Picking The Best Business Communication Software

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Whether your team works from the office or remote locations, they need to be able to communicate with each other. It may not always be possible to walk over to a colleague for a quick conversation. That’s why you need a reliable business communication software.

An effective communication software can offer many benefits for businesses. Let’s learn more about how such a platform can improve productivity and how to choose the right one for your business.

Why is business communication important?

Business communication can be categorized as internal and external communication. Internal communication typically refers to communication between employees. External communication focuses on communication with parties outside the company.

That said, rather than being about everyday conversations, it is always goal-oriented. Some of the reasons why having strong business communication is important are:

Higher employee engagement

Effective communication and employee engagement have a close link. Employees need to talk to each other as well as their supervisors. This makes it easier for them to share ideas and exchange feedback. It makes them feel heard and builds trust between employees and managers.

Open communication lines give colleagues a way to work together and raise morale. Further, they can learn from other people’s mistakes to make better decisions.

Democratization of knowledge

Knowledge sharing is one of the common aims of all business communication models. When employees can talk to each other, it breaks data silos and increases the value of the information. For example, let’s say a customer complains about a product.

When internal communication is strong, the rep can check whether it is a one-off issue or a common problem. This paves the way for improvements and better service.

Increased productivity

Clear communication has a positive influence on productivity. It ensures that everyone has access to the same data and thus minimizes confusion. Decision makers make fewer mistakes thus making the best use of available resources. It also helps streamline business processes and makes the system more efficient.

Better decision making

Communication is critical to smart decision-making. An even flow of ideas and data supported by good communication puts everyone on the same page. It encourages constructive conversations and creative problem-solving.

This helps employees make smarter decisions and address issues collaboratively. It also makes it easier to spot potential risks.

Reduced employee turnover

A good team communication tool keeps employees connected to each other and the management. It brings transparency to work relationships and builds trust. Employees also feel more in control of their projects.

Together, these effects on employee relationships make the company a place employees want to work in. As a result, employees don't feel the need to look for jobs outside the company.

Higher customer satisfaction rates

Both external and internal communication tools improve the quality of customer interactions. Effective team communication keeps employees abreast of the latest product details and market trends.

This could help them offer quicker resolutions to customer requests. Of course, this is possible only when the company has open external phone lines for customers to reach them.

What Makes Business Communication Software a Must-Have Tool?

In addition to phone calling, there are several software tools that keep employees connected. This software streamlines communication across channels. It bridges the gap between employees on-site and remote workers.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the reasons why having the right business communication tool is important.

Improve efficiency

Leveraging a small business phone system helps teams communicate and collaborate with ease. Synchronizing information and resources makes it available to everyone in and out of the office. Thereby, decisions can be taken faster with a lower risk of error. Thus, it makes systems more efficient.

Improve omnichannel communication

Teams can communicate with each other through phone calls, instant messaging, emails, video meetings, or virtual meetings for effective collaboration. While having multiple channels of communication available is beneficial, it does have its drawbacks.

Messages can be lost in a cluttered inbox. Business communication software can work as a central platform for team collaboration through different channels. Thus, it keeps messages from getting lost and keeps conversations flowing smoothly.

Automate workflow

Team communication tools often have a variety of features that automate aspects of team conversation. For example, it can automate email responses or tasks like call recording and use the recording to generate call transcriptions.

It allows users to create custom workflows for processes such as using keywords to assign tasks. Some business communication tools also come with appointment scheduling features and can send automatic alerts.

Save time

Businesses can streamline processes and increase overall efficiency significantly when they have the right business communication software. It facilitates real-time communication and quicker responses. The use of smart tags and filters makes information in call recordings, emails, etc. easy to find and prioritize.

Similarly, the ability to automate responses and schedule appointments reduces the back-and-forth in communication across teams. With cloud-based document sharing, teams can access data from wherever they may be and spend less time searching for information.

What To Consider When Choosing Business Communication Software

There’s a wide variety of business communication software options available in the market today. The monthly subscription prices may be a consideration, but it should not be the only factor. Some of the things to keep in mind are:

Communication needs

The first thing to consider is the communication channels preferred by the in-house and remote teams. When it comes to sales and customer service teams, most communication happens over a call or video conference.

On the other hand, marketing teams may rely more on email communication. Do you use social media platforms?

Choose a software that enables conversations across all your preferred channels. The software chosen by you must be able to handle the expected volume of conversations.

Company size

As the company grows, you might require more phone lines. Hence, your communication software must be scalable. 

