Business Applications:

Chances are, you rely on specific software for scheduling, customer service, managing customer data, and analytics. These applications can seamlessly integrate with your conferencing solution, enhancing productivity across your workflow.

For instance, your customer relationship management software can seamlessly synchronize with your conference calling solution, facilitating swift access to customer data or seamless input of details into your CRM during sales calls with key decision-makers. This streamlined efficiency expedites deal closures.

Moreover, you can swiftly distribute invitations and links to invitees’ calendars, ensuring no one is left uninformed. Additionally, you can schedule recurring meetings with automated notifications and streamline the distribution of meeting minutes and action items to attendees.

Beware of Free Conference Calling Software: What You Need to Consider

While the allure of saving money might tempt you to explore free conference calling software, it’s crucial to recognize that “free” often comes with hidden costs.

Firstly, free solutions typically generate revenue through selling upgrades or other services. Moreover, some free applications may resort to monitoring your conversations or selling your data to third parties.

Most importantly, free services often lack the essential security and protection required for conducting business online. Additionally, they may not provide the necessary bandwidth, participant capacity, or unlimited calling crucial for efficient commerce.

When it comes to projecting professionalism and impressing stakeholders, employees, and clients, opt for a trusted conference calling solution like Towner’s Intermedia.

Contact Towner to Discuss Professional Conference Calling Services:

Are you seeking the best conference calling software for small and mid-sized businesses? Reach out to Towner to explore how Towner  and AnyMeeting software deliver comprehensive conferencing solutions for impactful meeting experiences.

 

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Costly Consequences: 3 Compelling Reasons to Keep Your Communications System Up-to-Date

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Costly Consequences: 3 Compelling Reasons to Keep Your Communications System Up-to-Date

Athletes lose races by fractions of a second. Whether running, skiing, or swimming, the margin determines winning or losing. In the business world, tight competition exists in every industry. Competitors who are faster, efficient, and customer-focused prevail. Your business systems are vital for a competitive edge. They must operate reliably, especially your communication system. Falling behind is costly for various reasons; here are three.

Key Takeaways:

  • Up-to-Date Systems are Crucial: Ensure competitive edge. Accelerate time to market.

  • Costly Productivity Losses: Inefficiencies cost $1.2 trillion. Strain workplace relationships.

  • Advanced Tech is Essential: Seek efficient solutions. Embrace better tools.

  • Customer Experience Drives Revenue: Great experiences boost revenue. Every employee shapes interactions.

  • Mitel Software Assurance Solution: Mitigate falling behind risk. Ensures up-to-date software, security.

  • High-Performance Comparison: Like athletes, companies need new capabilities. Stay competitive and efficient.

Facilitated Communication Expedites Time-To-Market:

Enhancing Time To Market Through Seamless Communication Achieving a swift time to market requires seamless collaboration across all facets of your organization. Every team member must have the capability to connect, collaborate, and share information effortlessly, regardless of their location or the time of day.

If your communication system lags behind, your teams are unable to harness the latest features and functionalities available in the web, mobile, and desktop applications crucial for staying interconnected. Similar to elite athletes, your teams require every advantage available. Even seemingly minor advantages can have a significant impact, especially when multiplied across your entire organization.

Ensuring your communication system is up to date ensures that your teams always have access to the latest voice, messaging, video conferencing, screen sharing, and file-sharing capabilities.

Depending on how long your communication system has been without updates, bringing it up to speed could introduce new capabilities that invigorate collaborative initiatives throughout your teams.

The Cost of Lost Productivity Surpasses Your Estimate:

A survey conducted by Grammarly Business involving over 1,600 business leaders and knowledge workers revealed that 72% of the workweek is dedicated to communication and collaboration. The resulting inefficiencies incur a staggering cost exceeding $1.2 trillion annually, equating to $12,000 per employee.

However, the impact of productivity losses goes beyond monetary figures. Almost half of the respondents noted that inefficient communication and collaboration led to conflicts with colleagues and other departments, creating challenges that are harder to quantify but nonetheless detrimental to any business.

To address these issues, communication technologies with advanced features play a pivotal role in enhancing efficiency. What was considered cutting-edge not long ago is now surpassed by newer capabilities. Recognizing this, your staff expects you to provide more effective solutions.

Among the survey participants, 58% of knowledge workers and 73% of business leaders expressed the belief that better tools would make them more effective. Remarkably, 80% of business leaders are contemplating investments in AI tools.

