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Businesses are fast moving into the digital age, essentially moving all business practices to computer-based technologies. In order to keep up, there are new innovative technologies that you can use to improve your business. These include using Skype to set up virtual meetings with your clients, using VoIP-based business telephone systems in place of old phone systems, using live chat services to attend to customer needs, and using cloud systems to share information and files.
Skype with Clients
Communicating with clients is just about the most important aspect of running a business, but constantly going back and forth between meetings at their headquarters and yours can be time consuming and tedious. If there are thousands of miles between you, it can also prove expensive. Luckily, with improved technology of webcams and videophone technology via Skype, you can bring your client to you with just a click of the button. No longer will you need to board a plane to see your client for a simple status report. Now, you can talk to them and see them over the Internet and it will feel like you are in the same room together.
Using VoIP for Your Phone Needs
Did you know that you could get rid of old phone technologies and still stay connected as if you never ditched it? VoIP-based business telephone systems make it possible to set up your entire phone system through your modem, which will allow you to have all of your communication done through the Internet. These phone systems offer the same or similar services that you can get with your standard phone service, including voicemail and dialing menus. Neither you nor your customer should notice the difference in terms of quality.
Using Live Chat to Work with Customers
More often than not, getting a hold of a customer service representative meant that your customer would have to dial a number and wait on long phone queues for the next available representative. Long wait times is one of the biggest complaints customers usually have with customer service, but with live chat services, customers can now chat with an actual representative much quicker than they could over the phone. Live chat systems allow the representatives to field multiple questions at once, essentially turning customer service into an instant message conversation. This way, more customers can be attended to quicker and less people will be calling the phone lines.
Cloud-Based Technology to Share Information
Before the implementation of cloud-based technology in the workplace, sharing files was much more of a crapshoot. If you weren’t on the same network as the person you needed to get the file to, FTP sites would have to be used if the file was too big to e-mail. Nowadays, you can simply send files to a shared cloud system and get your coworker or client the file they need. The best part of these types of services is that they are much more stable and more secure than options that have been available to businesses in the past.
Technology can help your business become more efficient and stay one step ahead of the competition.
About the Author: Cheryl is a business innovator who is always looking for new technologies to utilize for her business so that it can become more successful.
