Call management software 'should be of a high quality'

Date: 21/12/2011

Investing in new call management solutions that allow companies to monitor their incoming calls to 0800 numbers could be one way in which firms help ensure they maintain a good reputation.

According to managing director and chief markets officer for northern Europe, India and South Africa at SQS Phil Codd, businesses need to recognise the integral part software has in the day-to-day aspects of life.

It was claimed that recognising and addressing poor-quality software may prevent organisations from sustaining damage to their character and financial standing, as clients and industry regulators are kept happy.

He warned that problems caused by glitches in technology can lead to large fines if compliance issues are breached, while a company's reputation may also be permanently damaged.

Mr Codd warned the latter is not always easy to assess, but can "hit as hard as actual monetary cost".

By monitoring calls from non-geographic numbers using call management software, firms may be able to pinpoint any problems with handling efficiency and see where they can improve their customer service.

In addition, organisations may be inspired to consider ways to enhance their marketing campaigns and attract a wider client base.

Call routing and diverting software may prove beneficial, as the products allow inbound calls to be forwarded to different numbers when lines are busy or phones are unmanned.

Commsready can provide such a service, which will give businesses the ability to handle client queries in an efficient and productive way, with improved customer service and retention a priority.

Companies interested in ensuring they have the best quality software at their disposal were advised by Mr Codd to first look at their requirements.

"By applying industry standard processes to requirements, gathering and running requirements [and] validation against documented needs, an organisation can have a solid base to work from," the expert remarked.

It was suggested testing the effectiveness of software is something firms need to do from the outset, rather than as an end project.

According to Mr Codd, organisations will set themselves up for a "better outcome" if they focus on assessing software quality "at the very start".

However, it was also noted that once implemented, systems should be monitored throughout their development cycle to ensure they are still performing as needed.

Enhanced call management software may help businesses that rely on customers placing phone orders to develop their company and expand their profits.

Through use of such a service, firms will be able to see statistics for how many calls have been answered, missed and when the peak time for contact is.

In addition, they will have access to call routing software, which will divert queries when lines or busy or there is no answer, with this able to be set depending on the date or who the caller is.

Such technology is likely to help the organisation to increase customer satisfaction - and in turn the business' reputation - while it is also thought productivity will increase due to areas in need of improvement clearly being outlined.