In essence, employees are signaling that they appreciate their current tools but seek enhancements. Keeping your communication systems consistently updated with the latest features is the most straightforward way to meet this demand.

Exceptional Customer Experiences Hinge on Effective Communication:

Several statistics affirm that an enhanced customer experience directly correlates with increased business revenues. The pivotal factor lies in optimizing customer interactions with your organization across various touchpoints. Beyond contact center technology and agent services, adopting a holistic approach to the entire customer journey is essential.

As stated by customer experience consultants Temkin Group, every individual within a company contributes to determining whether it consistently provides positive or negative human or digital interactions. Your business communications system significantly influences these interactions. When assessing your current communication system, consider how customers engage with your sales team and remote employees. Also, examine how internal teams collaborate, especially in scenarios requiring customized solutions, changing delivery dates, or addressing supply chain challenges.

A deficient communication system can lead to customer disillusionment, with potential assumptions that the outdated system encountered during interactions reflects the overall state of your organization. Customers might attribute challenges in their orders or inquiries to a perceived lack of effort or care, unaware that the issues stem from outdated communication technology causing internal disconnects.

Ensure Your Communication System Doesn’t Fail You

These examples make it clear that a business risks falling behind if its communication system falters.

For those utilizing the MiVoice Business platform for communication and collaboration, there’s a straightforward way to mitigate this risk—renew or reactivate your Mitel Software Assurance subscription.

Mitel Software Assurance ensures that your MiVoice system is equipped with the latest software and features for voice, data, and video communications and collaboration. It also provides protection through the implementation of the latest security fixes to address vulnerabilities.

Moreover, the subscription offers proactive fault reporting and performance analytics, enabling the resolution of system issues before they impact your business. 

This proactive approach mirrors the way high-performance athletes readily embrace new capabilities to gain a competitive edge. Similarly, high-performance companies must adopt a similar strategy.

 
 

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Why AI for Small Business Is A Game Changer

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AI for small business

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized our daily lives and professional environments, permeating virtually every aspect of our activities. It has transformed how we search for and process information, as well as the way we engage with others.

Once viewed as complex, AI was deemed exclusive to larger corporations, limiting its adoption by business leaders. However, with the increasing accessibility of AI systems, especially in communication platforms, this notion is no longer accurate.

AI has the potential to empower small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) as effectively as it does for larger counterparts. Surveys indicate that up to 91% of small business leaders believe AI has contributed to the success of their companies. Mark Sher, Intermedia’s SVP of Product Marketing, highlights AI’s transformative impact and the commitment to SMB accessibility.

“As AI reshapes the business landscape, Intermedia recognizes that its impact extends far beyond larger enterprises. Our commitment lies in making the transformative power of AI accessible to SMBs,” said Mark Sher, SVP of Product Marketing at Intermedia.

“Intermedia empowers SMBs with AI solutions that enhance productivity, upgrade business insights, improve customer care, update security and compliance, reduce errors, and unlock opportunities for innovation and profitability. The era of AI exclusivity for big budgets is over; Intermedia is ushering in an era where intelligent innovation benefits businesses of all sizes.”

The Impact of AI For Small Business

A significant majority, specifically 87% of organizational leaders, are confident that the integration of AI and machine learning will contribute to enhancing customer experiences, improving efficiency, and driving revenue growth. SMBs can harness AI, such as generative AI and natural language processing, for significant growth opportunities. Partnering with the right solution provider enables companies to:

Boost Productivity and Streamline Operations: 

The core success of any business hinges on the productivity and efficiency of its team members. As businesses undergo evolution and workflows become more intricate, heightened productivity and efficiency become essential for organizational success. AI emerges as a transformative force capable of driving these positive changes.

AI streamlines repetitive tasks, ensuring employees access data effortlessly for informed decision-making. Utilizing Natural Language Processing (NLP), a system can automatically transcribe audio and video calls, along with voicemails and customer interactions. Some advanced solutions can even autonomously identify key topics and action items, providing valuable guidance for today’s workforce.

AI integration reduces time on tasks like analyzing recordings, allowing team members to focus on effective information utilization.

Enhance Business Intelligence:

Data stands out not only as the world’s most valuable resource but also as a critical tool for companies. Effective decision-making, whether in scheduling or CX initiatives, hinges on utilizing data efficiently.

Transforming raw data into insights is complex, particularly with the surge in daily information generation by companies. AI excels in handling vast amounts of data and translating it into valuable insights.