This is one of the main advantages of a VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) subscription. It does not require any additional cabling or hardware. That said, not every communication software is as easy to scale up.

Some software subscription plans can be used only by a certain number of people. Once that limit is crossed, you may need to change the plan. This may work for small companies but larger companies need subscription plans for unlimited users.

User-friendliness

Look for communication softwares that have intuitive interfaces. They should be easy to use with minimal training. Choosing a user-friendly communication software makes it easier to adopt. It also cuts back on the time required to train the team.

Ease of integration

Along with communication, businesses use a variety of software for CRM, project management, and so on. Hence, look for business communication software that is easy to integrate with other tools.

Remote accessibility

Mobile accessibility is a critical factor to be considered when comparing business communication software options. The platform should be accessed through a web browser as well as a mobile interface. Some platforms also allow business users to access their services through VoIP-enabled desk phones.

Security and compliance

No business wants information about their products to be made available to people outside the company. Similarly, businesses must protect their customer's personal information. Hence, pay close attention to the software’s security features.

Look for end-to-end encryption and security features like multi-factor authorization. While data sharing is important, access must be controlled. It should also maintain regular data backups and comply with data privacy regulations.

Collaboration features

Look for communication software with tools that aid real-time collaboration. For example, look for software that allows individual users to share documents and co-edit them, share contact lists and so on. Collaboration tools and additional features like a shared call inbox and warm transfers streamline processes and support teamwork.

Support

You probably have an in-house tech team. However, you must still ensure that the communication software provider has a reliable support system. They should be reachable by a phone call or an email. Also assess the availability of training resources.

If an issue arises, getting quick help is important. Along with customer support, also look into the software’s reliability in terms of uptime history.

Reviews and feedback

Finally, don't trust everything the company website tells you. Instead, try to find unbiased reviews from past clients. Read user reviews on third-party websites. This gives you an honest picture of the service capabilities.

Aircall's advantages for business communication

Rather than add-on software tools with singular capabilities, many businesses prefer upgrading to a VoIP platform for business communication. A VoIP phone system can be used for internal and external business communication.

Aircall is one of the leading VoIP providers popular with business communication teams. Along with easy access to multiple channels of communication, Aircall subscriptions include many advanced features that support data sharing and online collaboration. This includes:

Extensions for better team connectivity

Aircall users can set up customized 3-digit extensions for all team members. This may be dialed from within the organization or even shared with external contacts. Such extensions are easier to remember as compared to 10-digit mobile numbers and can be dialed quicker. It may seem like a difference of mere seconds but it adds up in terms of productivity.

Custom call tags for better data organization

Aircall subscribers can use existing or custom call tags to organize call data. This gives customer-facing teams context while dealing with repeat queries and follow-up calls. It ensures that everyone works with the same data and thus minimizes the risk of misunderstandings.

Additionally, these tags can be synced to other integrated apps for consistent reporting.

Shared contacts for easy introductions

It can be quite frustrating if you have to speak to a vendor but don’t have his contact details. Aircall overcomes this hurdle by letting users share contacts within the team. This feature keeps everyone concerned in the loop and supports collaborative team projects.

Warm transfers for smoother transitions

When calls need to be transferred from one department to another, Aircall’s warm transfer capability enables a smooth transition. Subscribers can brief other team members before transferring the call.

If required, they can go back and forth before patching the call through. This helps agents resolve issues faster and give customers a better experience.

Shared call inbox for better collaboration

Aircall’s shared call inbox helps maintain the visibility of overall team activities. Subscribers can create and edit team to-do lists and archive tasks as they are completed. This keeps tasks and conversation details from slipping through the cracks.

In addition, it promotes transparency in the organization and encourages everyone on the team to share responsibility.

CRM integration to manage workflow

Aircall offers easy integration with popular CRM platforms. Call logs, tags, comments, etc. are automatically recorded and synced to the caller profile. Account administrators can activate integrations directly from the dashboard in just a few clicks.

With computer telephony integration, pop-up windows with call data can give call participants context for every conversation.

Getting started with a business communication software

Rather than switching between tabs and copy-pasting information from one app to another, businesses need a unified communication platform. An Aircall subscription could be the ideal solution.

Aircall offers a wide range of communication, collaboration and productivity-enhancing features. It makes teamwork simpler, streamlines processes and helps the business grow. Take advantage of the free 7-day trial to see how it impacts your team’s success!

Published on November 14, 2023.