AI is crucial for decoding the customer journey and understanding target audience preferences, especially in contact center support. Intelligent tools swiftly pinpoint areas for improvement in business processes. A tool with sentiment analysis distinguishes actions that build customer loyalty from those causing churn.

Enhance Customer Care (and Foster Loyalty):

AI transforms customer engagement. 73% prioritize customer experience, emphasizing the paramount importance of effective customer support in business choices.

As consumer expectations evolve, adapting to dynamic changes becomes intricate without the right tools. AI provides diverse avenues for enhancing customer interactions. Sentiment analysis tools assist companies in gauging customer sentiments regarding specific conversations and services.

AI-generated interaction summaries offer agents valuable insights for elevating the customer experience through personalization and data-driven strategies. Tools boost contact center efficiency with intelligent automation and AI agents for innovative self-service options. The cumulative effect is a faster and more efficient customer service experience.

Enhance Security and Compliance Measures:

Exceptional experiences, brand reputation, and compliance demand an upgraded approach to security and data protection. Even a minor mistake or human error can result in significant fines and customer loss.

AI offers the capability to automate and optimize various processes crucial for maintaining compliance. For example, intelligent tools can automatically identify sensitive data within customer conversations and redact such information from recordings and transcriptions.

AI tools vigilantly monitor agent-consumer conversations, swiftly alerting supervisors to any instances of non-compliance. This proactive approach establishes a more secure business environment, allowing companies to safeguard their intellectual property, consumers, and employees.

Reduced Errors and Enhanced Consistency:

Human expertise is essential, yet the common challenge for business leaders is the prevalence of human error in workflows. Engaging in repetitive tasks consistently can lead to occasional mistakes by staff members.

AI plays a crucial role in mitigating this challenge. Integrating AI and machine learning in technologies like contact centers and robotic automation speeds processes, reducing error risks.

AI systems can undergo training to adhere to standardized workflows tailored to the specific needs of businesses across various industries. Retailers, for example, can leverage AI to refine marketing strategies, predict customer requirements, and automate staffing decisions. Financial firms leverage AI to automate and improve precision in processes like creating customer quotes and invoices.

Opportunities for Innovation and Enhanced Profitability:

Companies confidently explore AI applications. Generative AI inspires advanced marketing, personalized services, and distinctive products, guiding companies effectively.

Companies leverage AI for enhanced customer service, offering intuitive self-help tools for secure payments and personalized product recommendations.

This avenue for innovation not only opens up possibilities for increased profitability but also enhances customer retention. Simultaneously, AI technology plays a role in reducing operational costs, contributing to the overall financial well-being of any business.

AI:

AI empowers SMBs, no longer exclusive to large corporations, as accessibility grows with user-friendly tools and customizable solutions. Innovators integrate user-friendly AI tools for customer service, marking the dawn of accessible intelligent innovation.

For SMBs, AI holds the potential to revolutionize productivity, efficiency, and profitability. AI unlocks insights, reduces errors, and transforms customer service, profoundly impacting smaller businesses.

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2024 Guide to The Contact Center

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2024 Guide to The Contact Center

Prosperous enterprises surpass their competitors by excelling in customer satisfaction. A crucial element in achieving this superiority is the implementation of robust contact center solutions.

Companies are rapidly adopting new contact center technologies to excel in customer service competition. For instance, the global market is anticipated to experience a growth rate of 18% over the next seven years.

Neglecting contact center updates may hinder customer satisfaction, missing enhancements crucial for a better experience. Explore contact center capabilities for upgraded customer service with the latest features and benefits.

Key Points:

  1. Enhance client relationships and deliver a superior customer experience through the implementation of contact center solutions.

  2. The nature of contact center solutions is influenced by the provider’s infrastructure installation and the seamless integration of digital channels.

  3. Optimal for small and mid-sized businesses, cloud-based contact center software stands out as the preferred choice.

  4. When selecting a provider, prioritize those offering crucial productivity features, top-notch support, and robust security measures.

Understanding the Role of Contact Center Solutions:

Contact center solutions streamline call management with software, handling large call volumes in your organization. These applications enhance call processes, streamlining tasks like routing, transfers, data collection, and quality control more efficiently than before.

In contrast to traditional call centers, modern contact centers go beyond handling voice calls alone. Unified contact center integrates video, chat, fax, and text, allowing agents to connect with customers through diverse communication channels.

Exploring Various Categories of Contact Center Solutions:

Contact center solutions can be classified into different categories based on their design and functionality.

Based on Location:

Some call and contact centers still use on-premise solutions, with all operations situated at your physical location.

On-premise setups offer control, but with high installation costs and the need for personnel for repairs, maintenance, and upgrades. This entails potential extended downtimes and a considerable loss of continuity.

On the other hand, cloud-based contact center solutions are location-agnostic. Accessible anywhere with internet, ensuring smooth operation with remote and hybrid teams across various locations.

Flexibility is achieved through online software for calls, hosted in secure data centers, both physically and digitally safeguarded by your provider.

Contact Center Cost of Ownership

In Terms of Service Capabilities:

Another consideration is determining whether your contact center solutions will focus on inbound, outbound, or both functionalities. For on-premise call centers, selecting and installing specific hardware is crucial for this decision.

Contrastingly, cloud-based contact centers offer an inherent hybrid option, providing both inbound and outbound capabilities without additional charges. The responsibility lies with you to assign and train your team for each specific service as needed.

Regarding Channel Integration:

Modern contact centers offer diverse communication channels, emphasizing the importance of their effective interfacing with each other.

In a mere multichannel setup, distinct teams are required for each method (e.g., separate teams for email, chat, and calls). Customer interactions through different channels are segregated in separate files and dashboards for each team.

Conversely, omnichannel contact center solutions seamlessly integrate these communication channels. Customers connect through preferred channels, consolidating details into a unified file accessible to relevant agents.

If a client starts with text messaging and follows up by phone, the new agent accesses information from the text conversation. This streamlined approach accelerates issue resolution and enhances the overall customer experience.

Identifying Crucial Features:

To ascertain the necessary features for your contact center solutions, it is advisable to consult with a reliable provider. Nevertheless, at a minimum, the majority of contact centers typically demand the following essential characteristics.

Artificial Intelligence (AI):

AI transcends being a passing trend; it aims to revolutionize the way we learn, communicate, and deliver services. Ensure your company incorporates AI-enhanced capabilities, from your auto attendant to automated reports.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR):

This software autonomously answers phone calls around the clock, offering a system that enables callers to input their desired recipient. IVR also empowers callers to conduct basic transactions within the automated system, resulting in time savings for everyone involved.

Power Dialer:

Enhance the efficiency of your outbound call team by utilizing a predictive dialer service, enabling agents to navigate lists swiftly. This ensures that agents spend more time engaging in conversations and less time clicking or manually entering numbers.

Intuitive Dashboard:

Choose a provider with a user-friendly interface for easy identification of individuals and understanding context effortlessly. For instance, Intermedia’s WhatsApp queues assist agents in grasping the history and context of interactions, leading to faster call resolutions.

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Agent Reports and Analytics:

Gain insights into your team’s performance through comprehensive reporting and analytics. Top providers integrate business software into contact centers and include built-in features for maximum convenience.

Data Security:

Ensuring the safety of your data and your customers’ information is paramount. Verify that your provider offers robust protection with features like encryption and data backup for comprehensive security.

Customer Support:

Award-winning support from your CCaaS provider signals reliable assistance is available during troubleshooting. Intermedia, for instance, boasts an impressive seven-year track record of delivering an exceptional customer service experience.

Are You Prepared to Establish Your Contact Center Solutions?

As your business expands, contact center solutions play a crucial role in sustaining customer relationships. Luckily, cloud-based software simplifies the process of swiftly setting up your system and getting started. Consult with a Towner team member to determine the most suitable plan for your team.

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Optimizing Customer Engagement: Elevate Efficiency and Effectiveness Using Intermedia Contact Center and Envision Analytics

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Optimizing Customer Engagement: Elevate Efficiency and Effectiveness Using Intermedia Contact Center and Envision Analytics

In the dynamic and fiercely competitive landscape of today’s business world, cultivating outstanding customer interactions is an absolute necessity. Intermedia Contact Center simplifies and enhances customer engagements across various channels: phone, chat, SMS, and email. Fueled by advanced technologies like AI, automation, virtual agents, and intelligent call routing, it sets the standard for efficiency.

Cloud platform empowers remote customer care, ensuring flexibility and driving operational excellence. It enriches the overall customer experience without overburdening resources.

Businesses embrace Intermedia Contact Center, integrating Envision Analytics for significant strides in streamlined and improved customer care. The integration marks a significant leap, reflecting a commitment to ongoing innovation and enhanced customer relationships.

Empowering Customer Interactions and Boosting Business Performance with Envision Analytics

Integrating seamlessly with Intermedia Contact Center, Envision Analytics brings customer interactions to unprecedented levels of excellence. Its dashboards and reports act as robust tools, leveraging both real-time and historical interaction data. These tools empower supervisors with profound insights, enabling them to make informed, responsive decisions. Consequently, this fosters more intelligent work practices, heightens productivity, and results in superior customer care.

Elements in Envision Analytics for Intermedia Contact Center comprise

  • Queue Performance Dashboard: Customized dashboard displays historical call queue metrics—service levels, talk times, and abandoned calls, catering to individual preferences. Supervisors focus on KPIs aligned with goals, making data-driven decisions to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.
  • Agent Performance Dashboard: Frontline user (agent)-friendly tool provides insights into individual call performance metrics with user-friendly visualization. Supervisors can effortlessly monitor and optimize their team’s performance, ultimately leading to enhanced customer service.

Sustained Advancements and Improvements

In the last year, Intermedia introduced upgraded Envision Analytics for its comprehensive solution, Intermedia Unite, enhancing communication, collaboration, and productivity. These new features include:

  1. Service Adoption Dashboard: Facilitates the optimization of Unite services utilization within organizations.
  2. Historical Voice Calls Dashboard: Presents an enhanced overview of call activity, incorporating additional KPIs and improved navigation.
  3. User Activity Report: Offers a more detailed breakdown of individual user behavior to enhance resource optimization.

Intermedia and Towner empower businesses with innovation, fostering lasting relationships. Envision Analytics launch attests to dedication, equipping for competitive success.

 
 
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The Future Of Business Is An AI Assistant

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AI Assistant

In today’s fast-paced world, businesses continually seek tools and solutions to enhance efficiency, productivity, and performance. Recognizing the ever-growing demand for secure and accessible AI solutions, Intermedia has boldly transformed the workplace by introducing its AI Assistant.  What’s the buzz all about? Let’s dive in and explore the fantastic benefits of integrating generative AI directly into Towner’s Elevate offerings.

01_Elevate AI Assistant-large.

Amplify Your Productivity With AI Assistant

Imagine having a virtual assistant at your fingertips, ready to tackle tasks like content creation, data summarization, complex calculations, code reviews, and much more. The Towner AI Assistant by Elevate is your secret weapon for completing these tasks faster and with exceptional quality.

Stop wasting time switching between different apps or platforms; our Assistant seamlessly integrates within your Towner Elevate experience. It’s like having your personal work guru, right where you need it.

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Private and Secure

One of the standout features of our Assistant is its commitment to privacy. Unlike other AI services that store your interactions for training purposes, our AI solution follows a strict privacy-first principle. Your business keeps your data confidential; it doesn’t store it in some distant AI engine.

This privacy-focused approach is a game-changer, particularly for businesses in industries that require strict data archiving and retrieval compliance. With our AI Assistant, you have full control and peace of mind over your data.

Seamless Integration

We understand the value of time. That’s why we’ve made it incredibly easy for Business Administrators to enable Elevate Towner Assistant with just one click. No need for complex installations and configurations; our streamlined process ensures you can harness the full potential of AI-driven productivity without breaking a sweat.

Fueled by SPARK AI Technology

Intermedia SPARK AI Technology fuels our Assistant behind the scenes.

This foundational AI technology is intelligently and responsibly integrated throughout our communications, collaboration, and contact center platform to assist teams throughout their day.

Ready to unlock the potential of AI in the workplace? The AI Assistant is here to help simplify work, making your teams more productive and secure. It doesn’t just serve as a tool; it transforms how work gets done. Embrace the future with the AI Assistant.

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Getting excited about unlocking a better more awesome way to do business? give us a shout and request a demo!

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Meet Elevate AI Assistant

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Meet Elevate AI Assistant

In a world where digital assistance is becoming more indispensable, imagine having an ally that seamlessly aids you in accessing information and tackling daily tasks. Elevate AI Assistant is here to turn that imagination into reality, transforming the way you handle business communications and collaboration.

Elevate AI Assistant goes beyond the conventional boundaries of assistance, offering a wide range of capabilities. From crafting various types of content and communications to answering queries, calculating formulas, writing and reviewing code, translating text, summarizing content, and much more – the possibilities are vast.

What sets our AI Assistant apart is its integration into the Elevate app, where business interactions and communications naturally unfold. This means effortless accessibility for any Elevate user, ensuring that the AI Assistant is always at your fingertips.

The real-time nature of Towner’s Assistant enhances your efficiency. Pose a question or make a request, and receive an immediate response. The AI Assistant is not limited to textual tasks. You can also instruct it to summarize responses, adjust the tone of answers, or even transform content into a social media post.

EAA doesn’t confine itself to desktops – it extends its reach to the Elevate Mobile app, ensuring seamless synchronization across devices. This mobile functionality facilitates on-the-go usage, allowing you to harness the power of AI Assistant wherever you are.

Concerned about data security? EAA prioritizes the protection of your information. It is meticulously designed to ensure that your data remains confidential and is not utilized for training any AI models.

It is not just a tool; it’s a key to unlocking the future of business productivity and convenience. With this intelligent assistant at your disposal, you are empowered to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of digital communication effortlessly.

Ready to embrace the future? Contact us today to delve deeper into the capabilities of Elevate AI Assistant, a crucial component of the all-in-one cloud communications, collaboration, and customer experience solution provided by Elevate and Towner. Elevate AI Assistant, represents the pinnacle of AI technology – igniting a new era of seamless assistance and efficiency.

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Revolutionize Your Business: Unveiling the 10 Game-Changing Advantages of Embracing a Virtual Phone Number

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Virtual Number

With remote, mobile, and hybrid work dominating the business scene, traditional telephone lines are no longer sufficient. Nearly 75% of U.S. companies have either adopted or are in the process of implementing hybrid work models. Explore the benefits of adding a virtual phone number for seamless team flexibility across diverse locations. Discover the functionality of these virtual lines and understand how they can significantly enhance the efficiency of your organization.

Key Points:

  1. Leverage VoIP technology with a virtual business number, enabling secure business calls from anywhere with an internet connection.

  2. Cut costs and save time while expanding your local presence in multiple markets.

  3. Unlock enhanced productivity with UC features. Offering flexibility and easy customization of your virtual phone service to suit your business needs.

Understanding the Virtual Phone Numbers in Business

A virtual number, an online account, empowers calls from any location with an internet connection. Unlike traditional landlines, no physical infrastructure is required; it operates entirely in the digital realm.

To make calls, all you need is a smart device equipped with a softphone app. Use an internet phone with an Ethernet cable or opt for wireless connectivity through a Wi-Fi-capable internet phone.

Seamless communication is facilitated by unified communications providers like Towner, employing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. Embrace VoIP for a seamless transition into the modern era, unlocking the benefits of virtual business numbers.

Benefits To A Virtual Phone Number  

Explore the Top 10 Benefits of Integrating a Virtual Phone Number into Your Business Strategy.

  1. Local Presence Across Diverse Markets:

    Boost outbound sales using local numbers, eliminating the need for global offices. Virtual business lines provide flexibility, acquiring local numbers and establishing a presence in various regions.

  2. Device Independence:

    Ditch office constraints for calls, sidestep extra forwarding services, and enjoy flexibility from any location. With a virtual phone number, conduct company calls seamlessly from a desk phone, smartphone, or PC. Employees can use their own devices, saving on hardware investments.

  3. Efficient Time and Cost Savings:

    Establishing a virtual line is effortless, unlike traditional phone lines requiring time and substantial financial investment for installation. Virtual phone systems are quick to establish, ensuring operational service within a week. Additionally, the digital nature of the setup allows for swift additions of lines or features when needed.

  4. Comprehensive Unified Communications:

    Towner’s virtual phone service goes beyond voice calls, providing a full suite of unified communications, elevating your business communication system.

UCaaS encompasses the following features:

  1. SMS and MMS text messaging
  2. Video conferencing
  3. File sharing
  4. Secure team chat
  5. Automated attendant

Moreover, you have the flexibility to access numerous other advanced features through add-ons and upgrades based on your evolving needs. The compelling value proposition of UCaaS renders acquiring a virtual phone number for your business an intuitive and straightforward decision.

  1. Instant Recordings and Transcriptions:

    UCaaS becomes essential in an era of comprehensive recordkeeping for human resources, regulatory compliance, training, and sales/marketing references. It has the capability to record and transcribe calls and messages, facilitating easy archiving and quick retrieval. Artificial intelligence further provides insights into discussions, allowing for the evaluation of interactions as positive or negative.

  2. Tailored Service for Growing Organizations:

    With organizational growth, adjusting call routing and permissions becomes crucial as team members take on new roles. With a virtual phone number for your business using UCaaS, this adjustment is seamlessly handled through your administrative settings. Retain control without the need for technical rewiring or reprogramming.

  3. Enhanced Mobility and Flexibility:

    Virtual business lines provide a secure private branch exchange tailored to your preferences, accommodating in-office, remote, or hybrid team operations. This flexibility allows for smooth transitions between devices, such as switching calls from the office to the field. Additionally, effortless transfer of conversations to other team members or the initiation of conferences with multiple parties is easily achieved.

  4. Dependable Customer Support:

    Opting for a Towner virtual phone number ensures 24/7 access to dependable customer support for your business. The dedicated staff assists with system setup and remains attentive to your needs. The award-winning service ensures that the quality of your communications is a top priority.

  5. Seamless Integrations with Preferred Applications:

    Unify communications, seamlessly integrating virtual phone service with popular apps like G Suite, Microsoft, Salesforce, NetSuite, and more. Extend API empowers developers to create custom solutions, elevating the customer experience, boosting productivity, and enabling access to vital data.

  6. Exceptional Security Measures:

    Protect sensitive data using a virtual business number, ensuring compliance with industry standards in finance, medical, and legal sectors for secure communications.

cyber security

 

Get a Virtual Phone Number for Your Business 

Setting up a virtual phone number for your business is a straightforward process. Call Towner, we’ll guide you in leveraging the capabilities of unified communications with your personalized virtual phone line.

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Dialing into the Future: Is the Humble Desk Phone Still Ringing True for Businesses in 2024?

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Desk Phone

In an era where mobile devices reign supreme, both in accessibility and popularity, the persistent use of desk phones in the workplace might seem like a curious choice.

Surprisingly, numerous companies continue to rely on physical phones, with recent studies revealing a steady 6.2% growth in the IP desk phone market.

Discover the advantages of incorporating desk phones into your team dynamics and identify who stands to gain the most from this traditional yet enduring communication tool. Uncover the reasons organizations opt for physical phones in 2024 and explore where you can secure your own equipment.

IP-Desk-Phone-Market

Key Points:

  • Desk phones persist in corporate settings due to their unmatched call quality, reliability, security features, and user-friendly interface.
  • In-office teams benefit from conferencing phones, facilitating seamless group calls.
  • Complementary accessories such as headsets, high-definition video cameras, and analog phone adapters enhance functionality.
  • Unified communications platforms enable the integration of both desk phones and softphone setups within a single system, offering flexibility and convenience.

The 5 WHYs urging Companies to Still Arm Every Employee with a Desk Phone

1. Reliability 

Indeed, employees now have the flexibility to manage corporate communications using personal or company-provided smart devices. However, occasional challenges arise when software requires upgrades or encounters compatibility issues.

Unified communications providers strive to develop software compatible with modern PCs, smartphones, and tablets. Yet, not all employees may possess devices capable of executing these tasks swiftly and consistently. In such scenarios, an IP desk phone proves its reliability by focusing on a specific function and executing it exceptionally well.

2. Security

Beyond ensuring reliability, companies must adhere to compliance and regulatory mandates, which can become intricate when employees utilize their personal phones. To address this complexity, your company may find it valuable to take the extra step of prioritizing corporate phones for the majority of communication. These devices are designed to meet the highest security standards.

3. Productivity

Personal cell phones can be timewasters, and management only has limited control over monitoring their use. When you provide company-approved devices, you can set up features in a way that minimizes distractions and boosts team efficiency.

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4. Call Quality & Reliability 

To maintain a professional image, it’s crucial to ensure your employees communicate with customers and clients using high-definition call quality. While modern devices typically meet this standard, a physical phone eradicates any concerns by providing a dedicated tool for reliable transmission and reception.

5. They’re Easy

A phone provides an optimal level of convenience by eliminating the need to toggle between apps or within a single app for calls and business activities. While modern softphone apps have simplified this process, individuals less inclined toward technology may find greater comfort with a traditional desk phone.

For companies with on-site employees, IP phones offer added ease. Despite allowing cell phones, uncertainties persist regarding the reliability of everyone’s devices and service within the building. In such cases, a desk phone remains the most reliable and certain option.

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